Namur [key], Du. Namen, province (1991 pop. 423,317), S Belgium, bordering on France in the south. The chief cities are Namur (the capital) and Dinant. The province is generally hilly; it is drained by the Meuse, Sambre, and Lesse rivers and is traversed in the south by the Ardennes. It is largely agricultural. There are also extensive marble, limestone, and granite quarries; iron mines; and glass and cutlery factories. The province, which is mainly French-speaking (see Walloons), includes the former county of Namur, part of the former prince-bishopric of Liège, and part of Hainaut. A resort industry is developing along the southern stretches of the Meuse.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Benelux Political Geography