Ghent (French: Gand) is the capital of the Belgian province of East Flanders and of the arrondissement of Ghent. Ghent covers an area of 156.18 km² and has around 257,000 inhabitants (2016), making it the second largest municipality in Belgium by population, after Antwerp. The city is also the capital of the electoral canton of Ghent and has five judicial cantons.
It is also known as the Fiere Stede or the Artevelde City. Because of its location in a vast area of flower and plant nurseries, Ghent is also called the City of Flowers (see Ghent Floralies). The inhabitants of Ghent are called Gentenaars[1] and are nicknamed Stroppen (Strawbearers). People in Ghent speak Gents, a dialect quite different from the other East Flemish dialects.
