Mons | |
---|---|
State | |
Country | |
Capital | |
Population | 0 |
Mons (French pronunciation: [mɔ̃s]; Dutch: Bergen; German: Bergen; Picard: Mont; Walloon: Mont) is a Belgian city and municipality, and the capital of the province of Hainaut in the Walloon region.
Mons was made into a fortified city by Count Baldwin IV of Hainaut in the 12th century. The population grew quickly, trade flourished, and several commercial buildings were erected near the Grand’Place. In 1814, King William I of the Netherlands increased the fortifications, following the fall of the First French Empire. The Industrial Revolution and coal mining made Mons a center of heavy industry. In 1830, Belgium gained its independence and the decision was made to dismantle the fortifications, allowing the creation of large boulevards and other urban projects.
La Réunion | |
---|---|
State | |
Country | |
Capital | |
Population | 0 |
Réunion (French: La Réunion [la ʁe.y.njɔ̃] (listen); previously Île Bourbon) is an overseas department and region of the French Republic and an Indian Ocean island in East Africa, east of Madagascar and 175 km (109 mi) southwest of Mauritius. As of January 2020, it had a population of 859,959.As in France, the official language is French. In addition, the majority of the region's population speaks Réunion Creole.