Liège

Liège (/liˈɛʒ, liˈeɪʒ/ lee-EZH, lee-AYZH,^[2][3][4] French: [ljɛʒ] (listen), locally [li.eːʃ]; Walloon: Lidje [liːtʃ]; Dutch: Luik [lœyk]  ( listen); German: Lüttich [ˈlʏtɪç]; Latin: Leodium) is a city in Belgium. It is the cultural centre of the Walloon region of Belgium and the capital of the province of Liège. Liège is also seat of a Roman Catholic bishop. In 2007, 188,907 people lived there.^[5]

Liège Lîdje  (Walloon) Luik  (Dutch) Lüttich  (German)
Municipality
Flag Coat of arms
Liège Location in Belgium The municipality of Liège in the province of Liège
Coordinates: 50°38′N 05°34′E / 50.633°N 5.567°E / 50.633; 5.567
Country	Belgium
Community	French Community
Region	Wallonia
Province	Liège
Arrondissement	Liège
Government
• Mayor	Willy Demeyer (PS)
• Governing party/ies	PS – cdH
Area
• Total	68.65 km2 (26.51 sq mi)
Population  (2018-01-01)[1]
• Total	197,355
• Density	2,900/km2 (7,400/sq mi)
Postal codes	4000–4032
Area codes	04
Website	www.liege.be

It is at 50° 38 North, 05° 34 East.^[6]

The first written trace of the city was found in 558 as Leodicum or Vicus Leodicus. From 717, Liege was made the seat of a bishopric and became a cultural centre in the Middle Ages. These bishops ruled the city as Prince-Bishops until the 1790s. In the French Revolution, the cathedral was damaged, partially burned down and then completely detroyed. In the 19th century, the city lived on coal-mining, steel industry and trade. The region was the second biggest economic center in Europe after the UK in the 19th century.

Today Liege is a major educational hub, with a university and many high schools. It is a crossing point in Europe, Liège has the second biggest inner harbour and the 8th biggest cargo airport in Europe (Liège Airport). The city, that had a lot of problems since the 1970s because of the end of the steel industry and coal-mining, is now having a good economy thanks to the logistics and high tech industry (biotechnology, space industry, IT).