During the Industrial Revolution, Wallonia was second only to the United Kingdom in industrialization, capitalizing on its extensive deposits of coal and iron. This brought the region wealth, and from the beginning of the 19th to the middle of the 20th century, Wallonia was the more prosperous half of Belgium. Since World War II, the importance of heavy industry has greatly diminished, and the Flemish Region has exceeded Wallonia in wealth as Wallonia has declined economically. Wallonia now suffers from high unemployment and has a significantly lower GDP per capita than Flanders.
In the 19th century, Wallonia was the first fully industrialized area in continental Europe. The two World Wars curbed the continuous expansion that Wallonia had enjoyed. Towards the end of the 1950s, factories were antiquated, coal was running out, and extraction costs were rising. The restoration of economic development is a high political priority, with the government encouraging industries in cutting-edge technology and business parks. The economy is improving, but Wallonia is not yet at the level of Flanders and still faces difficulties.
Wallonia is landlocked, with an area of 16,901 km2, or 55 percent of the total area of Belgium. Most of Wallonia's major cities and two-thirds of its population lie along the east–west aligned Sambre and Meuse valley, the former industrial backbone of Belgium. To the north of this valley, Wallonia lies on the Central Belgian Plateau, a relatively flat and agriculturally fertile area. The south and southeast of Wallonia is made up of the Ardennes, an expanse of forested highland that is less densely populated. The Ardennes area south of the Meuse is a popular tourist destination for its nature and outdoor sports.
Belgium is a federal state made up of three communities and three regions, each with considerable autonomy. One of these is the Walloon Region, which is governed by the Parliament of Wallonia and the executive Government of Wallonia. The Walloon Region's autonomy extends even to foreign policy; Wallonia is entitled to pursue its own foreign policy, including the signing of treaties. Wallonia is also home to about 80 per cent of the population of the French Community of Belgium, a political level responsible for matters related mainly to culture and education. The Walloon Region has a unicameral parliament with 75 members elected for five years by direct universal suffrage.
The two largest cities in Wallonia each have an airport. The Brussels South Charleroi Airport has become an important passenger airport, especially with low fares companies such as Ryanair or Wizzair. The Liège Airport is specialized in freight. Wallonia has an extensive and well-developed rail network, served by the Belgian National Railway Company, SNCB. Wallonia's numerous motorways fall within the scope of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). The autonomous port of Liège (PAL) is the third largest inland port in Europe.
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