Editing Ardennes (section)

==Economy==
The Ardennes includes the greatest part of Belgium's [[Luxembourg (Belgium)|Luxembourg Province]] (not to be confused with the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), the south of [[Namur Province]], and [[Liège Province]], plus a very small part of [[Hainaut Province]], as well as the northernmost third of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, called "[[Éislek]]" ({{langx|de|Oesling}}) and the main part of the French [[Ardennes (department)|Ardennes department]].

Before the 19th century industrialization, the first furnaces in these four Belgian provinces (all in the [[Wallonia]] region) and in the French Ardennes used charcoal for fuel, made from harvesting the Ardennes forest. This industry was also in the extreme south of present-day Luxembourg Province (which until 1839 was part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), in the region called [[Gaume]]. The most important part of the Walloon steel industry, using coal, was built around the coal mines, mainly in the region around the cities of [[Liège]], Charleroi, [[La Louvière]], the [[Borinage]], and further in the [[Walloon Brabant]] (in [[Tubize]]). Wallonia became the second industrial power area of the world (after Great Britain) in proportion to its territory and to its population (see further).

The rugged terrain and the harsh climate of the Ardennes limits the scope for [[agriculture]]; arable and dairy farming in cleared areas form the mainstay of the agricultural economy. The region is rich in timber and minerals, and Liège and the city of [[Namur]] are both major industrial centres. The extensive forests have an abundant population of [[wild game]]. The scenic beauty of the region and its wide variety of outdoor activities, including hunting, cycling, walking and canoeing, make it a popular tourist destination.