Editing Charleroi (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Map Charleroi.svg|thumb|The 15 districts of Charleroi, in Roman numerals, with the surrounding municipalities labelled with letters|alt=Charleroi has 15 districts, and is surrounded by nine other municipalities]]

The municipality of Charleroi straddles both banks of the river [[Sambre]] in an area marked by industrial activities ([[coal mining]] and [[steel industry]]), which has been nicknamed the ''[[Pays Noir]]'' ("Black Country"), part of the larger ''[[sillon industriel]]''. Even though most of the factories have closed since the 1950s, the landscape remains dotted with [[spoil tip]]s and old industrial buildings.

Charleroi lies around {{convert|50|km}} south of [[Brussels]].

The [[Municipalities in Belgium|municipality]] comprises:
*I. the central district of Charleroi

and the following former municipalities, now [[Deelgemeente|sections]], merged into Charleroi in 1977:
{{Div col}}
*II. [[Dampremy]]
*III. [[Lodelinsart]]
*IV. [[Gilly, Belgium|Gilly]]
*V. [[Montignies-sur-Sambre]]
*VI. [[Couillet, Belgium|Couillet]]
*VII. [[Marcinelle]]
*VIII. [[Mont-sur-Marchienne]]
*IX. [[Marchienne-au-Pont]]
*X. [[Monceau-sur-Sambre]]
*XI. [[Goutroux]]
*XII. [[Roux, Belgium|Roux]]
*XIII. [[Jumet]]
*XIV. [[Gosselies]]
*XV. [[Ransart, Belgium|Ransart]]
{{Div col end}}
{{clear left}}
Neighboring municipalities:
{{Div col}}
* a. [[Les Bons Villers]]
* b. [[Fleurus]]
* c. [[Châtelet, Belgium|Châtelet]]
* d. [[Gerpinnes]]
* e. [[Ham-sur-Heure-Nalinnes]]
* f. [[Montigny-le-Tilleul]]
* g. [[Fontaine-l'Évêque]]
* h. [[Courcelles, Belgium|Courcelles]]
* i. [[Pont-à-Celles]]
{{Div col end}}

===Topography and hydrography===
[[File:Charleroi_-_2019-08-24_-_04_-_quai_Arthur_Rimbaud_et_quai_de_Sambre.jpg|thumb|The Quai Arthur Rimbaud (formerly Quai de Brabant) along the [[Sambre]] after renovation]]
The topography of Charleroi is influenced by the valley of the river [[Sambre]], which flows from west to east before joining the [[Meuse]] at [[Namur]]. The [[Piéton]] river flows from north to south to join the Sambre at [[Dampremy]]. The [[Brussels–Charleroi Canal|Charleroi-Brussels canal]] is dug in the valley of this stream. The [[Eau d'Heure]] river comes from the south and also flows into the Sambre at [[Marchienne-au-Pont]]. About twenty streams run through the territory of the municipality.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Carte d'identité du sous-bassin hydrographique de la Sambre |url=https://www.crsambre.be/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Carte-d%E2%80%99identit%C3%A9-du-sous-bassin-hydrographique-de-la-Sambre.pdf |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=Contrat de Rivière Sambre & Affluents |language=fr-FR }}</ref>

The altitude ranges from 100 metres (Sambre and Piéton valleys) to over 220 metres at the [[Bois du Prince]] in [[Marcinelle]]. The level is 132 metres on the [[Place Charles II]]. The height of the slag heaps often exceeds 200 metres, the Saint-Charles slag heap in the [[Bois du Cazier]] reaches 241 metres.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/66924806 |title=Topografische atlas België = Atlas topographique Belgique : 1:50.000 |date=2002 |publisher=Touring |others=Marcel, Fietsgidsen Gevaert, Nationaal Geografisch Instituut |isbn=90-209-4853-9 |location=[Brussel] |pages=206–207 |oclc=66924806}}</ref>

=== Biodiversity ===
The six slag heaps in the [[Pays Noir]] are reservoirs of biodiversity that should be preserved.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Biodiversity 2020, Update of Belgium's National Strategy {{!}} Convention on Biological Diversity |url=https://www.biodiv.be/documents/BE-national-strategy |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=www.biodiv.be}}</ref>

Like the [[calcareous grassland]], the slag heaps are habitats created by human activity that are home to many very specific and often threatened animal and plant species. The rarity of these species depends on the rarity of the environment itself (the [[biotope]]). [[Biodiversity]] is also present in other environments: in a wasteland, a body of water, a meadow, etc. In terms of biodiversity, it is therefore preferable to maintain a mosaic of habitats, hence the interest in preserving different types of environments on the slag heaps.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Danna-Allegrini |first1=Brunella |last2=Henry |first2=Marion |date=2020-01-01 |title=Charleroi: Slag Heaps and New Landscape |url=https://revistas.upr.edu/images/informa/2020/v12/e2.pdf |journal=Informa |language=en |volume=12 |pages=32–38 |issn=2637-7950}}</ref>

The Viviers site, for example, is an [[Coal mining|old mining site]] located in the east of Charleroi ([[Gilly, Belgium|Gilly]]). This site has a small conical [[slag heap]] and large open areas consisting mainly of pioneer grassland and wasteland. It also includes a small body of water as well as temporary ponds, and some wooded areas on the western and northern edges. This particular biotope is of great biological interest and acts as a refuge for a diverse fauna. The vast [[reed bed]] surrounding the pond is home to the [[red warbler]], a [[passerine bird]] specific to this type of vegetation. Several species of amphibians can be seen here, including a population of the [[natterjack toad]], as well as certain insects, such as the magnificent [[Oedipoda caerulescens|blue-winged grasshopper]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2638 - Terril des Viviers {{!}} Rechercher un site intéressant ou protégé {{!}} Sites {{!}} La biodiversité en Wallonie |url=http://biodiversite.wallonie.be/fr/2638-terril-des-viviers.html?IDD=251661361&IDC=1881# |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=biodiversite.wallonie.be}}</ref>

The Martinet site, a former colliery on the boundary of the [[Monceau-sur-Sambre]] and Roux sections, is in the process of being rehabilitated and reallocated. Like the Viviers slag heap in Gilly, this vast site is of great biological interest.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Terril du Martinet (FR) |url=https://www.destinationterrils.eu/en/terril-du-martinet |access-date=2022-07-29 |website=Destination Terrils |language=en}}</ref>

===Climate===
Similar to the rest of Belgium Charleroi has an [[oceanic climate]] as a result of the [[Gulf Stream]] influence warming winters, while also moderating summer warmth in spite of its inland position.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Charleroi (1991–2020 normals)
|collapsed = 
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 15.2
|Feb record high C = 19.5
|Mar record high C = 23.9
|Apr record high C = 28.7
|May record high C = 31.8
|Jun record high C = 34.4
|Jul record high C = 40.4
|Aug record high C = 36.6
|Sep record high C = 35.4
|Oct record high C = 26.0
|Nov record high C = 20.4
|Dec record high C = 16.7
|year record high C = 40.4
|Jan avg record high C = 
|Feb avg record high C = 
|Mar avg record high C = 
|Apr avg record high C = 
|May avg record high C = 
|Jun avg record high C = 
|Jul avg record high C = 
|Aug avg record high C = 
|Sep avg record high C = 
|Oct avg record high C = 
|Nov avg record high C = 
|Dec avg record high C = 
|year avg record high C = 
|Jan high C = 5.8
|Feb high C = 6.9
|Mar high C = 10.7
|Apr high C = 14.8
|May high C = 18.4
|Jun high C = 21.4
|Jul high C = 23.6
|Aug high C = 23.4
|Sep high C = 19.6
|Oct high C = 14.8
|Nov high C = 9.6
|Dec high C = 6.3
|year high C = 
|Jan mean C = 3.2
|Feb mean C = 3.7
|Mar mean C = 6.5
|Apr mean C = 9.7
|May mean C = 13.4
|Jun mean C = 16.4
|Jul mean C = 18.5
|Aug mean C = 18.2
|Sep mean C = 14.9
|Oct mean C = 11.0
|Nov mean C = 6.8
|Dec mean C = 3.8
|year mean C = 
|Jan low C = 0.6
|Feb low C = 0.6
|Mar low C = 2.4
|Apr low C = 4.7
|May low C = 8.4
|Jun low C = 11.3
|Jul low C = 13.4
|Aug low C = 13.1
|Sep low C = 10.1
|Oct low C = 7.2
|Nov low C = 3.9
|Dec low C = 1.4
|year low C = 
|Jan avg record low C = 
|Feb avg record low C = 
|Mar avg record low C = 
|Apr avg record low C = 
|May avg record low C = 
|Jun avg record low C = 
|Jul avg record low C = 
|Aug avg record low C = 
|Sep avg record low C = 
|Oct avg record low C = 
|Nov avg record low C = 
|Dec avg record low C = 
|year avg record low C = 
|Jan record low C = -17.5
|Feb record low C = -16.7
|Mar record low C = -10.1
|Apr record low C = -5.5
|May record low C = 0.1
|Jun record low C = 3.7
|Jul record low C = 5.6
|Aug record low C = 6.0
|Sep record low C = 2.9
|Oct record low C = -5.3
|Nov record low C = -8.7
|Dec record low C = -11.8
|year record low C = -17.5
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 79.7
|Feb precipitation mm = 69.9
|Mar precipitation mm = 65.5
|Apr precipitation mm = 47.9
|May precipitation mm = 65.1
|Jun precipitation mm = 76.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 75.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 85.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 63.3
|Oct precipitation mm = 67.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 75.7
|Dec precipitation mm = 98.3
|year precipitation mm = 
|unit precipitation days = 1 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 12.8
|Feb precipitation days = 11.6
|Mar precipitation days = 11.3
|Apr precipitation days = 9.1
|May precipitation days = 10.2
|Jun precipitation days = 10.2
|Jul precipitation days = 10.2
|Aug precipitation days = 10.3
|Sep precipitation days = 9.6
|Oct precipitation days = 10.6
|Nov precipitation days = 12.1
|Dec precipitation days = 14.4
|year precipitation days = 
|Jan sun = 55
|Feb sun = 73
|Mar sun = 126
|Apr sun = 178
|May sun = 204
|Jun sun = 208
|Jul sun = 217
|Aug sun = 206
|Sep sun = 157
|Oct sun = 114
|Nov sun = 64
|Dec sun = 47
|year sun = 
|source 1 = [[Royal Meteorological Institute]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.meteo.be/resources/climatology/climateCity/pdf/climate_INS52011_9120_nl.pdf|title=Klimaatstatistieken van de Belgische gemeenten - Charleroi|publisher=[[Royal Meteorological Institute]]|language=nl|access-date=26 October 2023}}</ref>
|source 2 = Infoclimat<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.infoclimat.fr/climatologie/normales-records/1991-2020/charleroi/valeurs/06449.html|title=Normales et records climatologiques 1991-2020 à Charleroi|publisher=Infoclimat|language=fr|access-date=26 October 2023}}</ref>
}}