Editing Limburg (Belgium) (section)

==Economy==
[[File:Reife Süßkirschen.jpg|left|thumb|Cherries, an important product of Limburgian fruit growing business.]]
The [[Gross domestic product]] (GDP) of the province was 28.7 billion € in 2018. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 29,000 € or 96% of the EU27 average in the same year.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58|title=Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018|website=Eurostat}}</ref>

In the economic field tourism is being actively promoted with publicized attractions including Limburg's claim to be a "Bicycle Paradise" (''Fietsparadijs''). There's also the possibility to walk in nature reserves, such as the "High Kempen National Park".<ref>[http://www.toerismelimburg.be/ Tourism Limburg website]</ref><ref>[http://www.nationaalparkhogekempen.be/ National Park "Hoge Kempen" website]</ref>

In the south, the Haspengouw ([[Hesbaye]]), predominantly situated in Limburg, is now Belgium's major area for [[Fruit picking|fruit growing]]. In Limburg more than 50% of Belgium's fruit production is grown.

Coal mining has been an important industry in the 20th century,<ref>in 1901, black coal was discovered in the ''Kempens steenkoolbekken''; six mines closed between 1987 and 1992</ref> but has now ended in this province. Nevertheless, it has laid the basis for a more complex modern economy and community. In the 20th century, Limburg became a centre for the [[secondary sector]], attracting [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]], who had a major production centre in Genk that closed in December 2014, and the electronics company Philips, who had a major operation in [[Kiewit]].

Many areas such as Genk continue to have a lot of heavy and chemical industry, but emphasis has moved towards encouraging innovation. The old Philips plant is now the site of a Research Campus,<ref>[http://www.cordacampus.com/en www.cordacampus.com]</ref> and the [[Hasselt University]] in Diepenbeek has a science park attached to it. Similarly, the site of the coal mine in Genk is now Thor Park, where  Energyville, a research hub of the [[KU Leuven]], VITO, [[IMEC]], and [[UHasselt]].

The region today promotes itself as a centre for trade in the heart of industrialised Europe. It is part of the [[Meuse-Rhine Euroregion]], which represents a partnership between this province and neighbouring provinces in Germany, the Netherlands and Wallonia.