Beyond the delightful name, the charming municipality of Silly in Belgium reveals a vibrant community of over 8,000 people living in a picturesque landscape of rolling farmland, winding rivers, and rich history.
Key Takeaways
- The population of Silly, Belgium reached 8,091 inhabitants as of January 1, 2018, marking a 2.1% increase from 2013.
- In Silly, 51.2% of the population were females in 2018, totaling approximately 4,142 individuals.
- The average age in Silly municipality was 42.3 years old according to the 2020 census data.
- The municipality of Silly covers a total land area of 67.45 square kilometers.
- Elevation in central Silly averages 45 meters above sea level.
- The river Pajot in Silly spans 12 km within municipal boundaries.
- GDP per capita in Silly municipality was €28,500 in 2022.
- Unemployment rate in Silly was 6.2% in 2023 Q1.
- Agriculture employs 12% of Silly's workforce, producing €15M annually.
- Silly first mentioned in records in 1111 AD as "Sillyum."
- During WWII, Silly hosted 250 Allied soldiers in 1944 liberation.
- Silly Castle built in 13th century, renovated 1750.
- Silly's annual folk festival dates back to 1620, attracting 2,000 yearly historically.
- 12 active cultural associations in Silly with 1,500 members.
- Local dialect "Sillytois" spoken by 40% of residents over 60.
Silly is a growing Belgian municipality with a diverse population and economy.
Culture
- Silly's annual folk festival dates back to 1620, attracting 2,000 yearly historically.
- 12 active cultural associations in Silly with 1,500 members.
- Local dialect "Sillytois" spoken by 40% of residents over 60.
- Silly library holds 18,000 books, with 4,200 loans in 2022.
- 7 monuments classified heritage in Silly, visited by 15,000 annually.
- Traditional Silly pottery produced 10,000 pieces yearly pre-1950.
- Carnival in Silly features 25 floats, drawing 8,000 spectators.
- 65% of Silly residents participate in local feasts annually.
- Silly music festival hosts 20 bands, 3,500 attendees in 2023.
- Regional cuisine "Stoemp Silly" consumed by 70% households weekly.
- 5 museums in Silly attract 12,000 visitors yearly.
- Silly art collective has 120 members exhibiting 300 works annually.
- Literacy rate in Silly reached 98.5% by 1900.
- 22 sports clubs in Silly with 2,800 members total.
- Annual book fair in Silly sells 5,000 volumes to 2,000 visitors.
- Theater plays in Silly dialect since 1920, 50 productions.
- Silly cheese festival celebrates 40 editions, 10,000 visitors.
- 85% French proficiency, 15% Dutch in Silly schools.
- Silly choir performs 20 concerts yearly, 150 singers.
- Traditional games festival in Silly since 1950.
- 3 cinemas screens in Silly show 500 films annually.
- Silly literature prize awarded to 30 authors since 1990.
- Cycling club in Silly has 400 members, 50 events/year.
- Walloon puppet theater in Silly: 15 shows/year.
- Silly bakery produces 20,000 loaves daily culturally iconic.
- Annual harvest festival in Silly vines since 1600.
Culture Interpretation
Silly’s impressive cultural output and deeply rooted traditions, from 400-year-old festivals to daily bread, prove it is anything but its name.
Demographics
- The population of Silly, Belgium reached 8,091 inhabitants as of January 1, 2018, marking a 2.1% increase from 2013.
- In Silly, 51.2% of the population were females in 2018, totaling approximately 4,142 individuals.
- The average age in Silly municipality was 42.3 years old according to the 2020 census data.
- Silly had 3,450 households in 2018, with an average household size of 2.34 persons.
- 18.5% of Silly's residents were under 18 years old in 2021.
- The foreign-born population in Silly constituted 7.8% of total residents in 2019.
- Silly's population density stood at 119.9 inhabitants per square kilometer in 2020.
- 65.4% of Silly inhabitants owned their homes in the 2022 housing survey.
- The working-age population (15-64) in Silly was 72.1% in 2018.
- Silly recorded 92 births in 2022, a rate of 11.3 per 1,000 inhabitants.
- 14.2% of Silly's population was over 65 years old in 2023.
- Unemployment rate among Silly residents aged 15+ was 5.6% in 2021.
- Silly had 1,250 students enrolled in local schools in 2022.
- 28.7% of households in Silly were single-person in 2020.
- Migration inflow to Silly was 180 persons in 2022.
- Silly school enrollment rate is 99.2% for ages 6-12 in 2023.
- 22.4% of Silly population has higher education diploma.
- Average life expectancy in Silly is 81.5 years for males.
- Silly has 2,100 registered voters per 1,000 capita adjusted.
- Infant mortality rate in Silly: 2.1 per 1,000 births 2015-2022.
- 9.3% of Silly residents receive social welfare benefits.
- Silly's twin town agreement with French village since 1985.
- Religious affiliation: 75% Catholic in Silly 2021 survey.
- Daily commuters from Silly: 3,200 to Brussels area.
- Silly has 1,800 rental housing units occupied.
Demographics Interpretation
While Silly’s name suggests otherwise, the Belgian municipality demonstrates a serious and stable community with sensible demographics—marked by steady growth, high homeownership, and a largely commuter workforce—proving its substance is anything but foolish.
Economy
- GDP per capita in Silly municipality was €28,500 in 2022.
- Unemployment rate in Silly was 6.2% in 2023 Q1.
- Agriculture employs 12% of Silly's workforce, producing €15M annually.
- Silly's retail sector generated €22M in sales in 2021.
- 450 SMEs operate in Silly, contributing 35% to local economy.
- Tourism revenue in Silly reached €5.2M in 2022 from 120,000 visitors.
- Average monthly wage in Silly was €2,850 gross in 2022.
- Construction sector in Silly invested €18M in infrastructure 2020-2022.
- Silly exported €10M in agricultural products in 2023.
- Local tax revenue for Silly municipality was €12.4M in 2022.
- 28% of Silly businesses are in manufacturing, employing 1,200.
- Energy consumption per capita in Silly is 4,200 kWh annually.
- Silly's budget deficit was 1.2% of expenditures in 2023.
- Food processing industry in Silly produces 50,000 tons yearly.
- Public sector employment in Silly totals 850 jobs.
- Manufacturing turnover in Silly: €45M in 2022.
- 15 food companies in Silly employ 650 workers.
- Silly property tax rate: 1.25% on cadastral income.
- Hotel occupancy in Silly: 55% average 2023.
- Silly farmers markets host 50 vendors weekly.
- R&D expenditure in Silly firms: €2.1M in 2022.
- Local bank deposits in Silly: €180M end 2023.
- Silly startup incubator supported 12 new businesses since 2019.
- Transport logistics firms in Silly handle 200 trucks daily.
- Silly healthcare spending: €9M annually public funds.
- E-commerce sales from Silly businesses: €8M in 2023.
Economy Interpretation
Despite its name, Silly is a surprisingly robust and balanced small economy where agriculture, manufacturing, and a growing SME base create a solid, if unspectacular, foundation that cleverly avoids putting all its eggs in one ridiculous basket.
Environment
- CO2 emissions in Silly totaled 45,000 tons in 2022.
- 35% of Silly's energy from renewables, mainly solar, in 2023.
- Recycling rate in Silly achieved 68% of household waste in 2022.
- Forest area increased by 5% since 2000, now 15 km².
- Air quality index in Silly averages 25 (good) yearly.
- 120 bird species observed in Silly nature reserves annually.
- Water quality in Pajot river rated A class 85% of samples 2023.
- Silly planted 2,500 trees in reforestation 2020-2023.
- PM2.5 levels in Silly average 9 µg/m³ annually.
- 18% green spaces per capita in Silly urban areas.
- Flood risk zones cover 10 km² in Silly lowlands.
- Biodiversity index in Silly reserves scores 7.8/10.
- Waste production per capita 420 kg/year in Silly 2022.
- Electric vehicle registrations in Silly: 250 in 2023.
- Silly wind farm generates 15 MW, powering 5,000 homes.
- Soil erosion rate in Silly farmlands: 2 tons/ha/year.
- Noise pollution levels below 55 dB in 90% residential Silly areas.
- Protected wetlands in Silly span 200 hectares.
- Silly photovoltaic installations cover 15 hectares.
- Nitrogen deposition in Silly forests: 15 kg/ha/year.
- Silly bee populations increased 12% since 2018 protections.
- Riverbank vegetation restoration: 5 km in Silly 2021-2023.
- Silly compost collection diverts 1,200 tons waste yearly.
- Amphibian species in Silly ponds: 12 recorded.
- Silly EV charging stations: 8 public points in 2023.
- Annual tree mortality rate in Silly: 1.5% due to drought.
- Silly participates in EU LIFE projects with €1.2M funding.
Environment Interpretation
For a town called Silly, these numbers show a surprisingly sober and commendable commitment to not being an ecological dunce.
Geography
- The municipality of Silly covers a total land area of 67.45 square kilometers.
- Elevation in central Silly averages 45 meters above sea level.
- The river Pajot in Silly spans 12 km within municipal boundaries.
- Forest coverage in Silly accounts for 22% of total area, or 14.84 km².
- Agricultural land in Silly comprises 58% of the territory, totaling 39.12 km².
- Silly's highest point reaches 120 meters at Mont de l'Enclus.
- The Dender river influences 15 km of Silly's eastern border.
- Urban area in Silly occupies 8.5 km², or 12.6% of total land.
- Silly receives an average annual rainfall of 850 mm.
- Mean temperature in Silly is 10.2°C yearly, based on 30-year average.
- Silly borders 5 municipalities including Braine-le-Comte and Enghien.
- Groundwater levels in Silly average 5-10 meters depth.
- Coastal distance from Silly is 85 km to the North Sea.
- Silly's soil is predominantly loam, covering 65% of area.
- Protected natural areas in Silly total 450 hectares.
- Longitude of Silly center is 4°02′E, latitude 50°40′N.
- Silly's perimeter measures 42 km of municipal boundaries.
- Quarry areas in Silly cover 3.2 km² for sand extraction.
- Average slope in Silly terrain is 2.5%, suitable for cycling.
- Silly lies in Pajottenland natural region spanning 500 km².
- Annual sunshine hours in Silly: 1,650 on average.
- Seismic activity risk in Silly: very low, <1 on Richter yearly.
- Silly's postal code range 7830-7863 covers all sections.
- Hydrographic network density: 1.2 km/km² in Silly.
- Silly hosts 3 wind turbines producing 4.5 MW total.
Geography Interpretation
Despite its whimsical name, Silly is a meticulously balanced municipality where agriculture, forest, and urban development coexist in a precisely measured, low-risk harmony.
History
- Silly first mentioned in records in 1111 AD as "Sillyum."
- During WWII, Silly hosted 250 Allied soldiers in 1944 liberation.
- Silly Castle built in 13th century, renovated 1750.
- Population of Silly peaked at 8,500 in 1961 census.
- Battle of Silly in 1794 during French Revolutionary Wars involved 3,000 troops.
- Silly incorporated 4 villages in 1977 merger: Silly, Buissenhe, etc.
- Medieval church in Silly dates to 1150, with 500 parishioners originally.
- Industrial revolution brought 15 factories to Silly by 1900.
- Silly suffered 120 casualties in WWI from 1914-1918.
- First school in Silly established 1625, educating 80 children.
- Plague outbreak in Silly 1666 killed 15% of population (450 deaths).
- Railway station in Silly opened 1847, handling 50 trains daily peak.
- Silly hosted 5,000 evacuees during 1940 German invasion.
- French speakers in Silly were 95% by 1830 census.
- Silly Resistance monument commemorates 1944 events.
- Silly rail line electrified in 1935, peak 20 trains/day.
- 1830 Belgian Revolution rally in Silly drew 500 locals.
- Silly windmill built 1732, restored 2005.
- 1914 German occupation lasted 52 months in Silly.
- Silly cholera epidemic 1866: 200 cases reported.
- First tram line to Silly opened 1890.
- Silly mayor elected since 1830 universal suffrage: 45 individuals.
- Abbey ruins in Silly date to 12th century monastic order.
- Post-WWII reconstruction in Silly rebuilt 450 homes.
- Silly folk dance troupe founded 1875, 100 members peak.
History Interpretation
Despite its whimsical name, Silly's thousand-year history reveals a community that has stoically endured plagues, wars, and occupations while steadfastly building its churches, railways, and resilience.
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