Dijle (Dutch, in French: Dyle) is a river in central Belgium. It is about 100 km (62 miles) long. It flows through the Belgian provinces Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Antwerp. Its source is in Houtain-le-Val, near Nivelles.
The most important towns along the Dijle are (starting from the source) Ottignies, Wavre, Leuven and Mechelen. Tributaries of the Dijle are the rivers Demer (in Werchter, Rotselaar municipality) and the Senne (near Rumst. Just after the confluence with the Senne, the Dijle forms the river Rupel together with the river Nete. The Dijle is navigable for small ships from Werchter on.
Département de la Dyle
During the French occupation of Belgium (between 1792 and 1814) there was a département de la Dyle, with its capital in Brussels. Its territory corresponds more or less with that of the Belgian provinces Walloon Brabant, Flemish Brabant and Brussels-Capital Region. See the 130 départements of the Napoleonic Empire.
It was subdivided into the following arrondissements and cantons:
- Brussels, cantons: Anderlecht, Asse, Brussels, Halle, La Hulpe, Lennik, Sint-Stevens-Woluwe, Uccle, Vilvoorde and Wolvertem.
- Leuven, cantons: Aarschot, Diest, Glabbeek, Grez, Haacht, Leuven, Tienen and Zoutleeuw.
- Nivelles, cantons: Genappe, Herne, Jodoigne, Nivelles, Perwez and Wavre.
