Escaut (French: [ɛsko], Dutch: Schelde) was a department of the French First Republic and French First Empire in present-day Belgium and Netherlands. It was named after the river Scheldt (Escô, Schelde), which is called the Escaut in French. It was created on 1 October 1795, when the Austrian Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège were officially annexed by the French Republic.^[3] Before annexation by France, its territory was part of the County of Flanders and the Dutch Republic (Staats-Vlaanderen).

Quick Facts Department of EscautDépartement de l'Escaut (French)Departement Schelde (Dutch), Status ...

Department of Escaut Département de l'Escaut (French) Departement Schelde (Dutch)
1795–1814
Flag
Escaut and other annexed departments
Status	Department of the French First Republic and the French First Empire
Chef-lieu	Ghent 51°3′N 3°44′E
Official languages	French
Common languages	Dutch
Historical era	French Revolutionary Wars
• Creation	1 October 1795
• Treaty of Paris, disestablished	30 May 1814
Area
1812[1]	3,570 km2 (1,380 sq mi)
Population
• 1789[2]	583,059
• 1799[2]	594,617
• 1800[2]	602,072
• 1812[1]	636,438
Preceded by Succeeded by County of Flanders Generality Lands East Flanders
Today part of	Belgium Netherlands

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The Chef-lieu of the department was Ghent (Gand in French). The department was subdivided into the following four arrondissements and cantons (as of 1812):^[2]

• Gand: Cruyshouthem, Deysne, Evergem, Gand (4 cantons), Loochristi, Nazareth, Nevèle, Oosterzeele, Sommergem and Waerschoot.
• Termonde: Alost (2 cantons), Beveren, Hamme, Lockeren, Saint-Gillis, Saint-Nicolas, Tamise, Termonde, Wetteren and Zèle.
• Eccloo: Assenède, Axel, Capryck, Eccloo, L'Écluse, Hulst, Oostbourg and Yzendick.
• Andernarde: Andernarde (2 cantons), Grammont, Herzèle, Maria-Hoorebecke, Niderbrakel, Ninove, Renaix and Sotteghem.

After Napoleon was defeated in 1814, the department became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its territory corresponded with the present Belgian province of East Flanders and the Dutch region of Zeelandic Flanders.