Charleroi (, ) is a city and a
municipality of
Wallonia, located in the
province of
Hainaut,
Belgium. By January 1, 2008, the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The
metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of with a total population of 522,522 by January 1, 2008, ranking it as the 5th most populous in
Belgium after
Brussels,
Antwerp,
Liège and
Ghent. The inhabitants are called
Carolorégiens or simply
Carolos.