a city of the province of West Flanders, about two miles from the sea, on the canal from Dunkirk to Bruges. It is strongly fortified, and contains 3452 inhabitants. Long. 2. 34. 31. E. Lat. 51. 4. 23. N. It is the capital of a circle divided into four cantons, extending over 266 square miles, containing 76,547 inhabitants.