Haaltert is a municipality

Municipality

A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...

 located in the Belgian

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 province of East Flanders

East Flanders

East Flanders is a province of Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Netherlands and in Belgium on the provinces of Antwerp, Flemish Brabant , of Hainaut and of West Flanders...

 in the Denderstreek

Denderstreek

The Denderstreek or Denderland is a region in the heart of Belgium. It is named after the river Dender. Though the river stretches over three provinces, Hainaut, East Flanders and Flemish Brabant, the region called after the river is situated in East-Flanders. The Dutch word streek means region....

. The municipality comprises the towns of Denderhoutem

Denderhoutem

Denderhoutem is a village, located in the Denderstreek in the Flemish province of East Flanders . Since 1977 it is part of the municipality of Haaltert.The arms show a garb, most likely a symbol for agriculture....

, Haaltert proper, Heldergem and Kerksken. On January 1, 2006 Haaltert had a total population of 17,255. The total area is 30.30 km² which gives a population density

Population density

Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...

 of 569 inhabitants per km². The current mayor of Haaltert is Roger Coppens, from the VLD (Liberal) party.

There is a 205 hectare nature reserve Den Dotter

Den Dotter

Den Dotter is a 205 hectare nature reserve in the sub-municipalities of Aaigem and Heldergem in the East Flemish Denderstreek...

 in the sub-municipalities of Aaigem

Aaigem

Aaigem is a village belonging to the municipality of Erpe-Mere. It is located in the province of East Flanders, Belgium. The village has some 2000 inhabitants. Aaigem was an independent municipality with an area of 7.32 square kilometers till 1976....

 (municipality Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere

Erpe-Mere is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders in the Denderstreek. The municipality comprises the towns of Aaigem, Bambrugge, Burst, Erondegem, Erpe, Mere, Ottergem and Vlekkem. There is also a hamlet in Bambrugge: Egem. On January 1, 2010 Erpe-Mere had a total...

) and Heldergem (municipality Haaltert).