The densely populated province of Hainaut lies in the west of Wallonia. Its main towns are Charleroi, Wallonia’s largest city, and Mons, the province’s capital. Hainaut is known for its many historical towns and for having restructured its economy following the decline in mining and industry. It has a rich variety of higher education institutions, including the University of Mons, three colleges, two arts colleges and 22 adult education centres.