Gistel

{{About|the Belgian municipality|the zoologist|Johannes von Nepomuk Franz Xaver Gistel}}

{{Infobox Belgium municipality

|name = Gistel

|type = city

|picture = Gistel - Groene 62 - Crossing.jpg

|picture-legend =

|map = Gistel West-Flanders Belgium Map.svg

|map-legend = location within arrondissement Ostend
and in the province West Flanders

|arms = Blason Gistel.svg

|flag = GistelFlag.svg

|region = {{BE-REG-FLE}}

|community = {{BE-NL}}

|province = {{BE-PROV-WV}}

|arrondissement = Ostend

|nis = 35005

|male=5499 (49.43%)

|female=5626 (50.57%)

|pyramid-date=01/01/06

|0-19=25.1

|20-64=58.04

|65=16.86

|foreigners=0.89

|foreigners-date = 01/07/05

|unemployed = 6,82

|sections-postal = 8470
8470
8470
8470

|sections-name = Gistel
Moere
Snaaskerke
Zevekote

|mayor = Gauthier Defreyne (VLD)

|majority = VLD, N-VA, Vooruit

|parties = VLD
CD&V
sp-a
N-VA

|seats = 23
10
7
2
2
1
1

|postal-codes = 8470

|telephone-area = 059

|web = [http://www.gistel.be/ www.gistel.be]

|datum1=Jan 2006

|datum2=Jan 2004

|datum3=Jul 2005

|datum4=Jan 2006

|polz=Kouter

|coordinates = {{coord|51|09|N|02|58|E|region:BE|display=inline,title}}

}}

Gistel ({{IPA|nl|ˈɣɪstəl}}) is a municipality and city{{Cite web |title=Wet tot toekenning van de titel van stad aan de gemeenten Beringen, Bilzen, Blankenberge, Borgloon, Ciney, Couvin, Damme, Geel, Genepiën, Gistel, Halen, Hamont-Achel, Hannuit, Harelbeke, Herk-de-Stad, Lo-Reninge, Mesen, Oudenburg, Peer, Scherpenheuvel-Zichem, Vilvoorde en Walcourt |url=https://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/1985/07/19/1985001298/staatsblad |date=19 July 1985 |lang=nl |website=www.ejustice.just.fgov.be |publisher=Belgian Official Gazette |access-date=22 April 2025}} located in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

Following local government boundary reforms in 1971 and 1977, the municipality has comprised not only Gistel, but also the towns of Moere, Snaaskerke and Zevekote.

On January 1, 2006 the Gistel municipality had a total registered population of 11,125, of whom more than 8,000 were in Gistel itself. The total area is 42.25 km² which gives a population density of 263 inhabitants per km². The German town of Büdingen is its twin town.