Drenthe (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈdrɛntə]ⓘ) is aprovince of theNetherlands located in the northeastern part of the country. It is bordered byOverijssel to the south,Friesland to the west,Groningen to the north, and the German state ofLower Saxony to the east. As of January 2023, Drenthe had a population of about 502,000, and a total area of 2,680 km2 (1,030 sq mi).[1]
Drenthe has the lowest population density in the European Netherlands. It is a predominantly rural area, unlike many other parts of the Netherlands; except for the small cities ofAssen (pop. 67,963[4]) andEmmen (pop. 58,130), the land in Drenthe is mainly used foragriculture and it has a notable amount offorests and nature.[5][6]
The name Drenthe is said to stem from Germanicthrija hantja meaning "three lands".[7]
Drenthe has been populated by people since prehistory. Artifacts from theWolstonian Stage (150,000 years ago) are among the oldest found in the Netherlands. In fact, it was one of the most densely populated areas of the Netherlands until the Bronze Age. The most tangible evidence of this are thedolmens (hunebedden) built around 3500 BC. 53 of the 54 dolmens in the Netherlands can be found in Drenthe, concentrated in the northeast of the province. In 2006, the archaeological reserve ofStrubben–Kniphorstbos, located betweenAnloo andSchipborg, was created to preserve part of this heritage.
Most of the Bronze Age objects found in the Netherlands have been found in Drenthe.[citation needed] One item shows that trading networks during this period extended a far distance. Large bronzesitulae (buckets) found in Drenthe were manufactured somewhere in eastern France or inSwitzerland. They were used for mixing wine with water (a Roman/Greek custom). The many finds in Drenthe of rare and valuable objects, such as tin-bead necklaces, suggest that Drenthe was a trading centre in the Netherlands in the Bronze Age.[citation needed]
Drenthe was first mentioned in a document from 820, it was calledPago Treanth (Drenthe district). In archives fromHet Utrechts Archief, from 1024 to 1025, the "county Drenthe" is mentioned, when EmperorHenry II gave it to BishopAdalbold II of Utrecht. Subjugation of this region into theHoly Roman Empire culminated in theDrenther Crusade launched by thePapacy around 1228-1232.[8]
Shortly before the outbreak of theSecond World War, the Dutch government built a camp near the town ofHooghalen to intern German Jewish refugees. During theSecond World War, the German occupiers used the camp (which they namedKZ Westerbork) as aDurchgangslager (transit camp). Many Dutch Jews,Sinti,Roma, resistance combatants and political adversaries were imprisoned before being transferred toconcentration andextermination camps in Germany and occupied Poland.Anne Frank was deported on the last train leaving the Westerbork transit camp on 3 September 1944.
Drenthe is the9th largest province of the Netherlands. It has a total area of 2,683 km2 (1,036 sq mi), with 2,639 km2 (1,019 sq mi) of land and 44 km2 (17 sq mi) of water. About 72% of the land or 1,898 km2 (733 sq mi) is used for agriculture.[12]
Drenthe has severalheathlands and no significant rivers or lakes. The national parksDrents-Friese Wold andDwingelderveld (IUCN category II) and the national landscapeDrentsche Aa (IUCN category V) are all (partially) located in the province.
The province (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS level 2) is divided into threeCOROP regions (NUTS level 3): North Drenthe, Southeast Drenthe, and Southwest Drenthe. The COROP regions are used for statistical purposes.[16]
The Netherlands underwent a large number of municipalmergers in the past decades and Drenthe was no exception. The most significant simultaneous set of mergers took place in 1998, when 32 municipalities were amalgamated into 10 larger municipalities.[17] As of 2014[update] Drenthe consists of 12municipalities;Emmen is the largest municipality in terms of both population and area,Westerveld is the least populous andMeppel covers the smallest area.[18][19]
In 2015, 23.8% of the population belonged to theProtestant Church in the Netherlands while 9.3% wasRoman Catholic, 0.9% wasMuslim and 3.6% belonged to other churches or faiths. Over half (62.4%) of the population identified as non-religious.
Agriculture is an important employer, although industrial areas are found near the cities. The quietness of the province is also attracting a growing number of tourists.
Drenthe is known as the "Cycling Province" of the Netherlands and is an exceptional place for a cycling holiday, having hundreds of kilometers of cycle paths through forest, heath and along canals and many towns and villages offering refreshment along the way. Drenthe exports through the entireNetherlands and also receives supplies and goods from Germany, making it a good business district. Many Dutch and Germanmultinational companies are settled in Drenthe.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 15.1 billion € in 2018, accounting for 1.9% of the Netherlands economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 26,700 € or 89% of the EU27 average in the same year.[27]
Over half the population of Drenthe speaks theDrents dialect.[citation needed] Each town or village has its own version. All versions are part of theLow Saxon language group. Dutch Low Saxon has been officially recognised by the Dutch government as a regional language and is protected by theEuropean Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
TheStates of Drenthe have 43 seats, and is headed by theKing's Commissioner, currentlyJetta Klijnsma. While the provincial council is elected by the people of Drenthe, the Commissioner is appointed by the King and the cabinet of the Netherlands. The daily affairs of the province are taken care of by theGedeputeerde Staten, which are also headed by the Commissioner; its members (gedeputeerden) can be compared with ministers.
RTV Drenthe, the regional radio and television station, is based in Assen. The regional daily newspaper for the provinces of Drenthe and Groningen isDagblad van het Noorden, which is based in the city ofGroningen.
^Maier, Christoph T. (2006). "Drenthe Crusade (1228–1232)". In A. V. Murray (ed.).The Crusades: An Encyclopedia. Vol. 4 vols. ABC-CLIO. vol. 2, p. 365.
