Photos from Our World

• The Netherlands
• Amsterdam
• Noord-Holland
• Zuid-Holland
• Utrecht
• Gelderland
• Overijssel

• Friesland - FryslÂn
• Drenthe
• Zeeland
• Noord-Brabant
• Limburg
• Schutterijen
• Netherlands' Flags

The Province of Flevoland

Flevoland is the twelfth and latest province of the Netherlands and consists of the polders Noordoostpolder, eastern Flevoland and southern Flevoland. These polders were the result of the draining of parts of the former inland sea, the Zuiderzee, now known as the IJsselmeer since the sea was changed into a freshwater lake by closing it off in 1932. The province of Flevoland was established on 1 January 1986 and Lelystad, the largest city in eastern Flevoland, became its capital. The province has an area of 2,412 km² and its population is around 380,000.

The Noordoostpolder (North East Polder) was started in 1936 by building a dyke of 90 km from the Frisian town of Lemmer, via the island of Urk to the coast of Overijssel. Water was then pumped out and on 9 September 1942 the polder was declared dry. The islands of Urk and Schokland ceased to be; Urk remained a fishing community, although its fleet now operated from the Frisian port of Harlingen and Schokland, whose population already had left the island 80 years before because of frequent flooding, became a hill in the landscape. A new town of Emmeloord became the centre of the Noordoostpolder, a polder with mainly farms, but also a forest, planted on loam grounds, unsuitable for agriculture.

The large Flevopolder was drained in two parts: first Eastern Flevoland, for which in 1956 a "ring dyke" was completed, leaving a narrow lake between the new polder and the mainland. In 1959 a ring dyke was started for southern Flevoland and this was completed in 1967. Both polders were joined together and Lelystad became the urban centre in eastern Flevoland while Almere, close to Amsterdam and used to ease the population pressure from there, became the centre of southern Flevoland.

To see a photo full size, just click on it;
you may then send it as a postcard if you wish.