The Dutch Provinces

Together, the large cities in North and South Holland and Utrecht make up what is commonly called the "Randstad" area. This refers to the most populous area of Holland that could vaguely be considered as one city conglomerate. Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht are the main Randstad cities, although others such as Haarlem, Delft and Leiden are part of this area as well.

Each province has its own capital and its own government led by a Governor (in Dutch: Commissaris van de Koningin, Commissioner by the Queen). Its provincial assemblies are elected in a public vote every four years. This administrative division is not a political decision, but rather a historical development. Each province formed itself independantly through the centuries almost as separate country.

Drenthe

Drenthe is an agricultural province, which was made a free republic of farmers in the Middle Ages. Today it also has impressive forests, several of them protected as natural parks. The capital of the province is Assen. Fifty-two mysterious Neolithic monuments called ´hunebedden´ (dolmens) can be visited all over the province. They are older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids!

Flevoland

A new province created in 1988 on the land obtained by the Dutch from areas previously covered by water. It consists of three polders: Noord-Oost Polder is connected to the mainland; East and South Flevoland is still an island on the IJsselmeer; capital - Lelystad. Flevoland is a very flat, agricultural region of the Netherlands 

Friesland

The province of Friesland is a part of the Dutch mainland and includes additionally the West Frisian Islands (Waddeneilanden). Leeuwarden is a capital. In Friesland people speak a separate dialect called Frisian, which is said by linguists to be the closest surviving relative to the modern English language (though you might never guess it by listening!). Here, the old traditions of life remain. Beautifully preserved nature has been cut by the human activity with canals. In a frosty winter when the canals freeze, a 200km long national skating race leads through eleven Frisian towns.

Gelderland

The east central mainland province, south of Overijssel, is the province of Gelderland. It is the least populated and the biggest of the Dutch regions. Gelderland has several big national parks as well as some industrial areas. Its capital Arnhem is known for the WWII battle with the Nazi Germany.
An interesting modern art museum, the Kröller-Müller Museum, built in the forest near Oterloo, draws thousands of cycling visitors every year.

Groningen

The province is a part of the Dutch mainland and a few small islands in the Frisian archipelago (Rottumerplaat, Rottumeroog, Zuiderstrand, and Simonszand) with the big city as its capital – Groningen. A contrast between the modern and the tradition is more visible in Groningen province, than anywhere else. Several natural parks and areas for water sports.

Limburg

Limburg is a southeast mainland province bordering Germany and Belgium. Its capital Maastricht is a nice university city, known recently for the European Treaty signed there. Limburg is one of the most interesting regions to visit. It has a varied landscape, with woods, the river Maas, beautiful natural parks, a very special in the Netherlands region of hills called Heuvelland, and several interesting small towns, castles, good museums not to mention wineries.

Noord-Brabant

South central mainland province of North Brabant is busy with activity, crowded with traffic and businesses, but also interesting for a visitor. Its capital - ’s-Hertogenbosch (or shorter Den Bosch) is an old town with an interesting center and several historical monuments. Another big city is Eindhoven, an important industrial center, technological hub and well known for its design academy. Several smaller towns are worth a visit, because of their interesting old architecture.

Noord-Holland

This part of the Dutch mainland claims the islands of Texel and Noorderhaaks, part of the Frisian archipelago. Landscape of North Holland is green, with patches of blue water. It is subject to a rough wind from the North Sea. Amsterdam is found here, but its capital is Haarlem. The old towns Hoorn, Edam, Alkmaar, Naarden and traditional villages as Monnickendam, Marken, Volendam, and Zaanse Schaans are all quite interesting and worth a visit. Part of the *Randstad.

Overijssel

Overijssel is a mainland province to the south of Drenthe. The provincial capital is Zwolle. Very rich in the Middle Ages, today Overijssel has interesting historical monuments to see. Many of them in the old city of Kampen located on the Ijssel river, which gave the name to the province (Overijssel translates to "on the other bank of Ijssel"). A small village of Giethorn is a quintessence of the Dutch rural life. Established in 1230, built at the side of the lake Giethoorn can be visited by boat and is a one of several tourist attractions in Overijssel.

Utrecht

With the gorgeous old city of Utrecht as its capital, this is the central mainland province of the Netherlands. Densly populated, vibrant with commercial activity for several thousand ears now, the province of Utrecht has many interesting historical monuments, old castles and several nature reserve parks. Part of the *Randstad.

Zeeland

Zeeland takes its name from the sea (in English: See land). Nowhere in the Netherlands is the water so omnipresent. Zeeland includes a mainland part and the islands of Schouwen Duiveland, Tholen, Noord-Beveland and Sint Philipsland and has centuries of tradition of fighting with the sea. Its capital, Middelburg, is one of the several small cities which witnessed many wars throughout the centuries but today has most of its important monuments rebuilt.

Zuid-Holland

The province of South Holland was created in 1840 by the division of the province of Holland. It includes a mainland part and the islands of Goeree-Overflakkee, Voorne-Putten, Beijerland-Hoekse Waard, Ijsselmonde. The provincial capital, The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag), is also a seat of the Dutch parliament and government an an important center of the Dutch political life since the Middle Ages. Several interesting old cities as Delft, Leiden, Gouda, and good sea resorts with sandy beaches can be found here, with Scheveningen the most known. South Holland is part of the *Randstad.