Provinces of the Netherlands

Clickable map of provinces

Category| Unitary unit
Location| Kingdom of the Netherlands
Number| 12 provinces
3 special municipalities
Populations| Least: Zeeland, 391,124
Most: South Holland, 3,804,906
Areas| Smallest (including water): Utrecht, 1,560 km2 (602 sq mi)
Largest (including water): Friesland, 5,753 km2 (2,221 sq mi)
Government|

* Provincial executive

Subdivisions|

* Municipalities

There are twelve provinces of the Netherlands representing the administrative layer between the national government and the local governments, with responsibility for matters of subnational or regional importance.

The most populous province is South Holland, with just over 3.8 million inhabitants as of January 2023[update], and also the most densely populated province with 1,410/km2 (3,700/sq mi).[1] With 391,124 inhabitants, Zeeland has the smallest population. However Drenthe is the least densely populated province with 191/km2 (490/sq mi). In terms of area, Friesland is the largest province with a total area of 5,753 km2 (2,221 sq mi). If water is excluded, Gelderland is the largest province by land area at 4,960 km2 (1,915 sq mi). The province of Utrecht is the smallest with a total area of 1,560 km2 (602 sq mi), while Flevoland is the smallest by land area at 1,410 km2 (544 sq mi). In total about 10,000 people were employed by the provincial administrations in 2018.[2]

The provinces of the Netherlands are joined in the Association of Provinces of the Netherlands (IPO). This organisation promotes the common interests of the provinces in the national government of the Netherlands in The Hague.

## Politics and governance

[edit]

Main article: Provincial politics in the Netherlands

The government of each province consists of three major parts:

* The provincial council (Provinciale Staten) is the provincial parliament elected every four years. The number of members varies between 39 and 55 (since 2015), depending on the number of inhabitants of the province.[3] Being a member is a part-time job. The main task of the provincial council is to scrutinise the work of the provincial government.
* The provincial executive (Gedeputeerde Staten) is a collegial body supported by a majority in the provincial council charged with most executive tasks. Each province has between three and seven deputies, each having their own portfolio. The task of the Provincial Executive is the overall management of the province.
* The King's Commissioner (Commissaris van de Koning) is a single person appointed by the Crown who presides over the provincial council as well as over the Provincial Executive. The Commissioner is appointed for a term of six years, after which reappointment for another term is possible.

### Elections

[edit]

Part of the Politics series

Politics of the Netherlands

Constitution

* Charter
* Wet Algemene Bepalingen
* Human rights

Monarchy

* King

Willem-Alexander
* Council of Ministers

Ministers Plenipotentiary

* Aruba
* Curaçao
* St. Maarten

Cabinet

* Prime Minister (list)

Dick Schoof
* Deputy Prime Ministers

Fleur Agema
Sophie Hermans
Eddy van Hijum
Mona Keijzer
* Ministries

States General

* Senate

President: Jan Anthonie Bruijn
Current membership
Historic composition
* House of Representatives

Speaker: Martin Bosma
Current membership
Historic composition
* Parliamentary committees

Judiciary

* Supreme Court
* High Councils of State

Council of State
Court of Audit
National Ombudsman

Elections

* Recent elections

* General: 2010
* 2012
* 2017
* 2021
* 2023
* Next

* Provincial: 2011
* 2015
* 2019
* 2023

* Municipal: 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022

* European: 1999
* 2004
* 2009
* 2014
* 2019
* 2024

* Referendums

* Referendums: 2005
* 2016
* 2018

* Political parties
* Politicians

Local government

* Provincial politics
* Water boards
* Municipal politics
* BES islands

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Minister: Caspar Veldkamp

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in the Netherlands

* * *

* Nationality law
* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy of the Schengen Area
* Visa policy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean

Related topics

* Corruption in the Netherlands
* De Nederlandsche Bank
* Law of the Netherlands
* Modern history
* Republicanism in the Netherlands
* Social Economic Council

Politics portal

* v
* t
* e

The members of the provincial council are elected every four years in direct elections. To a large extent, the same political parties are enlisted in these elections in the national elections. The chosen provincial legislators elect the members of the national Senate within three months after the provincial elections. The elections for the water boards take place on the same date as the provincial elections.

The last provincial elections were held in 2023. The next provincial elections are scheduled for 2027.

## Competencies

[edit]

The provinces of the Netherlands have seven core tasks:[4]

1. Sustainable spatial development, including water management
2. Environment, energy and climate
3. Vital countryside
4. Regional accessibility and regional public transport
5. Regional economy
6. Cultural infrastructure and preservation
7. Quality of public administration

### Financing

[edit]

To a large extent, the provinces of the Netherlands are financed by the national government. Also, provinces have income from a part of the Vehicle Excise Duty. Several provinces have made a large profit in the past from privatising utility companies originally owned or partly owned by the provinces. Essent, which was originally owned by six provinces and more than a hundred municipalities, was sold for around 9.3 billion euros.[5]

## List

[edit]

The constituent country of the Netherlands, being the largest part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is divided into twelve provinces (provincies in Dutch) and three overseas special municipalities; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba in the Caribbean Netherlands that are not part of any province. Previously these were part of public bodies (openbare lichamen).

### European Netherlands

[edit]

Flag | Location  | Province  | Capital  | Largest
municipality  | King's
Commissioner  | Political
party  | Munici­palities
(since 2023)  | Total area[1] | Land area[1] | Water area[1] | Population
(1 January 2023)[1] | Density Land[1] | GRDP in
million euros
(2019)[6] | GRDP per
capita (€; 2019)[6]

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

km2 | mi2 | km2 | mi2 | km2 | mi2 | /km2 | /mi2
|  | Drenthe | Assen | Emmen | Jetta Klijnsma | PvdA |

| 2,680  | 1,035  | 2,633  | 1,016  | 48  | 18  |

502,051

| 191  | 490  |

15,701

31,853

|  | Flevoland | Lelystad | Almere | Arjen Gerritsen | VVD |

| 2,412  | 931  | 1,410  | 544  | 1,002  | 387  |

444,701

| 315  | 820  |

14,756

35,151

|  | Friesland | Leeuwarden | Arno Brok | VVD |

| 5,753  | 2,221  | 3,340  | 1,290  | 2,413  | 932  |

659,551

| 197  | 510  |

20,728

31,947

|  | Gelderland | Arnhem | Nijmegen | John Berends | CDA |

| 5,136  | 1,983  | 4,960  | 1,915  | 176  | 68  |

2,133,708

| 430  | 1,100  |

81,757

39,326

|  | Groningen | Groningen | René Paas | CDA |

| 2,955  | 1,141  | 2,316  | 894  | 639  | 247  |

596,075

| 257  | 670  |

24,669

42,174

|  | Limburg | Maastricht | Emile Roemer | SP |

| 2,210  | 853  | 2,145  | 828  | 65  | 25  |

1,128,367

| 526  | 1,360  |

45,848

41,058

|  | North Brabant | 's-Hertogenbosch[A] | Eindhoven | Ina Adema | VVD |

| 5,082  | 1,962  | 4,902  | 1,892  | 181  | 70  |

2,626,210

| 536  | 1,390  |

120,869

47,328

|  | North Holland | Haarlem[B] | Amsterdam[B] | Arthur van Dijk | VVD |

| 4,092  | 1,580  | 2,663  | 1,028  | 1,429  | 552  |

2,952,622

| 1,109  | 2,870  |

177,733

62,005

|  | Overijssel | Zwolle | Enschede | Andries Heidema | CU |

| 3,421  | 1,321  | 3,317  | 1,281  | 104  | 40  |

1,184,333

| 357  | 920  |

45,517

39,258

|  | South Holland | The Hague[C] | Rotterdam | Jaap Smit | CDA |

| 3,308  | 1,277  | 2,698  | 1,042  | 609  | 235  |

3,804,906

| 1,410  | 3,700  |

169,118

45,815

|  | Utrecht | Utrecht | Hans Oosters | PvdA |

| 1,560  | 602  | 1,484  | 573  | 76  | 29  |

1,387,643

| 935  | 2,420  |

77,445

57,431

|  | Zeeland | Middelburg | Terneuzen | Han Polman | D66 |

| 2,933  | 1,133  | 1,780  | 687  | 1,154  | 445  |

391,124

| 220  | 570  |

14,391

37,549

|  | Netherlands | Amsterdam |  | 342  | 41,543  | 16,040  | 33,647  | 12,991  | 7,896  | 3,049  |

17,811,291

| 529  | 1,370  |

810,247

46,714

### Caribbean Netherlands

[edit]

"Special municipality (Netherlands)" redirects here.

Main article: Caribbean Netherlands

Special Municipality  | Capital  | Largest city  | Area[7] | Population[7]
(2019)  | Density

|
|
|
|
|

Bonaire | Kralendijk | 294 km2 (114 sq mi) | 20,104 | 69/km2 (180/sq mi)
Sint Eustatius | Oranjestad | 21 km2 (8.1 sq mi) | 3,138 | 150/km2 (390/sq mi)
Saba | The Bottom | 13 km2 (5.0 sq mi) | 1,915 | 148/km2 (380/sq mi)
Total  | 328 km2 (127 sq mi)  | 25,157  | 77/km2 (200/sq mi)

### Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Also Den Bosch in Dutch.
2. ^ a b Amsterdam is the national capital of the Netherlands. Haarlem is, however, the capital of the province in which both Amsterdam and Haarlem are situated.
3. ^ Den Haag in Dutch. The Dutch parliament and the Dutch government are located in The Hague along with the Supreme Court and the Council of State.

## History

[edit]

Flags of the provinces near the Hofvijver in The Hague

Dutch provinces by nominal GRP in 2016

Dutch provinces by nominal GRP per capita in 2016

Nearly all Dutch provinces can trace their origin to a medieval county or duchy, as can the provinces of regions in Belgium. Their status changed when they came under a single ruler who centralised their administration, reducing their powers. There were 17 in total: from these unified Netherlands, seven northern provinces from 1588 formed the Republic of the Seven United Provinces, namely Holland, Zeeland, Gelderland, Utrecht, Friesland, Overijssel and Groningen.

The Republic's lands also included Drenthe (one of the 17, but without the autonomous status of the others), and parts of the Duchy of Brabant, Duchy of Limburg and County of Flanders, which were considered to be "conquered lands" and were governed directly by the States General, hence their name Generality Lands. They were called Staats-Brabant, Staats-Limburg and Staats-Vlaanderen, meaning "governed by the States General".

Each of these "Netherlands" had a high degree of autonomy, cooperating with each other mainly on defense and foreign relations, but otherwise keeping to their own affairs.

On 1 January 1796, under the Batavian Republic, Drenthe and Staats-Brabant became the eighth and ninth provinces of the Netherlands. The latter, which had been known as Bataafs Brabant (English: Batavian Brabant), changed its name to Noord-Brabant, North Brabant, in 1815 when it became part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, which also contained (then) South Brabant, a province now in Belgium. This new unified state featured the provinces in their modern form, as non-autonomous subdivisions of the national state, and again numbering 17, though they were not all the same as the 16th century ones. In 1839, following the separation of Belgium, the province of Limburg was divided between the two countries, each now having a province called Limburg. A year later, Holland, the largest and most populous of the Dutch provinces, was also split into two provinces, for a total of 11. The 12th province to be created was Flevoland, consisting almost entirely of reclaimed land, established on 1 January 1986.

### French period

[edit]

During the Batavian Republic, the Netherlands was from 1798 to 1801 completely reorganised into eight new departments, most named after rivers, inspired by the French revolutionary example, in an attempt to do away with the old semi-autonomous status of the provinces. They are listed below, with their capitals and the territory of the former provinces that they mostly incorporated:

Batavian Departments English name  | Dutch name  | Capital  | Territory contained

|
|
|

Department of the Ems | Departement van de Eems | Leeuwarden | Northern Friesland, Groningen
Department of the Old IJssel | Departement van de Oude IJssel | Zwolle | Southern Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Northern Gelderland
Department of the Rhine | Departement van de Rijn | Arnhem | Central Gelderland, Eastern Utrecht
Department of the Amstel | Departement van de Amstel | Amsterdam | Area around Amsterdam
Department of Texel | Departement van Texel | Alkmaar | Northern Holland minus Amsterdam, Northwestern Utrecht
Department of the Delft | Departement van de Delft | Delft | Southern Holland up to the Meuse, Southwestern Utrecht
Department of the Dommel | Departement van de Dommel | 's-Hertogenbosch | Eastern Batavian Brabant, Southern Gelderland
Department of the Scheldt and Meuse | Departement van de Schelde en Maas | Middelburg | Zeeland, Southern Holland under the Meuse and Western Batavian Brabant

After only three years, following a coup d'état, the borders of the former provinces were restored, though not their autonomous status. They were now also called "departments" and Drenthe was added to Overijssel. In 1806 the Kingdom of Holland replaced the republic to further French interests. It was during this administration that Holland was first split in two, with the department of Amstelland to the north and that of Maasland to the south. East Frisia, then as now in Germany, was added to the kingdom as a department in 1807 and Drenthe split off again making a total of 11 departments.

When the Netherlands finally did become fully part of France in 1810, the departments of the kingdom and their borders were largely maintained, with some joined. They were however nearly all renamed, again mainly after rivers, though the names differed from their Batavian counterparts. Following are their names and the modern day province they mostly correspond to:

Map of the subdivisions of the Netherlands during French administration; East Frisia is not included in this later map French departments in the Netherlands English name  | French name  | Dutch name  | Modern territory

|
|
|

Department of the Zuiderzee | Département du Zuyderzée | Departement van de Zuiderzee | North Holland and Utrecht
Department of the Mouths of the Meuse  | Département des Bouches-de-la-Meuse | Departement van de Monden van de Maas | South Holland
Department of the Mouths of the Scheldt  | Département des Bouches-de-l'Escaut | Departement van de Monden van de Schelde | Zeeland
Department of the Two Nethes  | Département des Deux-Nèthes | Departement van de Twee Nethen | Western North Brabant and Antwerp
Department of the Mouths of the Rhine  | Département des Bouches-du-Rhin | Departement van de Monden van de Rijn | Eastern North Brabant and southern Gelderland
Department of the Upper IJssel  | Département de l'Yssel-Supérieur | Departement van de Boven IJssel | Northern Gelderland
Department of the Mouths of the IJssel  | Département des Bouches-de-l'Yssel | Departement van de Monden van de IJssel | Overijssel
Department of Frisia  | Département de la Frise | Departement Friesland | Friesland
Department of the Western Ems  | Département de l'Ems-Occidental | Departement van de Wester Eems | Groningen and Drenthe
Department of the Eastern Ems  | Département de l'Ems-Oriental | Departement van de Ooster Eems | East Frisia

With the defeat and withdrawal of the French in 1813, the old provinces and their names were re-established, Holland was reunited and East-Frisia went its separate way. The 17 provinces of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands were for a significant part based on the former French departments and their borders, in particular in what would later become Belgium.[citation needed]

There is continuous discussion within the Netherlands about the future of the provinces. Before 2014, the national government was planning to merge the provinces Flevoland, North Holland and Utrecht into a single province Noordvleugelprovincie [nl]. Due to significant protest the plan was abandoned.[8]

## See also

[edit]

* ISO 3166-2:NL
* Table of administrative divisions by country
* Flags of the provinces of the Netherlands
* Coats of arms of provinces of the Netherlands
* List of provinces of the Netherlands by Human Development Index

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f "Regionale kerncijfers Nederland -> Perioden - Jaren: 2023" [Regional key figures Netherlands]. CBS StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
2. ^ "Personeelsmonitor Provincies". A&O-fonds Provincies (in Dutch). 2 July 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
3. ^ Provinciale Staten (in Dutch)
4. ^ Core tasks of provinces, Association of Provinces of the Netherlands (IPO) (in Dutch).
5. ^ "ONZE GESCHIEDENIS Energie in transitie". Essent.nl. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
6. ^ a b "CBS StatLine".
7. ^ a b "Waaruit bestaat het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden? - Rijksoverheid.nl". 19 May 2015.
8. ^ "Superprovincie gaat definitief niet door" (in Dutch). nu.nl. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Basic data for each province, with links to official province sites
* "Provinces of the Netherlands". Statoids.
* Historical boundaries of provinces of the Netherlands

* v
* t
* e

Provinces of the Netherlands

* Coats of arms
* Flags
* Legislatures

* Drenthe
* Flevoland
* Friesland
* Gelderland
* Groningen
* Limburg
* North Brabant
* North Holland
* Overijssel
* South Holland
* Utrecht
* Zeeland

Map: Provinces of the Netherlands

* v
* t
* e

Netherlands articles

Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

History|

* Germanic tribes
* Roman Era
* Frisii, Chamavi, Batavi, Cananefates
* Migration Period
* Saxons, Frisians, Franks
* Dorestad, Utrecht
* Development urban centers
* Frisian Kingdom
* Frankish Kingdom
* Middle Francia
* Lower Lorraine
* Flanders, Holland, Frisian Freedom
* Brabant, Guelders
* Holy Roman Empire
* Burgundian Netherlands
* Habsburg Netherlands
* Renaissance
* Seventeen Provinces
* Spanish Netherlands
* Eighty Years' War
* Dutch Republic
* Golden Age
* Batavian Revolution
* Batavian Republic
* Kingdom of Holland
* Incorporation
* Principality
* United Kingdom
* World War II
* Nazi invasion
* Dutch Liberation Day
* Proclamation of Indonesian Independence
* Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands
* Same-sex marriage
* Great Recession
* European debt crisis
* Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17
* Coronavirus pandemic

Geography|

* Birds
* Cities
* Delta Works
* Earthquakes
* Extreme points
* Flood control
* Gas field
* Islands
* Lakes
* Mammals
* Mountains and hills
* Regions
* Rivers
* Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta
* Volcanoes
* World Heritage Sites
* Zuiderzee Works

Politics|

* Abortion
* Cabinet
* Climate change
* Constitution
* Corruption
* Demographics
* Drug policy
* Education
* Elections
* Euthanasia
* Health care
* Homelessness
* Foreign relations
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Immigration
* Law
* Enforcement
* Law Firms
* Monarch
* Municipalities
* Provinces
* Republicanism
* Parliament
* Political parties
* Prime Minister
* Military
* Water boards

Economy|

* AEX index
* Central bank
* Energy
* Euronext
* Polder model
* Taxation
* Telecommunications
* Tourism
* Trade unions

Transport|

* Cycling
* Public transport
* Rail transport
* Road transport

Culture|

* Architecture
* Art
* Cannabis
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Wine
* Cultural icons
* Customs and etiquette
* Decorations and medals
* Irreligion
* Languages
* Literature
* Media
* Music
* Orders of knighthood
* People
* Pornography
* Prostitution
* Public holidays
* Religion
* Sport
* Symbols
* Anthem
* Coat of arms
* Flag
* Lion
* Terminology

* Outline

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

First-level administrative divisions in European countries

Sovereign states|

* Albania
* Andorra
* Armenia2
* Austria
* Azerbaijan1
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus2
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Georgia1
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Italy
* Kazakhstan1
* Latvia
* Liechtenstein
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia1
* San Marino
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey1
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom

States with limited
recognition

* Abkhazia2
* Kosovo
* Northern Cyprus2
* South Ossetia2
* Transnistria

Table of administrative divisions by country

* 1 Spans the conventional boundary between Europe and another continent.
* 2 Considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons but is geographically in Western Asia.

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template