Drenthe

Drenthe is a province located in the northeastern part of the Netherlands.

It is the ninth largest province in the country. The province is bordered by Groningen to the north and Friesland to the west. To the south, it sits next to Overijssel. To the east, it shares a border with the German state of Lower Saxony.

As of January 2023, the population was approximately 502,051 people. Drenthe has the lowest population density in the European Netherlands. This means there is more open space between people here than in most other Dutch provinces.

The landscape of Drenthe is predominantly rural and quiet. Unlike many crowded parts of the Netherlands, most of this land is used for agriculture. About 72% of the land area is dedicated to farming. Aside from the cities of Assen and Emmen, the region is defined by nature. It contains many forests and large heathlands. Several protected areas exist here, such as the Drents-Friese Wold and Dwingelderveld national parks.

The Drentsche Aa is also a notable national landscape.

Because of these many paths through forests and canals, Drenthe is often called the "Cycling Province."

Human history in Drenthe stretches back at least 15,000 years. In fact, artifacts from the Wolstonian Stage, dating to 150,000 years ago, are among the oldest found in the Netherlands. During the Bronze Age, Drenthe was one of the most densely populated areas in the country. A major sign of this era is the presence of dolmens, or hunebedden. These are large stone structures built around 3500 BC.

Drenthe contains 53 of the 54 dolmens located in the Netherlands. Most of these are found in the northeast of the province. In 2006, the Strubben–Kniphorstbos archaeological reserve was created to protect this heritage.

Archaeological finds suggest Drenthe was a significant trading center during the Bronze Age. Researchers have discovered rare and valuable objects, such as necklaces made of tin beads. They also found large bronze buckets known as situlae. These situlae were used to mix wine with water, a custom from Greek and Roman cultures. Interestingly, these buckets were manufactured in eastern France or Switzerland. This proves that Drenthe was part of a very large trading network that reached far across Europe.

The political history of the region has seen many changes. The name Drenthe may come from the Germanic words "thrija hantja," meaning "three lands." In the year 820, it was recorded as Pago Treanth. By 1024, it was known as the county of Drenthe under the Bishop of Utrecht. It later became part of the Habsburg Netherlands under Emperor Charles V. For a long time, Drenthe was very poor. During the time of the Dutch Republic, it was exempt from federal taxes. However, this poverty meant it was denied representation in the States General. It finally gained official provincial status on January 1, 1796.

In more recent history, the province has experienced difficult and complex times. During the Second World War, the German occupiers used a camp near Hooghalen called KZ Westerbork. This was a transit camp, or Durchgangslager. Many people, including Jews, Sinti, Roma, and political adversaries, were held there before being sent to camps in Germany or occupied Poland. Anne Frank was among those deported from this camp in September 1944. In the 1970s, the province also saw hostage crises involving South Moluccan terrorists. These events took place in trains, a primary school, and the provincial hall.

Today, Assen serves as the capital and the seat of the provincial government.

The government is led by a King's Commissioner, who is appointed by the King and the cabinet. Other important urban centers include Emmen, Meppel, Hoogeveen, and Coevorden. The province is also a hub for sports and culture. The TT Circuit Assen hosts the Dutch TT, a famous motorcycle race. The province also features the Drents Museum in Assen. Many residents speak Drents, which is a dialect belonging to the Low Saxon language group. This language is officially recognized and protected by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.