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Gelderland

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Gelderland is a large province in the Netherlands. It sits in the center and east of the country.

Day 221 - panoramio
Day 221 - panoramio

It is the largest province in the Netherlands if you measure by land area. The province shares borders with six other Dutch provinces. It also sits next to the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. This location makes it a very important part of the region.

The land in Gelderland has many different shapes and features. In the north, you will find the Veluwe. This is the largest forest region in the whole country.

Heide in de Posbank3
Heide in de Posbank3

In the southwest, there is a place called Rivierenland. This area includes the Betuwe, which has many fruit orchards. Many big rivers like the Rhine and the Waal flow through this land.

Dodewaard (2642472571)
Dodewaard (2642472571)

In the east, there is a region called the Achterhoek, which means "back corner."

Gelderland has a very long and interesting history. The name comes from the German city of Geldern. An old story says the Lords of Pont killed a dragon in 878 AD. They named their town after the sound the dragon made when it died. Later, the area became a powerful duchy in 1339. It was ruled by many different leaders over many centuries. Eventually, it became a province of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815.

Many people live in this province. As of January 2023, the population was about 2,134,000 people. Arnhem is the capital city, but Nijmegen and Apeldoorn are larger. There are also many other important centers like Ede and Doetinchem. The economy is quite strong in this area. In 2018, the region produced about 10.1% of the total wealth for the Netherlands. There are 51 different municipalities that make up the province.

There are many fun things to do in Gelderland. You can visit many museums, such as the Het Loo Palace. People also enjoy going to large theaters and concert halls. If you like being active, there are over 5,000 kilometers of cycle paths. Some people visit to see historical sites from the Battle of Arnhem. This was a famous fight during the Second World War. You can see the John Frost Bridge or visit the war cemetery in Oosterbeek.

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🖼️ Images & Media (3)
File:Heide in de Posbank3.JPG
Heide in de Posbank3.JPG
File:Day 221 - panoramio.jpg
Day 221 - panoramio.jpg
File:Dodewaard (2642472571).jpg
Dodewaard (2642472571).jpg
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