Goeree-Overflakkee () is the southernmost

delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

of the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...

South Holland South Holland ( nl, Zuid-Holland ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.7 million as of October 2021 and a population density of about , making it the country's most populous province and one of the world's most densely ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. It is separated from

Voorne-Putten Voorne-Putten is an island between the North Sea, the Brielse Meer and the rivers Oude Maas, Spui and Haringvliet in the province of South Holland. Voorne-Putten consists of the two former islands Voorne (the larger, western part) and Put ...

and

Hoeksche Waard The Hoekse Waard (; pre-1947 spelling: Hoeksche Waard) is an island between the Oude Maas, Dordtsche Kil, Hollands Diep, Haringvliet and Spui rivers in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. The island, part of the namesake munic ...

by the

Haringvliet The Haringvliet is a large inlet of the North Sea, in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is an important estuary of the Rhine-Meuse delta. Near Numansdorp, the Hollands Diep splits into the Haringvliet and the Volkerak ...

, from the mainland of

North Brabant North Brabant ( nl, Noord-Brabant ; Brabantian: ; ), also unofficially called Brabant, is a province in the south of the Netherlands. It borders the provinces of South Holland and Gelderland to the north, Limburg to the east, Zeeland to the we ...

by the

Volkerak The Volkerak is a body of water in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, and is situated between the island Goeree-Overflakkee to the north-west and the Dutch mainland to the south and east. The western part of the Volk ...

, and from

Schouwen-Duiveland Schouwen-Duiveland () is a municipality and an island in the southwestern Netherlands province of Zeeland. The municipality has 33,737 inhabitants (1 January 2016) and covers an area of (of which is water). The northside of the island has two fi ...

by Lake

Grevelingen Grevelingen or Grevelingenmeer (Lake Grevelingen) is a closed off part of the Rhine-Meuse estuary on the border of the Dutch provinces of South Holland and Zeeland. It is situated between the islands of Goeree-Overflakkee (South Holland) and Sc ...

. Since 2013, Goeree-Overflakkee has also been a municipality, consisting from west to east of the former municipalities of

Goedereede Goedereede () is a little town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality had a population of about 11,000 in 2010. It consisted of the west part of the island of Goeree-Overfla ...

Dirksland Dirksland () is a village and former municipality on Goeree-Overflakkee Island in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality had a population of about 8,000 in 2007, and covered an area of about 74 km� ...

Middelharnis Middelharnis () is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee. The town had a population of about 6,800 in 2012. On 1 January 2013, Middelharnis merged with Goe ...

, and

Oostflakkee Oostflakkee () is a former municipality on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The former municipality covered an area of about 107 km² (of which about 33 km² was covered by w ...

. The largest towns are Sommelsdijk, Middelharnis,

Ouddorp Ouddorp is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee. It is often referred to as ''Ouddorp aan Zee'' (Outdorp on the Sea) to promote itself as a seaside resort, because the village has a ...

, and Dirksland. Despite being part of the province of South Holland, the island's scenery and dialect are more closely related to

Zeeland , nl, Ik worstel en kom boven("I struggle and emerge") , anthem = "Zeeuws volkslied"("Zeelandic Anthem") , image_map = Zeeland in the Netherlands.svg , map_alt = , m ...

than to

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

. On the island they speak a form of

Zeelandic Zeelandic ( zea, Zeêuws; nl, Zeeuws; vls, Zêeuws) is a group of Friso-Franconian language varieties spoken in the southwestern parts of the Netherlands. It is currently considered a Low Franconian dialect of Dutch, but there have been mov ...

, namely in the west and in the east.

History

The island was detached from the mainland when the Haringvliet formed as a result of two major flooding events. The first was in 1216, which breached the dunes of Voorne and created a deep saltwater inlet. In the St. Elizabeth floods of 1421, this inlet connected to the

Merwede The Merwede () etymology uncertain, possibly derived from the ancient Dutch language, Dutch ''Merwe'' or ''Merowe'', a word meaning "wide water") is the name of several connected stretches of river in the Netherlands, between the cities of Woudrich ...

and became an important estuary of the

Rhine ), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland , source1_coordinates= , source1_elevation = , source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein , source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland , source2_coordinates= , so ...

and

Meuse The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...

rivers.

Politics

The

municipal council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counci ...

of Goeree-Overflakkee consists of 29 seats, which are divided as follows:

Former municipalities

Goedereede

The former municipality of

consisted of a number of places. From west to east, they were

(with Oostdijk), Goedereede (with

Havenhoofd Havenhoofd is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 10 km west of Hellevoetsluis. The village was first mentioned around 1750 as "'t Goereese Hooft", and refe ...

), and

Stellendam Stellendam is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 9 km west of Hellevoetsluis. History The village was first mentioned around 1750 as "'t Stelle Gors". Th ...

. Income consists mainly of tourism and fishery. Because of the extended and beautiful beach close by, Ouddorp has a large number of camping grounds which are a big attraction for other inland Europeans, mainly Germans. Goedereede and Stellendam both have an extended fishing fleet. Entering the town of Goedereede is like entering a different time. A town that takes you back a few centuries with its beautifully shaped buildings and tall church tower. Goedereede is one of two towns on the island that ever obtained city rights. Stellendam was hit hard in the 1953 storm flood and several monuments in the town commemorate this tragic event. Next to Stellendam lies the

Haringvlietdam The Haringvliet sluices are a construction that closed off the estuary of the Haringvliet, Netherlands, as part of the Delta Works. The structure consists of 17 sluices, several kilometres of dam and a shipping lock. The northernmost of the Delta ...

which shelters the

from the North Sea, this dam is part of the Delta Project. On the island's side of the dam a 'Delta Expo' can be found with informative tours that guide you through the dam.

Dirksland

The former municipality of

consisted of Melissant,

Herkingen Herkingen is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is located on the south coast of the island Goeree-Overflakkee, in the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee. History Herkingen was first mentioned in 1420 or 1421 as "Herkinghe", ...

, and Dirksland. The 1953 flood did not have such an enormous effect on these places, because the lands they are on lay generally higher than the rest of the island. Dirksland was the biggest of the three and also has the only hospital on the island. The Van Weel-Bethesda hospital is one of the smallest in the country, but has an excellent reputation, coming out very high in national hospital grade polls. Dirksland is recognizable from a distance by the biggest water tower of the country. The towns are agriculturally focused and have several camping grounds for people who prefer a quiet locality in contrast to the busy Ouddorp area, but who still want to be close to the shore. Dirksland has an inland harbor with a newly restored gate complex. Herkingen lies on the south side of the island and borders the Grevelingenmeer, a saltwater lake that has been disconnected directly from the North Sea by the

Brouwersdam The Brouwersdam is the seventh structure of the Delta Works in the Netherlands. Brouwersdam forms a barrier across the former estuary known as the Brouwershavense Gat. As a result, the area of water became known as the Grevelingenmeer. Construct ...

, but still connects to the Oosterschelde which is saltwater. The

Grevelingenmeer Grevelingen or Grevelingenmeer (Lake Grevelingen) is a closed off part of the Rhine-Meuse estuary on the border of the Netherlands, Dutch Provinces of the Netherlands, provinces of South Holland and Zeeland. It is situated between the islands of ...

is a large watersports area with the main recreational areas on Schouwen-Duiveland. Herkingen is trying to join in with the tourism industry and has quite a large yachting harbor. The town of Herkingen currently hosts several of the biggest modern windmills in the country.

Middelharnis

The former municipality of

, forming the center of the island, was the biggest of the four with over 17,000 inhabitants. It consisted of

Sommelsdijk Sommelsdijk is a village on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee, South Holland, the Netherlands, and part of the municipality of the same name. Sommelsdijk has (1 January 2022) 7,195 inhabitants which makes it the second largest settlement after Midd ...

, Middelharnis,

Nieuwe-Tonge Nieuwe-Tonge is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 13 km south of Hellevoetsluis. History The village was first mentioned in 1480 or 1481 as "Nova eccle ...

, and Stad aan 't Haringvliet. Middelharnis has a shopping area called ''D'n Diek''. This shopping center settled itself on a dike which used to be the last barrier for the towns from the Haringvliet. Now extensive, this dike and the area is enjoying a huge face lift. On Fridays in the summer months, there are what is called the Diekdagen (Dike days in English). On these days there are special activities like sports car racing and bicycle racing in the middle of the town. The town hosts a public high school and a Christian high school. Middelharnis has an inland harbor with a connection to the Haringvliet. There is also a small beach which can get very crowded in the summertime. The old main street in both Middelharnis and Sommelsdijk is very pretty. Starting at the church and ending at the harbor in both towns, they are very similar. Both towns have the church in the center and the rest of the towns fan out from this center. In Middelharnis the old municipality building lies on the main street. In Sommelsdijk there is a sport complex with swimming pool, called ''De Staver''. Stad aan 't Haringvliet has a small harbor with a beach. Like most of the towns on the island the old windmill has been preserved. Nieuwe-Tonge's main entry roads are the two dikes that form the edges of the town. And of course a traditional windmill is present.

Oostflakkee

The former municipality of

consisted of the following places:

Den Bommel Den Bommel is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 14 km south of Spijkenisse. History The village was first mentioned in 1473 as Bommele, and refers to ...

(with Zuidzijde),

Oude-Tonge Oude-Tonge (also: ''Oudetonge'') is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 16 km south of Hellevoetsluis. History The village was first mentioned in 1420 or ...

Ooltgensplaat Ooltgensplaat is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 17 km south of Spijkenisse. History The village was first mentioned in 1554 as Oitkensplate, and me ...

Achthuizen Achthuizen is a village in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Goeree-Overflakkee, and lies about 17 km south of Spijkenisse Spijkenisse () is a city in the province of South Holland, Netherlands. Fol ...

, and Langstraat. Oude-Tonge was the main town of this former municipality with a considerable industrial area. It also has a large bus station. Oude-Tonge suffered most in 1953 flood and was visited by the queen in 2003 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this event. Den Bommel is quite similar to Stad aan 't Haringvliet with a harbor and beach on the shores of the Haringvliet. A few kilometres east of Den Bommel is Zuidzijde, a very small town with a neat looking water tower. Ooltgensplaat is the most eastward town on the island with a harbor on the Volkerak. The town has a very old and beautiful municipal building. This town hosts the start and finish of De Omloop - a 100+ km walk around the island within a 24-hour period. This event attracts thousands every year, both participants and those who watch the spectacle. It is held annually in the latter half of August. Achthuizen and Langstraat are other small towns nearby Ooltgensplaat.

Notable people

Jan van Os Jan van Os (23 February 1744 – 7 February 1808) was a Dutch painter and a member of the renowned Van Os family of artists. Biography Van Os was born in Middelharnis. He was taught by Aert Schouman in The Hague, where he would spend the rest o ...

(1744 in Middelharnis – 1808) a Dutch painter * Laurens J. Bol (1898 in Ooltgensplaat – 1994) an art historian, specialized in

Dutch Golden Age The Dutch Golden Age ( nl, Gouden Eeuw ) was a period in the history of the Netherlands, roughly spanning the era from 1588 (the birth of the Dutch Republic) to 1672 (the Rampjaar, "Disaster Year"), in which Dutch trade, science, and Dutch art, ...

painters *

Aart Alblas Aart Hendrik Alblas, aka Klaas de Waard (20 September 1918, in Middelharnis – 7 September 1944, in Mauthausen concentration camp), was a Dutch navy officer, resistance member and Engelandvaarder. He participated in several resistance operations ...

(1918 in Middelharnis – 1944 in Mauthausen concentration camp) highly decorated Dutch resistance member *

Tomas Ross Tomas Ross (Den Bommel, 16 September 1944) is a Dutch writer who is famous for his historical criminal thrillers. He was born as Willem Pieter Hogendoorn in Den Bommel (Goeree-Overflakkee). He has used the pseudonym Tomas Ross since 1980. His fa ...

(born 1944 in Den Bommel) a Dutch writer of historical criminal thrillers *

Elco Brinkman Leendert Cornelis "Elco" Brinkman (born 5 February 1948) is a retired Dutch politician and businessman who served as Minister of Welfare, Health and Culture from 1982 to 1989 and Leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) in 1994. Career ...

(born 1948 in Dirksland) a retired Dutch politician and businessman. *

Toine van Peperstraten Toine van Peperstraten (born 18 December 1967 in Achthuizen, South Holland) is a Dutch sports journalist, best known for hosting the NOS TV sports program Studio Sport. Career Being a celebrity, he also participated in the 2006 edition of ...

(born 1967 in Achthuizen) a Dutch sports journalist IMDb Database
retrieved 06 July 2019 * Barbara Baarsma (born 1969) a Dutch economist, grew up in Goeree-Overflakkee *

Liesbeth Zegveld Liesbeth Zegveld (born 14 January 1970) is a Dutch lawyer, legal expert and professor. Education and career Zegveld was born in Ridderkerk and grew up on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee in South Holland, the Netherlands. After her law studies a ...

(born 1970 in Ridderkerk) a Dutch lawyer, legal expert and professor

Sport

* Jan Pieterse (born 1942 in Oude-Tonge) a former professional racing cyclist, gold medallist in the Men's 100 km Team Trial at the

1964 Summer Olympics The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...

Arie Luyendyk Arie Luijendijk (anglicised as Arie Luyendyk; born 21 September 1953), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," is a Dutch former auto racing driver, and winner of the 1990 and 1997 Indianapolis 500 races. He was inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Spe ...

(born 1953 in Sommelsdijk) a Dutch former auto racing driver, winner of the 1990 and 1997

Indianapolis 500 The Indianapolis 500, formally known as the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and commonly called the Indy 500, is an annual automobile race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) in Speedway, Indiana, United States, an enclave suburb of Indi ...

races * Juliette Bergmann (born 1958 in Vlaardingen) a Dutch female bodybuilding champion *

Annemarieke van Rumpt Annemarieke van Rumpt (born 29 April 1980 in Middelharnis) is a rower from the Netherlands. Van Rumpt took part in the World Championships of 2003 in Milan winning the silver medal in the four. With the Dutch eights she qualified for the 200 ...

(born 1980 in Middelharnis) a rower, bronze medallist with the Dutch eights in the

2004 Summer Olympics The 2004 Summer Olympics ( el, Θερινοί Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες 2004, ), officially the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad ( el, Αγώνες της 28ης Ολυμπιάδας, ) and also known as Athens 2004 ( el, Αθήνα 2004), ...

Gorée in Senegal

The island of

Gorée (; "Gorée Island"; Wolof: Beer Dun) is one of the 19 (i.e. districts) of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is an island located at sea from the main harbour of Dakar (), famous as a destination for people interested in the Atlantic slave trade ...

Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...

, notorious in the 18th century as a center for the

slave trade Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...

, got its name from the Dutch Goeree at the time when it was ruled by the Netherlands (from 1588 to 1664).

Gallery

File:De Hervormde kerk van Nieuwe-Tonge..JPG, De Hervormde kerk van Nieuwe-Tonge File:Lighthouse Goedereede.jpg, Toren van Goedereede File:Op de Kaai in Oude-Tonge..JPG, Op de Kaai in Oude-Tonge File:Haven van Herkingen - Herkingen - 20535646 - RCE.jpg, Haven van Herkingen - Herkingen

References

External links

* {{Authority control Islands of South Holland Municipalities of South Holland Municipalities of the Netherlands established in 2013 Regions of South Holland Regions of the Netherlands Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta Islands of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta