North Brabant

North Brabant(Dutch:Noord-Brabant[ˌnoːrdˈbraːbɑnt];Brabantian:Broabant[ˈbrɑːban]), also unofficially calledBrabant,Dutch BrabantorHollandic Brabant, is aprovincein the south of theNetherlands. It borders the provinces ofSouth HollandandGelderlandto the north,Limburgto the east,Zeelandto the west, and theFlemishprovinces ofAntwerpandLimburgto the south. The northern border follows theMeusewestward to its mouth in theHollands Diepstrait, part of theRhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. North Brabant had a population of about 2,626,000as of January 2023. Major cities in North Brabant areEindhoven(pop. 231,642),Tilburg(pop. 217,259),Breda(pop. 183,873), its provincial capital's-Hertogenbosch(pop. 154,205), andHelmond(pop. 94,967)
TheDuchy of Brabantwas a state of theHoly Roman Empireestablished in 1183 or 1190.It developed from theLandgraviate of Brabantand formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of theBurgundian Netherlandsfrom 1430 and of theHabsburg Netherlandsfrom 1482, until it was split up after the Dutch revolt. After theWar of Independence, Catholics in theSouthern Netherlandswere systematically and officially discriminated against by the Northern Protestant government until the second half of the 19th century, which had a major influence on the economic and cultural development of the southern part of the Netherlands.
Present-day North Brabant (Staats-Brabant) was adjudicated to theGenerality Landsof theDutch Republicaccording to the 1648Peace of Westphalia, while the reduced duchy remained in existence with the Southern Netherlands until it was conquered by French Revolutionary forces in 1794.
Until the 17th century, the area that now makes up the province of North Brabant was mostly part of the Duchy of Brabant, of which the southern part is now inBelgium. During the 14th and 15th centuries, the area experienced a golden age—especially the now-Belgian cities ofBrussels,Mechelen,LeuvenandAntwerp, and the Dutch cities ofBreda,Bergen op Zoomand's-Hertogenbosch.
After theUnion of Utrechtwas signed in 1579, Brabant became a battlefield between the ProtestantDutch Republicand CatholicSpain, which occupied the southern Netherlands. As a result of the Peace of Westphalia, the northern part of Brabant became part of the Netherlands as theterritoryof Staats-Brabant (Statal Brabant) underfederalrule, in contrast to the foundingprovincesof theDutch Republic, which were self-governing.
Attempts to introduce Protestantism into the region were largely unsuccessful; North Brabant remained strongly Catholic. For over a century, North Brabant served mainly as a military buffer zone. In 1796, when theconfederateDutch Republic became theunitaryBatavian Republic, Staats-Brabant became a province asBataafs Brabant. This status ended with the reorganisation by the invadingFrench, and the area was united into thedépartementofDeux-Nèthes(presentprovince of Antwerp).
In 1815, Belgium and the Netherlands were united in theUnited Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the province of North Brabant was established and so named to distinguish it fromCentral BrabantandSouth Brabantin present-dayBelgium, which seceded from the Kingdom in 1830. This boundary between the Netherlands and Belgium is special in that it does not form a contiguous line, but leaves a handful of tiny enclaves (and enclaves inside enclaves) on both sides of the border. In fact, the Dutch government generally used the pre-Napoleonic borders in 1815 to divide its provinces, in hommage to the principle ofRestoration. A few of these irregularities were corrected (Luyksgestelwas exchanged forLommel),Huijbergenbecame totally Dutch, but some remain, notablyBaarle-Hertog(Belgian) andBaarle-Nassau(Dutch).
When the present province was instituted, its territory was expanded with a part of the province ofHollandand the former territory ofRavenstein, which had previously belonged to theDuchy of Cleves, as well as several small, formerly autonomous entities.
In World War II the area was liberated by the allies duringOperation Pheasantbetween October 20 to November 4, 1944.
The period from 1900 until the late 1960s is calledHet Rijke Roomse Leven(translated as 'the rich Roman life', with 'Roman' meaning 'Roman Catholic'), an era of strong religious belief.Het Rijke Roomse Levencame about as result of the emancipatory drive of the province's disadvantaged Catholic population and was supported by aRoman Catholic pillar, which was directed by the clergy, and not only encompassed churches, but also Roman Catholic schools and hospitals, which were run by nuns and friars. In those days every village in North Brabant had a convent from which the nuns operated. Politically, the province was dominated by Catholic parties: theRoman Catholic State Partyand its post-warsuccessor, theCatholic People's Party, which often held around 75% of the vote.
In the 1960s secularisation and the actual emancipation of the Catholic population brought about the gradual dissolution of the Catholic pillar, as church attendance decreased in North Brabant as elsewhere in Western Europe. The influence ofHet Rijke Roomse Leven(The Rich Roman [Catholic] Life) remains in the form of education where some schools are still Roman Catholic (today run by professional teachers and not by nuns) and in North Brabant's culture, politics, mentality andcustoms, such ascarnival.
The interpretation of the Roman Catholic identity in North Brabant has shifted during the last 65 years from religious tocultural, but the province still has a distinct Catholic atmosphere when compared to the provinces north of the major rivers. A cultural divide is still found between the "Catholic" south and the "Protestant" north, but with a total of 1.5 million people and 20% of the industrial production in the Netherlands the southern "Catholic" areaBrabantStadhas become one of the major economically important, metropolitan regions of the Netherlands.As of 2010, Catholics were no longer a majority of the population in the province of North Brabant.Only 1–2% of the total population of the Catholic area attendmass, and these churchgoers consist mostly of people over 65 years old.
With a population density of 501/km, North Brabant is above average urbanized.The urbanization is at the center of the province at largest, where the 'kite' (theBrabantse StedenrijBreda, Tilburg, Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch) is located, the rest of the province has a more rural character. The province has preserved some of its scenic nature well. National parks are found at theLoonse and Drunen Dunes,De Biesboschand DeDe Groote Peel, on the marshes of theMeierijatOisterwijkandBoxtel(within an area calledHet Groene Woud), the border parkZoom-Kalmthoutse Heide, and in the forested area aroundBreda. Also, south ofEindhovennamedDe Kempenis an area with farmlands and forests. InHeeze, also south of Eindhoven, are the heath areas theGroote Heide(333 ha) and Strabrechtse Heath (1500 ha) located. TheStrabrechtse Heideholds also the largestfenof the Netherlands. TheBeuven(Beu fen) measures 85 hectares.
Like most of the Netherlands, North Brabant is mostly flat but nearly every part of North Brabant is above sea level; therefore, there are not as many canals as in the lower parts of The Netherlands. Although most of the population lives in urban areas, the province is scattered with villages around which most of the land is cultivated.
National Parks in North Brabant are:
TheBiesbosch(frombies, "rushes", andbosch, "woodland") is an area southeast ofDordrechtformed when the dike on theMeuseburst and theSt. Elizabeth's floodson 19 November 1421 engulfed great tracts of land in the southwestern Netherlands and altered the geography of the whole area, inundating over 40,000 hectares (100,000 acres) of land. More than four-fifths of the flooded land has been reclaimed since the 18th century. An area of 6,000 hectares (15,000 acres) was left as it was, and now forms the Biesbosch nature reserve and bird sanctuary.
Until the end of the 1960s the Biesbosch was directly connected with the sea and subject to changing tide levels. As a result, it developed a flora which tolerated brackish water and was the home of numerous waterfowl. Since the damming of theHaringvlietthere is no variation in water level, and both flora and fauna have adapted to the new environment.
The Biesbosch is crisscrossed by a network of footpaths and bike paths and by rivers and streams which offer facilities for water sports (sailing, surfing). In spite of the large numbers of visitors the natural environment has remained largely unspoiled.
The Biesbosch nature reserve can be reached by car only from the east (preferably viaWerkendam). The southwest part of the area, with its three large reservoirs of drinking water, is closed to road traffic. The Biesbosch can also be reached by boat fromDrimmelen,GeertruidenbergorLage Zwaluwe.
The historical region of Kempen occupies the southern part of the province of Noord-Brabant and extends south of Eindhoven far into northernBelgium. To the east it reaches as far as theMeusevalley. The surface topography ofDe Kempenis very uniform. Most of it lies between 5 m (15 ft) and 35 m (115 ft) above sea level. The basement rocks are Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments, which are overlaid byIce Agegravels and sands carried here by rivers of melt-water from the retreating glaciers. It is a typical area of sandy heathland.
The infertile soil is suitable only for undemanding crops such as rye, oats, potatoes and fodder plants; this limits the profitability of agriculture. Until a few decades ago Kempen was a region ofheathlandand sand drifts with a sparse growth of pines, a few scattered villages subsisting on the poor soil and some small towns; and this is still the pattern in much of the region.
In recent years, however, the rapid advance of industry has brought about profound changes in this agricultural region. The origins of this industrial development go back 70–100 years. The main concentrations of industry are along the southern frontier of the Netherlands, e.g., atEindhoven,Helmond,Tilburg,Breda,'s-Hertogenbosch.
In the east of Noord-Brabant, near theLimburgishborder, is thePeelarea, an expanse ofmoorlandextending from Eindhoven toVenlo, on the border with Limburg. Southeast ofAstenis a nature reserve (1,300 hectares (3,250 acres); visitor center at Ospeldijk) which has escaped destruction by peat cutting. Mostly boggy, it will appeal to nature lovers with its interesting flora and fauna. Apart from this small area almost the whole of the Peel has been brought into cultivation.
The province is bordered by the riverMeusein the north. Its delta flows throughDe Biesboscharea, a national park.
North Brabant has been divided into 56 municipalities since 2022. Traditionally, almost every town was a separate municipality, but their number was reduced greatly in the 1990s by incorporating smaller towns into neighbouring cities or by other mergers. The municipalities in North Brabant are:
The following municipal reclassifications took place in the 21st century:
On 1 January 2003 the municipality ofRavensteinmerged into the existing municipality ofOss.On 1 January 2004 the municipalities ofGeldropandMierlomerged into a new municipality calledGeldrop-Mierlo.On 1 January 2011 the municipality ofLithmerged into the existing municipality ofOss.On 1 January 2015 the municipality ofMaasdonkmerged into the existing municipalities of's-HertogenboschandOss.On 1 January 2017 the municipalities ofVeghel,Schijndel, andSint-Oedenrodemerged into a new municipality calledMeierijstad, creating the largest municipality of the province of North Brabant in terms of land area.On 1 January 2019 the municipalities ofAalburg,Werkendam, andWoudrichemmerged into a new municipality calledAltena, an even larger municipality in terms of land area.On 1 January 2021 the municipality ofHaarenmerged into the existing municipalities ofBoxtel,Oisterwijk,Tilburg, andVught.On 1 January 2022 the municipalities ofLanderdandUdenmerged into the new municipality ofMaashorst, and the municipalities ofBoxmeer,Cuijk,Grave,Mill en Sint Hubert, andSint Anthonismerged into the new municipality ofLand van Cuijk.
TheGross domestic product(GDP) of the province was 116.1 billion € in 2018, accounting for 15.0% of the Netherlands economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €39,900  or 132% of the EU27 average in the same year.
Employment is found in theagricultural,industrialandservicesectors, with agricultural and food processing companies such asAgrifirm,Bavaria,FrieslandCampina,Mars Incorporated,Nutreco,Royal Caninall having large production sites or their headquarters located in the province. The main agricultural products aresweetcorn,wheatandsugar beet, whilecowsandpigsare held as livestock.
An important economical activity is electronics industry, which developed as a spin-off fromPhilips. Several companies originated from Philips, such as Signify (formerly Philips Lighting),NXP(producer ofsemiconductors), and the world's largest supplier ofphotolithographysystems,ASML.
There are eight 'innovation campusses' in North Brabant, including theHigh Tech Campus Eindhoven. In 2017, Brabantian companies applied for 3655patents, earning a spot in the regional top 5 in Europe.
Other important industries are automobile production (e.g.General MotorsinBreda,TeslainTilburg) andDAFinEindhoven, textile and shoes.
In the 20th century,tourismhas become an important sector for North Brabant. A tourist attraction is theme parkEftelinginKaatsheuvel, the largest of the Benelux.
Safaripark Beekse Bergen is an Safaripark located betweenTilburgandHilvarenbeek. In terms of area, it is the largest Safaripark in the Benelux. More than 150 animal species are kept, ranging from small mammals to large birds. It is best known for its diversity. You can explore the park on foot, by boat, bus or with your own car.
BrabantStadis a partnership between the municipalities ofBreda,Eindhoven,Helmond,'s-HertogenboschandTilburgand the province of North Brabant.According to national rules, BrabantStad is defined as the area of Eindhoven, 's-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg.
Brabantianis not a minority language in theNetherlands. It can be divided in two main dialects:East BrabantianandWest Brabantian[nl]. Along with theHollandicdialects it is one of the two most spoken versions of Dutch. Brabantian has, as compared to the other main Dutch dialects, had a big influence on the development of Standard Dutch. This is because Brabant was the dominant region in the Netherlands when the standardization of Dutch started in the 16th century. The first major formation of standard Dutch also took place inAntwerp, where a Brabantian dialect is spoken. The default language having been developed around this time, it therefore had mainly Brabantian influences. The early modern Dutch written language was initially influenced primarily by Brabantian, with strong influence fromHollandicemerging after the 16th century. Since the Brabantian dialect has developed faster than 16th- and 17th-century Dutch, it has become more diverse than modernStandard Dutchbut is still quite similar and very understandable.About one third of the Dutch-speaking population lives in the Brabantian dialect zone. Both in Brabantian cities such asBredaandEindhovenand in rural areas many people still speak the original dialect or colloquial Dutch with a typical "southern" tongue.Tilburgand's-Hertogenboschhave a large number of people speaking the Brabantian dialect.
There are many museums, especially in the larger cities which include theNorth Brabant Museumin's-Hertogenbosch, theVan AbbemuseuminEindhoven,  theMuseum of the ImageinBreda,Noordbrabants NatuurmuseuminTilburg. Also a few towns have a large theater like the Chassé Theater in Breda and the Eindhoven Park Theatre. Large, reputable music venues like the013inTilburg, which boasts the largest space of music venues in theNetherlands, and theEffenaarin Eindhoven offer concerts by major artists. Smaller venues like MezzBreda, W2 Concert in's-Hertogenboschand the smaller halls of the013and theEffenaaroffer concerts by emerging artists and bigger names in an intimate setting.
Some yearly cultural events in North Brabant are:
List of museums in North Brabant
Museums of the main cities:
The Southern Dutch cuisine constitutes the cuisine of the Dutch provinces of North Brabant andLimburgand theFlemish RegioninBelgium. It is renowned for its many rich pastries, soups,stews, and vegetable dishes and is often called "Burgundian", which is a Dutch idiom invoking the rich Burgundian court which ruled theLow Countriesin theMiddle Agesand was renowned for its splendor and great feasts.
It is the only Dutch culinary region which developed anhaute cuisine, as it is influenced by bothGerman cuisineandFrench cuisine, and it forms the base of most traditional Dutch restaurants including typicalmain coursessuch asBiefstuk,Varkenshaas, orOssenhaas, which are premium cuts of meat, generallyporkorbeef, accompanied by various sauces and potatoes which have been double fried in the traditional Dutch (or Belgian) manner.
Stews, such ashachee, a stew ofonions,beefand a thick gravy, contain a lot of flavour and require hours to prepare. Vegetable soups are made from richly flavoredstockorbouillonand typically contain small meatballs alongside a variety of different vegetables. Asparagus andwitlo(o)fare highly prized and traditionally eaten with cheese and/orham.
Pastries are abundant, often with rich fillings of cream, custard or fruits. Cakes, such as theMoorkopandBossche Bolfrom Brabant, are typical pastries. There are also savory pastries, especially the popularworstenbroodje(a roll with a sausage ofground beef).
The traditional alcoholic beverage of the region is beer. There are many local brands, ranging fromTrappisttoKriek. Beer, like wine in French cuisine, is also used in cooking, often in stews.
North Brabant is home to 8professionalfootballclubs, more than any other province in the Netherlands. Two clubs (PSVandRKC Waalwijk) play in theEredivisie, the highest professional football league in the Netherlands. Six clubs (Helmond Sport,Willem II,FC Den Bosch,FC Eindhoven,TOP OssandNAC Breda) play in theEerste Divisie, the second-highest division of professional football in the Netherlands. PSV Eindhoven is the biggest club of North Brabant, and most successful with 25Eredivisie titles, 1European Cupand 1UEFA Cup, among many other domestic cups, and is one of the traditional "big three" clubs in the Netherlands.
North Brabant is home to 3 hockey clubs that play in the Hoofdklasse. HC Den Bosch ('s-Hertogenbosch), Oranje Zwart (Eindhoven) and MOP (Vught). Oranje Zwart is the most successful of these clubs with many prizes, in the regular competition as well as in Europe. The most recent prizes are National Champions in 2014–2015, 2015–2016 and European Champions in 2014–2015.
TheStates of North Brabant(Staten van Noord-Brabant) have 55 seats and are headed by theKing's Commissioner(Commissaris van de Koning), currentlyIna Adema. Whereas the provincial council (theStates-Provincial-Provinciale Staten) is elected by the inhabitants, the Commissioner is appointed by the King and the cabinet of the Netherlands. With 10 seats,People's Party for Freedom and Democracyis the largest party in the council, closely followed byChristian Democratic AppealandSocialist Party, both with 9 seats.
The daily affairs of the province are taken care of by theProvincial-Executive(Gedeputeerde Staten), which are also headed by the Commissioner; its members (commissioners -gedeputeerden) can be compared with ministers.
Results in North Brabant in the elections for theStates-Provincial:
Traditionally the province of North Brabant has been stronglyRoman Catholic, in contrast to most of the rest of the Netherlands. Following the country's independence, Catholics faced discrimination by the Protestant government until the mid-19th century. During the 1960s the relatively strongdemarcationbetween the Catholic south on one side and theCalvinistwest and north on the other side of the Netherlands started to diminish. In the second half of the 20th century a rapid secularization took place in North Brabant.
In 2015 slightly fewer than half (48%) of the Brabantian people reported adhering to Catholicism, while 5.6% adhered to theProtestant Church in the Netherlands, 4.4% toIslam, 3.3% to other churches or faiths. More than a third (38.8%) of the population identified as non-religious.
Although much of the population identifies as Catholic, regular attendance atMassis low. For example, in theDiocese of 's-Hertogenbosch, the eastern part of North Brabant and part of the province of Gelderland, 1,167,000 people reported in 2006 an association with Roman Catholicism (56.8 percent of the population). However, only 45,645 residents of this area attended themasson average, which was only 2 percent of the total population of the area. In western North Brabant (Diocese of Breda) the number of people associating themselves with Catholicism also strongly decreased; only 52 percent of the West Brabantiansidentifyas Roman Catholic. Church attendance was even lower in the west, with only 1 percent of the West Brabantian population attending Mass.North Brabant is mostly Catholic by tradition. Residents may adhere to certain traditions as a base for theircultural identity, but the vast majority of the Catholic population is now largely irreligious in practice. Research among Catholics in the Netherlands in 2007 showed that only 27% of the Dutch Catholics could be regarded astheist, while 55% wereietsistornontheistand 17% wereagnostic.
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