An accelerometer for measuring acceleration in the direction of a z-axis which is perpendicular to an xy-plane, wherein the accelerometer comprises a first proof mass and one or more anchor points , and the first proof mass is suspended from the one or more anchor points by a torsionally flexible suspension structure which allows the first proof mass to rotate about a rotation axis which lies in the xy-plane, and the accelerometer also comprises a second proof mass which is adjacent to the first proof mass and suspended from said one or more anchor points by the suspension structure, and the suspension structure allows the second proof mass to rotate about the rotation axis, and the accelerometer comprises one or more first counter-electrodes (261 - 262) which are adjacent to the first and second proof masses in the z-direction on a first side of the rotation axis so that the one or more first counter-electrodes define a first measurement region in the xy-plane on the first side of the rotation axis, and the first measurement region comprises a first subregion in the xy-plane which lies closest to the rotation axis and a second subregion in the xy-plane which lies further away from the rotation axis, characterized in that the first proof mass comprises one or more first measurement areas in the first subregion of the first measurement region , and the second proof mass comprises one or more second measurement areas in the second subregion of the first measurement region , and the first and second proof masses and the suspension structure are dimensioned so that a ratio L / K is greater for the first proof mass than for the second proof mass but has the same sign for both proof masses, where L is the sum of the torques which act on said proof mass when the accelerometer undergoes acceleration in the direction of the z-axis, and K is the spring constant for the rotational motion of said proof mass about the rotation axis. and the accelerometer also comprises a second proof mass which is adjacent to the first proof mass and suspended from said one or more anchor points by the suspension structure, and the suspension structure allows the second proof mass to rotate about the rotation axis, and the accelerometer comprises one or more first counter-electrodes (261 - 262) which are adjacent to the first and second proof masses in the z-direction on a first side of the rotation axis so that the one or more first counter-electrodes define a first measurement region in the xy-plane on the first side of the rotation axis, and the first measurement region comprises a first subregion in the xy-plane which lies closest to the rotation axis and a second subregion in the xy-plane which lies further away from the rotation axis, characterized in that the first proof mass comprises one or more first measurement areas in the first subregion of the first measurement region , and the second proof mass comprises one or more second measurement areas in the second subregion of the first measurement region , and the first and second proof masses and the suspension structure are dimensioned so that a ratio L / K is greater for the first proof mass than for the second proof mass but has the same sign for both proof masses, where L is the sum of the torques which act on said proof mass when the accelerometer undergoes acceleration in the direction of the z-axis, and K is the spring constant for the rotational motion of said proof mass about the rotation axis. <EOS>