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111-546: The name Delfzijl means 'sluice of the Delf'. The Delf was a canal connecting the rivers Fivel and Ems , and is now part of the Damsterdiep . The Dutch verb delven means 'to delve' or 'to dig' and the Dutch noun zijl means 'water outlet' or ' sluice '. Delfzijl was established at the location where three sluices ( Dutch : zijlen ) were connected. In 1317, a sluice was built in

222-453: A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009, are the sandbank Simonszand and the natural reserve Rottum consisting of the three uninhabited islands Rottumeroog , Rottumerplaat, and Zuiderduintjes . The national park Lauwersmeer ( IUCN category II) is located on the border between Groningen and Friesland. The province of Groningen is also called Stad en Ommelanden , which means the city of Groningen and its surrounding lands, which are

333-534: A caisson of water in which boats float while being moved between two levels; and inclined planes where a caisson is hauled up a steep railway. To cross a stream, road or valley (where the delay caused by a flight of locks at either side would be unacceptable) the valley can be spanned by a navigable aqueduct – a famous example in Wales is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (now a UNESCO World Heritage Site ) across

444-504: A drainage divide atop a ridge , generally requiring an external water source above the highest elevation . The best-known example of such a canal is the Panama Canal . Many canals have been built at elevations, above valleys and other waterways. Canals with sources of water at a higher level can deliver water to a destination such as a city where water is needed. The Roman Empire 's aqueducts were such water supply canals. The term

555-615: A labor force of 268,000 people and unemployment rate of 9.6%, which is the second highest unemployment for a province in the Netherlands. Groningen is home to the Low Saxon dialect called Gronings ( Grönnegs / Grunnegs in Gronings regional language), In the eastern part of Friesland variations of the Groninger 'language' is spoken. Gronings has local nuances, for example, the people in

666-415: A "cistern", or depressed area just downstream from the fall, to "cushion" the water by providing a deep pool for its kinetic energy to be diffused in. Vertical falls work for drops of up to 1.5 m in height, and for discharge of up to 15 cubic meters per second. The transport capacity of pack animals and carts is limited. A mule can carry an eighth-ton [250 pounds (113 kg)] maximum load over

777-425: A better tourist attraction after the construction and more secure from sea flooding. Delfzijl sits at an elevation above low tide, and usually above high tide except for a few days per year. The town is protected by dikes and gates that can be opened to let water out at low tide, and closed to prevent flooding at high tide. When normal draining at low tide is not sufficient water is pumped near Delfzijl at Farmsum in

888-413: A combination of the three, depending on available water and available path: Smaller transportation canals can carry barges or narrowboats , while ship canals allow seagoing ships to travel to an inland port (e.g., Manchester Ship Canal ), or from one sea or ocean to another (e.g., Caledonian Canal , Panama Canal ). At their simplest, canals consist of a trench filled with water. Depending on

999-455: A gate in the sea dike and a small marina inside the fresh water harbor, giving an idea of how Delfzijl looked in the early years. Delfzijl is located at 53°20′N 6°55′E  /  53.333°N 6.917°E  / 53.333; 6.917 in the northeast of the province of Groningen , in the northeast of the Netherlands. It is situated on the southwest bank of the Ems estuary , which forms

1110-543: A journey measured in days and weeks, though much more for shorter distances and periods with appropriate rest. Besides, carts need roads. Transport over water is much more efficient and cost-effective for large cargoes. The oldest known canals were irrigation canals, built in Mesopotamia c.  4000 BC , in what is now Iraq . The Indus Valley civilization of ancient India ( c.  3000 BC ) had sophisticated irrigation and storage systems developed, including

1221-521: A local market town and adding to the economy. Much commerce occurs with the agricultural center in Veendam that previously operated a chamber of commerce for the region. Building of small ships occurs along modern canals in nearby Winschoten , with rail and ship connections to Germany, adding to the commercial traffic around Delfzijl. Fishing is done in the shallow seas with some of the boats operating out of Delfzijl and Farmsum harbor where much inland shipping

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1332-539: A modern pumping station that replaced the historical old pump house in the 1970s. The possibility of rising sea level is a large concern in Delfzijl, and storms have occasionally splashed water over the sea dikes in recent years causing the dike to be raised starting in 2017. Traditional industries of grain milling, paper made from straw, and bricks made from clay have given way to newer industries and technologies. Colonial days are remembered in Delfzijl by Indonesian food and

1443-575: A rather low gradient for its time. The canal is still in use after renovation. In the Middle Ages , water transport was several times cheaper and faster than transport overland. Overland transport by animal drawn conveyances was used around settled areas, but unimproved roads required pack animal trains, usually of mules to carry any degree of mass, and while a mule could carry an eighth ton, it also needed teamsters to tend it and one man could only tend perhaps five mules, meaning overland bulk transport

1554-484: A series of dams and locks that create reservoirs of low speed current flow. These reservoirs are referred to as slack water levels , often just called levels . A canal can be called a navigation canal when it parallels a natural river and shares part of the latter's discharges and drainage basin , and leverages its resources by building dams and locks to increase and lengthen its stretches of slack water levels while staying in its valley . A canal can cut across

1665-675: A strong presence in Delfzijl and can call on assistance from trained volunteers when needed. Many political parties are active in Delfzijl, with much support given to labor, business, education, religious views, family values, and environmental protection. Small business shop keepers have a large influence on the city. There is much freedom of speech and action for people who are respectful of laws and authorities. Many social activities take place in cafes, pubs, churches, and sports clubs. The residents keep their window blinds open at home in celebration of long lasting peace, but are otherwise protective of privacy. Most religious activities of Delfzijl are in

1776-596: A total area of 2,955 km (1,141 sq mi), with 2,316 km (894 sq mi) of land and 639 km (247 sq mi) of water. About 80% of the land or 1,876 km (724 sq mi) is used for agriculture . The rest of the land is: 9% or 158 km (61 sq mi) of built-up or semi built-up area, 6% or 144 km (56 sq mi) of nature, 3% or 66 km (25 sq mi) of infrastructure, and 2% or 43 km (17 sq mi) of recreational area. The land in Groningen

1887-628: A total of 11,589 cargo vessels arrived at the two Groningen Seaports combined, 7,111 sea vessels and 4,478 inland vessels. The ports had a cargo throughput of 11,309,000 tonnes. The chemical industry near Delfzijl is located at the Chemie Park in Farmsum , with factories of AkzoNobel , Lubrizol , and Teijin Aramid . Both GDF Suez and Vattenfall have a natural gas-fired power plant in Eemshaven, and Essent

1998-453: A uniform altitude. Other, generally later, canals took more direct routes requiring the use of various methods to deal with the change in level. Canals have various features to tackle the problem of water supply. In cases, like the Suez Canal, the canal is open to the sea. Where the canal is not at sea level, a number of approaches have been adopted. Taking water from existing rivers or springs

2109-425: A variety of minority groups who are integrated into the community. On the edge of Delfzijl, and easily approached on foot or by bicycle across new parks and wood lands, the church at Uitwierde with its free standing tower dates from about the year 1200. The church sits on a historic protected artificial mound that dates from antiquity, and was necessary before dikes were built. The church pipe organ dates from 1888 and

2220-399: Is twinned with: Canal Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation ) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi ). They carry free, calm surface flow under atmospheric pressure , and can be thought of as artificial rivers . In most cases, a canal has

2331-422: Is a channel that cuts across a drainage divide , making a navigable channel connecting two different drainage basins . Both navigations and canals use engineered structures to improve navigation: Since they cut across drainage divides, canals are more difficult to construct and often need additional improvements, like viaducts and aqueducts to bridge waters over streams and roads, and ways to keep water in

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2442-531: Is also a blend of private and public property. Modern Dutch language is understood everywhere and young educated people speak English, German, and French. Gronings dialect is found routinely spoken in outlying villages, resembling old dialects along the coast nearby in Germany and Denmark. Local television carries Dutch and popular broadcasts from other countries and languages. Delfzijl is accustomed to receiving visitors and guest workers from foreign countries. Delfzijl

2553-401: Is also handled. An old sea gate at Farmsum was replaced by newer gates nearby leaving a sheltered inland harbor. Low tide exposes extensive mud flats that add to tourism and environmental activities. Delfzijl is a bird sanctuary during high tides that cover the feeding grounds with sea water. Considerable lumber is imported to supplement domestic supplies. A wide variety of cargoes from all over

2664-819: Is an umbrella organization for museums and other heritage organizations in the province of Groningen and has 58 members. The Groninger Museum is the most visited museum in the province with 209,195 visitors in 2015. The other museums and heritage organizations with more than 25 thousand visitors in 2015 are Fort Bourtange in Bourtange, Noordelijk Scheepvaartmuseum in Groningen, Ter Apel Monastery in Ter Apel, Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren, Nationaal Bus Museum in Hoogezand, and Museumspoorlijn STAR in Stadskanaal. FC Groningen from

2775-727: Is available for people of all ages including those who travel to nearby Groningen University. Parents of school aged children participate in school activities several times a year around national holidays and school year schedules. Affordable health care is provided to everyone in, clinics, house calls, at a local hospital, and at the Groningen Academic Hospital which was established in 1797. Government officials are mostly appointed and operate with advice of elected local councils and parliaments in Groningen and The Hague. Authorities for public safety, city services, oversight of industry, harbor control, and management of water levels have

2886-631: Is building a coal-fired power plant there. The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the province was 25 billion € in 2018, accounting for 3.2% of the Netherlands economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 37,300 € or 124% of the EU27 average in the same year. In 1959, the Groningen gas field near Slochteren was discovered, and the NAM started to exploit the field in 1963. This caused Dutch disease and induced earthquakes . In 2013, Groningen had

2997-598: Is chairman of both branches. The Provincial Council of Groningen consists of 43 members and the Provincial Executive consists of the King's Commissioner and six deputies. The government has its seat in the city of Groningen, which is the provincial capital. René Paas , member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), has been the King's Commissioner since 18 April 2016. He succeeded Max van den Berg who

3108-462: Is flat. A large area of the province is below sea level. The Hasseberg near Sellingen of 14.6 m (48 ft) above sea level is the highest point. The Groningen gas field near Slochteren is the 8th largest natural gas field in the world. Since 1986, the exploitation of this gas field has caused earthquakes in the region with magnitudes up to 3.6. In the Wadden Sea of Groningen,

3219-625: Is presumed, introduced in Italy by Bertola da Novate in the 16th century. This allowed wider gates and also removed the height restriction of guillotine locks . To break out of the limitations caused by river valleys, the first summit level canals were developed with the Grand Canal of China in 581–617 AD whilst in Europe the first, also using single locks, was the Stecknitz Canal in Germany in 1398. In

3330-578: Is rarely less than 30 metres (98 ft) wide. In the 5th century BC, Achaemenid king Xerxes I of Persia ordered the construction of the Xerxes Canal through the base of Mount Athos peninsula, Chalkidiki , northern Greece. It was constructed as part of his preparations for the Second Persian invasion of Greece , a part of the Greco-Persian Wars . It is one of the few monuments left by

3441-553: Is situated at 53°15′N 6°44′E  /  53.250°N 6.733°E  / 53.250; 6.733 in the northeast of the Netherlands . To the west is the province Friesland , to the south is the province Drenthe , to the east the German districts are Leer and Emsland in the state Lower Saxony , and to the north the North Sea , Ems , and Dollart . The northernmost point of

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3552-418: Is steeper than the desired canal gradient. They are constructed so the falling water's kinetic energy is dissipated in order to prevent it from scouring the bed and sides of the canal. A canal fall is constructed by cut and fill . It may be combined with a regulator, bridge, or other structure to save costs. There are various types of canal falls, based on their shape. One type is the ogee fall, where

3663-448: Is the pound lock , which consists of a chamber within which the water level can be raised or lowered connecting either two pieces of canal at a different level or the canal with a river or the sea. When there is a hill to be climbed, flights of many locks in short succession may be used. Prior to the development of the pound lock in 984 AD in China by Chhaio Wei-Yo and later in Europe in

3774-412: Is the most populated and most densely populated municipality, containing the largest city. The province of Groningen has an oceanic climate ( Köppen climate classification : Cfb). On 1 January 2023, the province of Groningen had a population of 596,075 and a population density of 257/km (670/sq mi), which make it the 9th most populous province and 8th most densely populated province of

3885-523: Is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands . It borders on Friesland to the west, Drenthe to the south, the German state of Lower Saxony to the east, and the Wadden Sea to the north. As of January 2023, Groningen had a population of about 596,000, and a total area of 2,955 km (1,141 sq mi). Historically the area was at different times part of Frisia , the Frankish Empire ,

3996-542: The Groninger Dagblad , and the Drentse Courant . In 2015, the newspaper had a circulation of 96,515. RTV Noord is a regional public broadcaster of radio and television based in the city of Groningen, with Radio Noord and TV Noord. Their radio station has 121,000 daily listeners and a market share of 28% (2012) and their TV station has 171,000 daily viewers and a market share of 26.7% (2012). People from

4107-639: The Elbe , Oder and Weser being linked by canals. In post-Roman Britain, the first early modern period canal built appears to have been the Exeter Canal , which was surveyed in 1563, and open in 1566. The oldest canal in the European settlements of North America, technically a mill race built for industrial purposes, is Mother Brook between the Boston, Massachusetts neighbourhoods of Dedham and Hyde Park connecting

4218-624: The Holy Roman Empire , and the Dutch Republic , the precursor state of the modern Netherlands. In the 14th century, the city of Groningen became a member of the Hanseatic League . The provincial capital and the largest city in the province is the city of Groningen (231,299 inhabitants ). Since 2016, René Paas has been the King's Commissioner in the province. A coalition of GroenLinks ,

4329-511: The Labour Party , ChristianUnion , People's Party for Freedom and Democracy , Democrats 66 , and Christian Democratic Appeal forms the executive branch. The province is divided into 10 municipalities. The land is mainly used for agriculture . There are seaports in Delfzijl and Eemshaven . The Groningen gas field , one of the world's largest, was discovered in 1959. The province is home to

4440-566: The NHL University of Applied Sciences , and the Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the city of Groningen are the province's publicly funded universities of applied sciences ( hogescholen ). The Dagblad van het Noorden is a regional daily newspaper based in the city of Groningen and is owned by NDC Mediagroep. It was founded in 2002 by merging the Nieuwsblad van het Noorden ,

4551-477: The Naviglio Grande built between 1127 and 1257 to connect Milan with the river Ticino . The Naviglio Grande is the most important of the lombard " navigli " and the oldest functioning canal in Europe. Later, canals were built in the Netherlands and Flanders to drain the polders and assist transportation of goods and people. Canal building was revived in this age because of commercial expansion from

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4662-532: The Phoenix metropolitan area was the most complex in ancient North America. A portion of the ancient canals has been renovated for the Salt River Project and now helps to supply the city's water. The Sinhalese constructed the 87 km (54 mi) Yodha Ela in 459 A.D. as a part of their extensive irrigation network which functioned in a way of a moving reservoir due to its single banking aspect to manage

4773-514: The Prince-Bishopric of Münster . During the Middle Ages, central control was remote, and the city of Groningen acted as a city-state , exerting a dominating influence on the surrounding Ommelanden . In the 14th century, Groningen became one of the towns within the Hanseatic League . In the years after, Groningen expanded its influence. At its peak almost all of the current province Friesland

4884-625: The Republic of the Seven United Provinces , precursor state of the Netherlands, to which it belonged henceforth. During World War II , the Netherlands were occupied by Nazi Germany . In April 1945, the 2nd Canadian Division fought in the Battle of Groningen , which resulted in the liberation of the city and in the death of 130, the capture of 5,212, and the fleeing of 2,000 German soldiers. In May 1945, another 3,000 German soldiers were captured in

4995-522: The River Brue at Northover with Glastonbury Abbey , a distance of about 1.75 kilometres (1,900 yd). Its initial purpose is believed to be the transport of building stone for the abbey, but later it was used for delivering produce, including grain, wine and fish, from the abbey's outlying properties. It remained in use until at least the 14th century, but possibly as late as the mid-16th century. More lasting and of more economic impact were canals like

5106-594: The Songhai Empire of West Africa, several canals were constructed under Sunni Ali and Askia Muhammad I between Kabara and Timbuktu in the 15th century. These were used primarily for irrigation and transport. Sunni Ali also attempted to construct a canal from the Niger River to Walata to facilitate conquest of the city but his progress was halted when he went to war with the Mossi Kingdoms . Around 1500–1800

5217-616: The University of Groningen and Hanze University of Applied Sciences . Groningen was originally a part of Frisia . It became a part of the Frankish Empire around 785. Charlemagne assigned the Christianization of this new possession to Ludger . In the 11th century, the city of Groningen was a village in Drenthe that belonged to the Bishopric of Utrecht , while most of the province was in

5328-548: The reservoirs built at Girnar in 3000 BC. This is the first time that such planned civil project had taken place in the ancient world. In Egypt , canals date back at least to the time of Pepi I Meryre (reigned 2332–2283 BC), who ordered a canal built to bypass the cataract on the Nile near Aswan . In ancient China , large canals for river transport were established as far back as the Spring and Autumn period (8th–5th centuries BC),

5439-404: The stratum the canal passes through, it may be necessary to line the cut with some form of watertight material such as clay or concrete. When this is done with clay, it is known as puddling . Canals need to be level, and while small irregularities in the lie of the land can be dealt with through cuttings and embankments, for larger deviations other approaches have been adopted. The most common

5550-466: The 12th century. River navigations were improved progressively by the use of single, or flash locks . Taking boats through these used large amounts of water leading to conflicts with watermill owners and to correct this, the pound or chamber lock first appeared, in the 10th century in China and in Europe in 1373 in Vreeswijk , Netherlands. Another important development was the mitre gate , which was, it

5661-465: The 15th century, either flash locks consisting of a single gate were used or ramps, sometimes equipped with rollers, were used to change the level. Flash locks were only practical where there was plenty of water available. Locks use a lot of water, so builders have adopted other approaches for situations where little water is available. These include boat lifts , such as the Falkirk Wheel , which use

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5772-507: The Battle of Delfzijl by the 5th Canadian Division , after which all of the northern provinces were liberated. East Groningen was the scene of a particularly fierce class struggle in the 19th and 20th centuries. Perhaps not coincidentally, Groningen boasts the only municipality ( Beerta ) where the Communist Party of the Netherlands has ever had a mayor ( Hanneke Jagersma ). Groningen

5883-565: The Delf, a canal which is now part of the Damsterdiep. Delfzijl has been the main sea port of Groningen since medieval times. In 1580, a square sconce and a church were built in Delfzijl. Fortification was expanded with six bastions in 1591. Also In 1591 Prince Maurice of Orange visited the port with a fleet of 150 ships which saw the capture of the city from the Spanish by a combined Dutch and English army. Following this an unsuccessful attempt

5994-557: The Dutch Protestant Established (Hervormde Kerk) or Reformed (Gereformeerde Kerk) churches, with notable minorities active in Catholic, Lutheran, and Baptist churches. Most of the churches in Delfzijl are joined in local and national organizations, although they retain much of their individual character. Salvation army is also active and included in the churches organization. A number of national holidays are celebrated each year,

6105-557: The English fleet that was blockading the Dutch coast. The fortification and the sluices were damaged during the Christmas Flood of 1717 . In 1813–1814, the French held the city, while it was under siege by the Dutch. The fortifications were removed in 1875, making room for the train station, and leaving one branch of the moat for recreational purposes, with ice skating in some years. The town

6216-463: The Netherlands is on Rottumerplaat at 53°33′18″N 6°28′41″E  /  53.55500°N 6.47806°E  / 53.55500; 6.47806 ; the easternmost point of the Netherlands is in Bad Nieuweschans at 53°10′49″N 7°13′40″E  /  53.18028°N 7.22778°E  / 53.18028; 7.22778 . Groningen is the 7th largest province of the Netherlands. It has

6327-399: The Netherlands after SAIL Amsterdam . Part of the sea harbor near the center of Delfzijl is open to public on Sundays and special events are occasionally held when the heavy machinery is not moving and the sea gates are not closed. Annually the "Pinksterfeesten" (Whitsunfestivities or Pentecost Festival) are organised in the city. Delfzijl is seeing a strong resurgence in the Dutch economy as

6438-449: The Netherlands is maintained by ProRail . There are six railways located partially or entirely in the province of Groningen. The railway station Groningen connects several of these railways. The international airport that serves Groningen is Groningen Airport Eelde , which is located in Eelde in the province of Drenthe. The airport is co-owned by the provinces of Groningen and Drenthe and

6549-639: The Netherlands. The city of Groningen is the most populous city in the province and the 6th most populous city in the Netherlands. On 1 January 2013, 92.2% of the total provincial population was born in the Netherlands; and of the 7.8% that was born abroad, the ten most common foreign countries of origin are the neighbour Germany (1.09%), the former colonies and dependencies Indonesia (0.60%), Netherlands Antilles and Aruba (0.55%), Suriname (0.54%), and other countries Turkey (0.41%), Soviet Union (0.36%), China (0.32%), Poland (0,26%), Yugoslavia (0.26%), and United Kingdom (0.18%). In 2015, 18.7% of

6660-571: The Persian Empire in Europe . Greek engineers were also among the first to use canal locks , by which they regulated the water flow in the Ancient Suez Canal as early as the 3rd century BC. There was little experience moving bulk loads by carts, while a pack-horse would [i.e. 'could'] carry only an eighth of a ton. On a soft road a horse might be able to draw 5/8ths of a ton. But if

6771-753: The Southwest by 1300 CE. Archaeologists working at a major archaeological dig in the 1990s in the Tucson Basin, along the Santa Cruz River, identified a culture and people that may have been the ancestors of the Hohokam. This prehistoric group occupied southern Arizona as early as 2000 BCE, and in the Early Agricultural period grew corn, lived year-round in sedentary villages, and developed sophisticated irrigation canals. The large-scale Hohokam irrigation network in

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6882-485: The biggest are Christmas, Easter, and the King's Birthday. Sports facilities are available and boating is popular in the sea, canals, and near by lakes. Housing and commerce in Delfzijl is a blending of old and new facilities with architectural attention given to the unity and harmony of the town's appearance. New housing on the north side and west side of Delfzijl retain elements of traditional styles while providing modern facilities. Ownership in different parts of Delfzijl

6993-415: The border with Germany. Delfzijl was bordered by the Dutch municipalities of Eemsmond (in the northwest), Loppersum (west), Appingedam (west), Slochteren (southwest), Oldambt (south), and by the German municipalities of Emden (east) and Krummhörn (northeast). The former municipality contained the population centres: The Port of Delfzijl is the fifth biggest seaport in the Netherlands and

7104-436: The canal pressure with the influx of water. It was also designed as an elongated reservoir passing through traps creating 66 mini catchments as it flows from Kala Wewa to Thissa Wawa . The canal was not designed for the quick conveying of water from Kala Wewa to Thissa Wawa but to create a mass of water between the two reservoirs, which would in turn provided for agriculture and the use of humans and animals. They also achieved

7215-418: The canal to form a dam. They are generally placed in pre-existing grooves in the canal bank. On more modern canals, "guard locks" or gates were sometimes placed to allow a section of the canal to be quickly closed off, either for maintenance, or to prevent a major loss of water due to a canal breach. A canal fall , or canal drop, is a vertical drop in the canal bed. These are built when the natural ground slope

7326-462: The canal. Where large amounts of goods are loaded or unloaded such as at the end of a canal, a canal basin may be built. This would normally be a section of water wider than the general canal. In some cases, the canal basins contain wharfs and cranes to assist with movement of goods. When a section of the canal needs to be sealed off so it can be drained for maintenance stop planks are frequently used. These consist of planks of wood placed across

7437-409: The channel. There are two broad types of canal: Historically, canals were of immense importance to commerce and the development, growth and vitality of a civilization. In 1855 the Lehigh Canal carried over 1.2 million tons of anthracite coal; by the 1930s the company which built and operated it for over a century ceased operation. The few canals still in operation in our modern age are a fraction of

7548-457: The city of Groningen is the only football club from the province in the Eredivisie . Their home stadium Euroborg has a capacity of 22,550 seats. In the 2012–2013 competition , FC Groningen became 7th of the 18 teams. SC Veendam played in the Eerste Divisie , but filed for bankruptcy in 2013. The city of Groningen is also the base of basketball club GasTerra Flames , volleyball club Lycurgus , and korfball club Nic. The ice rink at

7659-416: The city's major employers are University Medical Center Groningen with 12,141 employees, University of Groningen with 5,591 employees, Municipality of Groningen with 3,063 employees, Education Implementation Service (DUO) with 2,000 employees, and Gasunie with 1,748 employees. The other economically important area is the Ems delta with the sea ports of Delfzijl and Eemshaven . In 2015,

7770-440: The coalition and was replaced by the ChristianUnion (CU). The Labour Party has three deputies, the other coalition parties have one deputy each. In the province of Groningen, there are three national roads ( Dutch : rijkswegen ), which are maintained by Rijkswaterstaat . The motorway A7 ( E22 ) connects the city of Groningen with the provinces of Friesland and North Holland in the west and with Winschoten and Germany in

7881-399: The drop follows an s-shaped curve to create a smooth transition and reduce turbulence . However, this smooth transition does not dissipate the water's kinetic energy, which leads to heavy scouring. As a result, the canal needs to be reinforced with concrete or masonry to protect it from eroding. Another type of canal fall is the vertical fall, which is "simple and economical". These feature

7992-487: The east. The motorway is interrupted for the ring road of the city of Groningen, where it is the expressway N7. The motorway A28 ( E232 ) starts at the city of Groningen and runs south connecting it with the provinces of Drenthe, Overijssel , Gelderland , and Utrecht . The expressway N33 runs south from Eemshaven, via Appingedam and Veendam, to Drenthe. Other roads are overseen by the province (N roads), municipalities, or water boards . Public transport falls under

8103-469: The eastern part speak Gronings with more German influence. Nowadays, many inhabitants of the province do not speak the dialect, especially in the city of Groningen where many outsiders have moved. Traditional dishes and delicacies from Groningen are boerenkoolstamppot , droge worst , krentjebrij , oudewijvenkoek , poffert , and spekdik . Traditional alcoholic drinks are boerenjongens , boerenmeisjes , fladderak , and heet bier . Museumhuis Groningen

8214-410: The edge of the town lies an industrial site with an area of 3 square kilometers which is one of the biggest employers in the area. This site is responsible for the second largest quantity of exported chemicals in the Netherlands (after Rotterdam ), and is known for its major exports of chlorine and related products. Favorable winds are used to make electricity in modern wind turbines located away from

8325-600: The elections, the member of the Party for the North (PvhN) continued as an independent under the name Free Mandate. The next provincial elections are planned for 18 March 2015. Following the 2011 elections, the Provincial Executive was formed by a coalition of the Labour Party, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Democrats 66 (D66), and GreenLeft (GL). In 2013, GreenLeft left

8436-492: The excavations of Heveskes mound, together with a monolithic tomb dated from 3400 BC which was disrupted about 2200 BC and was displayed in the Aquarium Museum at Delfzijl, until recent developments caused the building to be demolished. The monastery was mentioned in records of 1319, and was destroyed in war in 1586. The village of Oterdum which was built against an older section of sea dike was flooded occasionally by storms and

8547-648: The first summit level canal to use pound locks in Europe was the Briare Canal connecting the Loire and Seine (1642), followed by the more ambitious Canal du Midi (1683) connecting the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. This included a staircase of 8 locks at Béziers , a 157 metres (515 ft) tunnel, and three major aqueducts. Canal building progressed steadily in Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries with three great rivers,

8658-605: The flow of traffic across canals and around locks where water level is raised and lowered. Parking space is provided in various places, some of which impose a time limit and require a permit that can be purchased inexpensively. Some parking permits are also valid in other places of The Netherlands and foreign countries. Delfzijl provides bicycle paths and traffic signals for pedestrians and cyclists. Special permissions and permits apply to small motor bikes not more than 50cc motor displacement or electric power not more than 4 kilowatts traveling not more than 45 kilometers per hour and within

8769-456: The freedom to make deliveries well away from rail lined road beds or ditches in the dirt which could not operate in the winter. The longest extant canal today, the Grand Canal in northern China, still remains in heavy use, especially the portion south of the Yellow River . It stretches from Beijing to Hangzhou at 1,794 kilometres (1,115 miles). Canals are built in one of three ways, or

8880-474: The graduates are highly regarded and recruited by local industry where they work as factory operators, mechanics, supervisors, or practical engineers. The inland fresh water port is extensive with several canals coming together, making a sheltered loading area and facilities for hauling out smaller ships for refitting and inspections. Farmlands occupy most of the region producing potatoes, sugar beets, oil seeds, grain, dairy products, cattle and wool making Delfzijl

8991-896: The higher waters of the Charles River and the mouth of the Neponset River and the sea. It was constructed in 1639 to provide water power for mills. In Russia, the Volga–Baltic Waterway , a nationwide canal system connecting the Baltic Sea and Caspian Sea via the Neva and Volga rivers, was opened in 1718. Groningen (province) Groningen ( / ˈ ɡ r oʊ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GROH -ning-ən , UK also / ˈ ɡ r ɒ n ɪ ŋ ə n / GRON -ing-ən , Dutch: [ˈɣroːnɪŋə(n)] ; Gronings : Grunn ; West Frisian : Grinslân [ˈɡrẽːslɔ̃ːn] )

9102-460: The historical districts. The old wind mills are only used on special occasions. A modern fresh water shipping canal connects Delfzijl with Groningen City and most of The Netherlands, bypassing the historical canals that are used for recreation. Delfzijl has a strong tradition of seafaring and there is a specialized school to train employees for the shipping industry located nearby in the fresh water port area established in 1930. After some years at sea

9213-477: The historical regions of Fivelingo , Hunsingo , Oldambt , Westerkwartier , and Westerwolde . The province ( Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics or NUTS level 2) is divided into three COROP regions (NUTS level 3): East Groningen, Delfzijl and surroundings, and the rest of Groningen. The COROP regions are used for statistical purposes. The province is also divided into ten municipalities , each with its own local government. Currently, Groningen

9324-448: The home of an aluminium plant run by the company Aluminium Delfzijl (part of Tata Steel Europe ). In 2004 the smelter produced a record 112,400 tonnes of liquid aluminium . The foundry produced 157,700 tonnes of raw product. Natural gas and petroleum fields in the area encourage industries to locate in the industrial zones. Delfzijl is also known for its chemical industry and a large salt production plant held by AkzoNobel . On

9435-535: The load were carried by a barge on a waterway, then up to 30 tons could be drawn by the same horse. — technology historian Ronald W. Clark referring to transport realities before the industrial revolution and the Canal age . Hohokam was a society in the North American Southwest in what is now part of Arizona , United States, and Sonora , Mexico. Their irrigation systems supported the largest population in

9546-419: The local speed limit on streets and roads where they are allowed. Other permissions apply to larger motorbikes which are usually found with automobile traffic. Many people prefer to walk in Delfzijl which is made possible by reasonable distances, low crime rate, and mild maritime climate that is often cloudy, cool, wet, and windy. Every five years the city organises DelfSail , the second-largest sailing event of

9657-472: The longest canal in the world today and the oldest extant one. It is 1,794 kilometres (1,115 mi) long and was built to carry the Emperor Yang Guang between Zhuodu ( Beijing ) and Yuhang ( Hangzhou ). The project began in 605 and was completed in 609, although much of the work combined older canals, the oldest section of the canal existing since at least 486 BC. Even in its narrowest urban sections it

9768-523: The longest one of that period being the Hong Gou (Canal of the Wild Geese), which according to the ancient historian Sima Qian connected the old states of Song, Zhang, Chen, Cai, Cao, and Wei. The Caoyun System of canals was essential for imperial taxation, which was largely assessed in kind and involved enormous shipments of rice and other grains. By far the longest canal was the Grand Canal of China , still

9879-413: The multi-sport center Kardinge in the city of Groningen is used for national speed skating championships, most recently the 2013 KNSB Dutch Sprint Championships . A provincial government in the Netherlands consists of a Provincial Council , the directly elected legislative branch, and a Provincial Executive , the executive branch. The King's Commissioner , who is appointed by the national government,

9990-437: The municipalities of Groningen, Assen , and Tynaarlo . Its summer destinations are Antalya , Faro , Girona , Gran Canaria , Heraklion , Kos , Palma de Mallorca , and Tenerife . Its winter destinations are Innsbruck and Salzburg . Starting on 5 June 2014, there will also be flights to London . For other international destinations, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the nearest airport. The general aviation airports in

10101-767: The north sea fields. There are two railway stations in municipality giving frequent service to Groningen and points in between, with connections to other locations: A branch of the railroad tracks passes through gates in the sea dike to serve the harbor area and near by industries. The regional airport of Groningen at Eelde serves Delfzijl and the surrounding areas. Local and regional busses connect Delfzijl to outlying villages and other towns. The large trucking company Lommerts has offices and terminals in Delfzijl harbor area connecting with sea going traffic. Modern highways link Delfzijl with destinations in Europe, and easy access to inland resort areas near Gieten in Drenthe on weekends. A system of old and new draw bridges manages

10212-506: The numbers that once fueled and enabled economic growth, indeed were practically a prerequisite to further urbanization and industrialization. For the movement of bulk raw materials such as coal and ores are difficult and marginally affordable without water transport. Such raw materials fueled the industrial developments and new metallurgy resulting of the spiral of increasing mechanization during 17th–20th century, leading to new research disciplines, new industries and economies of scale, raising

10323-487: The physical centerpoint of Energy Valley. This is the result of a strategic collaboration with the German town of Emden on the other side of the Eems Estuary, and North Sea natural gas that comes on shore near Delfzijl. Delfzijl has a cultural center with meeting rooms, cinema, theater, and concert hall near the central wind mill for live performances and films, with additional cultural facilities in Groningen. Education

10434-491: The population belonged to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands while 4.9% was Roman Catholic , 1.3% was Muslim and 6.7% belonged to other churches or faiths. Over half (68.4%) of the population identified as non-religious. Religion in Groningen (province) (2015) The city of Groningen is the economic center of the province. In the 14th century, the city became a member of the Hanseatic League . Currently some of

10545-582: The pre-railroad days of the industrial revolution, water transport was the gold standard of fast transportation. The first artificial canal in Western Europe was the Fossa Carolina built at the end of the 8th century under personal supervision of Charlemagne . In Britain, the Glastonbury Canal   is believed to be the first post-Roman canal and was built in the middle of the 10th century to link

10656-742: The province are Oostwold Airport in Oostwold and Stadskanaal Airfield in Stadskanaal . The University of Groningen in the city of Groningen was founded in 1614 and is the only research university ( universiteit ) in the province. On 1 September 2013, it had 29,407 students and 5,238 full-time equivalent of staff members. The university has ten faculties: Arts, Behavioural and Social Sciences, Economics and Business, Law, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medical Sciences, Philosophy, Spatial Sciences, Theology and Religious Studies, and University College Groningen. The Hanze University of Applied Sciences ,

10767-476: The rules for government procurement in the European Union . Tenders for regional bus and railway services are selected by the province of Groningen. Qbuzz is contracted for bus services in the period 2009–2015 and Arriva for railway services in the period 2005–2020. Nederlandse Spoorwegen operates the railway services from Groningen railway station southward to Drenthe and beyond. The railway network in

10878-480: The standard of living for any industrialized society. Most ship canals today primarily service bulk cargo and large ship transportation industries, whereas the once critical smaller inland waterways conceived and engineered as boat and barge canals have largely been supplanted and filled in, abandoned and left to deteriorate, or kept in service and staffed by state employees, where dams and locks are maintained for flood control or pleasure boating. Their replacement

10989-556: The valley of the River Dee . Another option for dealing with hills is to tunnel through them. An example of this approach is the Harecastle Tunnel on the Trent and Mersey Canal . Tunnels are only practical for smaller canals. Some canals attempted to keep changes in level down to a minimum. These canals known as contour canals would take longer, winding routes, along which the land was

11100-562: The world are handled by the port, which also receives visiting navy ships from NATO countries. Delfzijl harbors can accommodate boats of various types as well as small to medium-sized ships. Large ships can be handled in the new Eemshaven port near by at the mouth of the Eems estuary. Together the two harbors are promoted as industrial development areas under the name Groningen Province Sea Ports. The two ports give regular service to north sea petroleum production and staging grounds for new constructions in

11211-466: Was also expensive, as men expect compensation in the form of wages, room and board. This was because long-haul roads were unpaved, more often than not too narrow for carts, much less wagons, and in poor condition, wending their way through forests, marshy or muddy quagmires as often as unimproved but dry footing. In that era, as today, greater cargoes, especially bulk goods and raw materials , could be transported by ship far more economically than by land; in

11322-458: Was an option in some cases, sometimes supplemented by other methods to deal with seasonal variations in flow. Where such sources were unavailable, reservoirs  – either separate from the canal or built into its course – and back pumping were used to provide the required water. In other cases, water pumped from mines was used to feed the canal. In certain cases, extensive "feeder canals" were built to bring water from sources located far from

11433-468: Was damaged in World War II, and artifacts of the battle can be found in monuments, bunkers, and old armored vehicles usually on display, but disrupted now since 2017 by a major reconstruction of the water front area. Nearby a group of museums attractively landscaped near woodlands and an indoor public swimming pool, an aquarium, and a sea dike, are also affected by the construction intending to make Delfzijl

11544-403: Was demolished in the 1970s for raising the dike elevation. Coffins traditionally buried in the old dike were moved to Farmsum, leaving monuments in the enlarged dike to commemorate the village and cemetery. A few Kilometers farther down the coast are the villages of Borgsweer and Termunten that give some idea of the traditional land use before industrial expansion. Nearby at Termunterzijl is located

11655-463: Was gradual, beginning first in the United States in the mid-1850s where canal shipping was first augmented by, then began being replaced by using much faster , less geographically constrained & limited, and generally cheaper to maintain railways . By the early 1880s, canals which had little ability to economically compete with rail transport, were off the map. In the next couple of decades, coal

11766-424: Was increasingly diminished as the heating fuel of choice by oil, and growth of coal shipments leveled off. Later, after World War I when motor-trucks came into their own, the last small U.S. barge canals saw a steady decline in cargo ton-miles alongside many railways, the flexibility and steep slope climbing capability of lorries taking over cargo hauling increasingly as road networks were improved, and which also had

11877-539: Was made in 1594 by Francisco Verdugo to capture the fortress Delfzijl. In 1628 Piet Hein moored his silver fleet at Delfzijl. The first sea battle in the Eighty Years' War was fought nearby in 1658 in the Eems estuary between Dutch forces under Jan Abels and Spanish forces under François van Boshuizen. A fleet of Dutch ships from the West Indies landed here in 1665 under command of admiral Michiel de Ruyter , avoiding

11988-433: Was moved from Heveskes in 1975. In the area are a few estates and manor houses with historic restaurants of interest as well as numerous farm houses and villages with old churches of historic interest. Industrial expansion in the 1970s and 1980s displaced old villages of Weiwerd and Heveskes which are remembered in photos and local monuments maintained by previous residents. Foundations of a ruined monastery were discovered in

12099-426: Was once used to describe linear features seen on the surface of Mars , Martian canals , an optical illusion. A navigation is a series of channels that run roughly parallel to the valley and stream bed of an unimproved river. A navigation always shares the drainage basin of the river. A vessel uses the calm parts of the river itself as well as improvements, traversing the same changes in height. A true canal

12210-601: Was the King's Commissioner in Groningen from 2007 to 2016. In the provincial elections of 2011 , the Labour Party became the largest party with nearly 25% of the votes and 12 seats in the Provincial Council. The next three largest parties are the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and the Socialist Party (SP) with 6 seats each, and the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) with 5 seats. In 2011, two months after

12321-565: Was under the influence and control of Groningen. Shortly before 1498, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor gave Groningen and Friesland to Albert III, Duke of Saxony , who could however not establish permanent control. In 1514/15 Groningen came to the Duchy of Guelders , and in 1536 as the Lordship of Groningen to the Habsburg Netherlands . In 1594, Groningen was conquered from the Spanish by

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