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83-528: In the providence of North Brabant is a national park of 1,300 hectares (3,200 acres) of woods. In 1324, William Van Duivenvoorde built a fortified castle just east of the woods. He died in 1352 and was buried in a cloister in Brussels . His castle took on the name of East of the Woods, which in their tongue is Ooster-ter-hout, and there the name began. Around the castle grew up the city of Oosterhout . Southwest of it

166-499: 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 from Hollandic emerging after the 16th century. Since the Brabantian dialect has developed faster than 16th- and 17th-century Dutch, it has become more diverse than modern Standard Dutch but

249-548: A collection of lakes north-east of Leiden, popular for boating, watersports, fishing, camping and walking. The southern part of South Holland consists of a number of islands of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta . Although technically islands in the sense that they are surrounded by rivers, canals or other bodies of water, most of these islands are well connected to the rest of the province via bridges, tunnels and dams. The southern islands, most notably Goeree-Overflakkee (1 on

332-555: A majority of the population in the province of North Brabant. Only 1–2% of the total population of the Catholic area attend mass , 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' (the Brabantse Stedenrij Breda, Tilburg, Eindhoven and 's-Hertogenbosch)

415-487: A narrow red band place diagonally over all." Above the shield and helmet is the crest, which is described as: "A plume of black rooster feathers issuing from a silver pipe; above the crest is the war cry " Duivenvoorde ". There are many branches of the Oosterhout family, with the first having started with Jan Jansen Van Oosterhout who immigrated to Kingston, New York in the 1650s. His descendants initially settled in

498-441: A stew of onions , beef and a thick gravy, contain a lot of flavour and require hours to prepare. Vegetable soups are made from richly flavored stock or bouillon and typically contain small meatballs alongside a variety of different vegetables. Asparagus and witlo(o)f are highly prized and traditionally eaten with cheese and/or ham . Pastries are abundant, often with rich fillings of cream, custard or fruits. Cakes, such as

581-726: Is Rotterdam . The Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta drains through South Holland into the North Sea. Europe's busiest seaport , the Port of Rotterdam , is located in South Holland. Archaeological discoveries in Hardinxveld-Giessendam indicate that the area of South Holland has been inhabited since at least c. 7,500 years before present, probably by nomadic hunter-gatherers. Agriculture and permanent settlements probably originated around 2,000 years later, based on excavations near Vlaardingen . In

664-516: Is 6.1% in 2013. The main sectors of economical activity in this province are among others: Religion in South Holland (2015) In 2015, 18.2% of the population belonged to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands while 14.5% were Roman Catholic , 7.5% Muslim , 1.8% Hindu and 5.7% belonged to other churches or faiths. Over half (52.2%) of the population identified as non-religious. Among

747-930: 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 west, and the Flemish provinces of Antwerp and Limburg to the south. The northern border follows the Meuse westward to its mouth in the Hollands Diep strait , part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta . North Brabant had a population of about 2,626,000 as of January 2023. Major cities in North Brabant are Eindhoven (pop. 231,642 ), Tilburg (pop. 217,259), Breda (pop. 183,873), its provincial capital 's-Hertogenbosch (pop. 154,205), and Helmond (pop. 94,967) The Duchy of Brabant

830-435: Is a partnership between the municipalities of Breda , Eindhoven , Helmond , 's-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg and the province of North Brabant. According to national rules, BrabantStad is defined as the area of Eindhoven, 's-Hertogenbosch and Tilburg. Brabantian is not a minority language in the Netherlands . It can be divided in two main dialects: East Brabantian and West Brabantian  [ nl ] . Along with

913-504: Is an area with farmlands and forests. In Heeze , also south of Eindhoven, are the heath areas the Groote Heide (333 ha) and Strabrechtse Heath (1500 ha) located. The Strabrechtse Heide holds also the largest fen of the Netherlands. The Beuven (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

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996-455: Is divided into 50 municipalities . The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 163.8 billion € in 2018. This contributes to the gross domestic product of the Netherlands by 21.2%. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 38,700 € or 128% of the EU27 average in the same year. South Holland's labour force amounts to 1,661,000 people; 47.1% of the total population. The unemployment rate

1079-593: 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 Democracy is the largest party in the council, closely followed by Christian Democratic Appeal and Socialist Party , both with 9 seats. The daily affairs of the province are taken care of by the Provincial-Executive ( Gedeputeerde Staten ), which are also headed by

1162-512: Is home to 8 professional football clubs, more than any other province in the Netherlands. Two clubs ( PSV and RKC Waalwijk ) play in the Eredivisie , the highest professional football league in the Netherlands. Six clubs ( Helmond Sport , Willem II , FC Den Bosch , FC Eindhoven , TOP Oss and NAC Breda ) play in the Eerste Divisie , the second-highest division of professional football in

1245-417: Is influenced by both German cuisine and French cuisine , and it forms the base of most traditional Dutch restaurants including typical main courses such as Biefstuk , Varkenshaas , or Ossenhaas , which are premium cuts of meat, generally pork or beef , accompanied by various sauces and potatoes which have been double fried in the traditional Dutch (or Belgian) manner. Stews, such as hachee ,

1328-550: 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 the Loonse and Drunen Dunes , De Biesbosch and De De Groote Peel , on the marshes of the Meierij at Oisterwijk and Boxtel (within an area called Het Groene Woud ), the border park Zoom-Kalmthoutse Heide , and in the forested area around Breda . Also, south of Eindhoven named De Kempen

1411-509: Is still quite similar and very understandable. About one third of the Dutch-speaking population lives in the Brabantian dialect zone. Both in large Brabantian towns such as Breda and Eindhoven and in rural areas many people still speak the original dialect or colloquial Dutch with a typical "southern" tongue. Tilburg and 's-Hertogenbosch have a large number of people speaking the Brabantian dialect. There are many museums, especially in

1494-426: 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., at Eindhoven , Helmond , Tilburg , Breda , 's-Hertogenbosch . In the east of Noord-Brabant, near

1577-422: Is the city of Breda , a manufacturing center. The two cities are now grown together, the city of Oosterhout being the high class residential part. The Dutch family name Osterhout is classified as being of habitation name origin. This term denotes names whose origin lies in the place of residence of the initial bearer of his family. Habitation names tell us whence hailed the progenitor of the family; they can give

1660-618: 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. The States of North Brabant ( Staten van Noord-Brabant ) have 55 seats and are headed by the King's Commissioner ( Commissaris van de Koning ), currently Ina Adema . Whereas the provincial council (the States-Provincial - Provinciale Staten )

1743-528: Is theme park Efteling in Kaatsheuvel , the largest of the Benelux. Safaripark Beekse Bergen is an Safaripark located between Tilburg and Hilvarenbeek . 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. BrabantStad

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1826-641: Is today has its origins in the period of French rule from 1795 to 1813. This was a time of bewildering changes to the Dutch system of provinces. In 1795, the Batavian Republic was proclaimed and the old order was swept away by a series of constitutional changes in the following years. In the Constitution enacted on 23 April 1798, the old borders were radically changed. The republic was reorganised into eight departments with roughly equal populations. The south of Holland

1909-513: Is water. It borders the North Sea to the west, North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. Beside the dunes along the North Sea coast, the province is almost entirely flat and mostly consists of polders . The centre of South Holland and the area along the coast in the west are largely urban, part of the Randstad conurbation, while

1992-503: The Moorkop and Bossche Bol from Brabant, are typical pastries. There are also savory pastries, especially the popular worstenbroodje (a roll with a sausage of ground beef ). The traditional alcoholic beverage of the region is beer. There are many local brands, ranging from Trappist to Kriek . Beer, like wine in French cuisine, is also used in cooking, often in stews. North Brabant

2075-610: The Eighty Years' War , the area of South Holland was the scene of the Capture of Brielle , the Siege of Leiden and the assassination of William the Silent . The United Netherlands declared their independence in 1581, and Holland quickly emerged as the country's dominant province, with important trading cities such as Leiden, Delft , Gouda and Dordrecht. In 1575, the Netherlands' first university

2158-607: The French Empire , and Maasland was renamed Bouches-de-la-Meuse . After the defeat of the French in 1813, this organisation remained unchanged for a year or so. When the 1814 Constitution was introduced, most borders were restored to their situation before the French period . The north and south of Holland were reunited as the province of Holland. However, the division had not completely been undone. Since its re-establishment in 1814, Holland had always had two King's Commissioners , one for

2241-616: The High Tech Campus Eindhoven . In 2017, Brabantian companies applied for 3655 patents , earning a spot in the regional top 5 in Europe. Other important industries are automobile production (e.g. General Motors in Breda , Tesla in Tilburg ) and DAF in Eindhoven , textile and shoes. In the 20th century, tourism has become an important sector for North Brabant. A tourist attraction

2324-506: The Hollandic dialects 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 in Antwerp , where

2407-533: The Hook and Cod wars , concerning the succession of count William IV . Both his daughter Jacqueline and his brother John , the latter supported by Philip the Good , Duke of Burgundy , claimed the throne. The conflict ended in 1490, with John victorious. Overall, the area of South Holland remained largely agrarian throughout the late Middle Ages. This changed around 1500, when Holland became Europe's most urbanised area. During

2490-498: The Limburgish border, is the Peel area, an expanse of moorland extending from Eindhoven to Venlo , on the border with Limburg. Southeast of Asten is 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

2573-606: The Netherlands , and the Effenaar in Eindhoven offer concerts by major artists. Smaller venues like Mezz Breda , W2 Concert in 's-Hertogenbosch and the smaller halls of the 013 and the Effenaar offer 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

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2656-644: The Nieuwe Waterweg in 1863 marked the start of the growth of the Port of Rotterdam . On 14 May 1940, during the Second World War , the centre of Rotterdam was destroyed by a German bombardment . The subsequent German occupation of the Netherlands resulted in anti-Jewish measures, and many members of Dutch resistance were captured and executed on the Waalsdorpervlakte . At the same time, the Atlantikwall

2739-629: The Roman Catholic State Party and its post- war successor, the Catholic 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 of Het Rijke Roomse Leven (The Rich Roman [Catholic] Life) remains in

2822-704: The Union of Utrecht was signed in 1579, Brabant became a battlefield between the Protestant Dutch Republic and Catholic Spain , which occupied the southern Netherlands. As a result of the Peace of Westphalia, the northern part of Brabant became part of the Netherlands as the territory of Staats-Brabant (Statal Brabant) under federal rule, in contrast to the founding provinces of the Dutch Republic , which were self-governing. Attempts to introduce Protestantism into

2905-478: The 21st century: On 1 January 2003 the municipality of Ravenstein merged into the existing municipality of Oss . On 1 January 2004 the municipalities of Geldrop and Mierlo merged into a new municipality called Geldrop-Mierlo . On 1 January 2011 the municipality of Lith merged into the existing municipality of Oss . On 1 January 2015 the municipality of Maasdonk merged into the existing municipalities of 's-Hertogenbosch and Oss . On 1 January 2017

2988-534: The Commissioner; its members (commissioners - gedeputeerden ) can be compared with ministers. Results in North Brabant in the elections for the States-Provincial : As of 7 May the Provincial-Executive of North Brabant is composed of the following individuals. In North Brabant the inhabitants voted as follows for the House of Representatives ( Tweede Kamer ): Religion in North Brabant (2015) Traditionally

3071-661: The Frankish king Pepin II . He accordingly founded a church in Oegstgeest , after which the entire area was gradually Christianised. The area was appointed to East Francia in the Treaty of Verdun in 843, after which the king granted lands to Gerolf , who had helped him claim the lands. This was the birth of the County of Holland . Gerolf was later succeeded by Dirk I , who continued to rule Holland under

3154-470: The Frankish king. In 1248, count William II ordered the construction of the Ridderzaal , which was later finished by his son and successor Floris V . The first city in South Holland to receive city rights was Dordrecht , which did so in 1220. The city retained a dominant position in the area until it was struck by a series of floods in the late 14th century. The same century also saw a series of civil wars,

3237-558: The Netherlands were united in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands , and the province of North Brabant was established and so named to distinguish it from Central Brabant and South Brabant in present-day Belgium , 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

3320-468: The Netherlands. PSV Eindhoven is the biggest club of North Brabant, and most successful with 25 Eredivisie titles , 1 European Cup and 1 UEFA 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

3403-613: 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 the Generality Lands of the Dutch Republic according to the 1648 Peace of Westphalia , while the reduced duchy remained in existence with the Southern Netherlands until it

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3486-424: The border. In fact, the Dutch government generally used the pre-Napoleonic borders in 1815 to divide its provinces, in hommage to the principle of Restoration . A few of these irregularities were corrected ( Luyksgestel was exchanged for Lommel ), Huijbergen became totally Dutch, but some remain, notably Baarle-Hertog (Belgian) and Baarle-Nassau (Dutch). When the present province was instituted, its territory

3569-568: The classical antiquity, South Holland was part of the Roman Province of Germania Inferior , and the border of the Roman Empire ran along the Old Rhine and reached the North Sea near Katwijk . The Romans built fortresses along the border, such as Praetorium Agrippinae near modern-day Valkenburg , Matilo near modern-day Leiden , and Albaniana near modern-day Alphen aan den Rijn . A city

3652-679: The cuisine of the Dutch provinces of North Brabant and Limburg and the Flemish Region in Belgium . 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 the Low Countries in the Middle Ages and was renowned for its splendor and great feasts. It is the only Dutch culinary region which developed an haute cuisine , as it

3735-403: The cultivation of flower bulbs. To the south of the region lie mostly pastures on sand soil, that form the transition to more urban area. This urban area runs along the Old Rhine , from Katwijk via Rijnsburg to Leiden and Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk . South of Leiden and north of The Hague lies an area where a landscape of dunes bordering the North Sea in the west transitions to one of peat more to

3818-488: The department of Holland was created. The reorganisation had been short-lived, but it gave birth to the concept of a division of Holland, creating less dominant provinces. In 1807, Holland was reorganised once again. This time, the department was split in two. The south, what would later become South Holland, was called the Department of Maasland . This also did not last long. In 1810, all the Dutch provinces were integrated into

3901-487: The east of the province is more agrarian and belongs to the Groene Hart , literally Green Heart . The south of the province is a collection of islands in the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta . For census reasons, South Holland is divided into five regions: Rijnmond , South , West , East , and Southwest . The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in the northwest of South Holland, around Katwijk , that features coastal dunes and

3984-414: The east. The easternmost tip of South Holland is part of De Biesbosch , one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. Other parks in South Holland, although no national parks, include Delftse Hout east of Delft , Ackerdijkse Plassen , a bird reserve north of Rotterdam, and Buytenpark and Westerpark near Zoetermeer. The Kagerplassen are

4067-423: The emancipatory drive of the province's disadvantaged Catholic population and was supported by a Roman 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:

4150-424: The flat surface, wind storms are also not uncommon in the winter. Although rain occurs all year long, the first six months of the year are relatively dry. Eastern winds can result in temporary continental climate conditions with relatively warm and dry summers and cold and stormy winters. The temperature varies between the 2 °C and 6 °C in the winter and 17 °C and 20 °C in the summer. South Holland

4233-475: 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 and customs , such as carnival . The interpretation of the Roman Catholic identity in North Brabant has shifted during the last 65 years from religious to cultural , but the province still has a distinct Catholic atmosphere when compared to

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4316-435: 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 via Werkendam ). 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 from Drimmelen , Geertruidenberg or Lage Zwaluwe . The historical region of Kempen occupies

4399-795: The larger towns which include the North Brabant Museum in 's-Hertogenbosch , the Van Abbemuseum in Eindhoven , the Museum of the Image in Breda , Noordbrabants Natuurmuseum in Tilburg . Also a few towns have a large theater like the Chassé Theater in Breda and the Eindhoven Park Theatre. Large, reputable music venues like the 013 in Tilburg , which boasts the largest space of music venues in

4482-458: The location of the residence of the initial bearer, and some will even indicate a distinguishing sign which was associated with that residence. In the case of the family name Osterhout, the application can be traced to the community of Oosterhout, which lies in the vicinity of Breda in the Dutch providence of Noord-Branbant . The feudal domain of Oosterhout is mentioned in a document from the year 1199 wherein Beatrix van Strijen , who then controlled

4565-444: 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: The Biesbosch (from bies , "rushes", and bosch , "woodland") is an area southeast of Dordrecht formed when the dike on the Meuse burst and the St. Elizabeth's floods on 19 November 1421 engulfed great tracts of land in

4648-487: The map), Tiengemeten (2), Hoeksche Waard (6) and Voorne-Putten (4/5), are largely agrarian, while more to the north, the islands are more urban, such as Dordrecht (7), IJsselmonde (9) and Rozenburg (10), while other islands, like Rozenburg (10), are mostly used for petrochemical industry. Together, these cities form the Rijnmond conurbation, centred on the city of Rotterdam . Together with Haaglanden (centred on The Hague ) and Delfland (centred on Delft ) in

4731-446: The more isolated rural population has only been established within the last two hundred years. The Osterhout coat of arms is officially documented in Rietstap's Armorial General. The original description of the arms or shield is as follows: D'ARG, A TRIOS CROISS. DE SA.; AU FILET DE GU., EN BANDE, BR. SUR LE TOUT When translated, the blazon also describes the original colors of the Osterhout arms: "Silver, 3 black crescents;

4814-411: The municipalities of Veghel , Schijndel , and Sint-Oedenrode merged into a new municipality called Meierijstad , creating the largest municipality of the province of North Brabant in terms of land area. On 1 January 2019 the municipalities of Aalburg , Werkendam , and Woudrichem merged into a new municipality called Altena , an even larger municipality in terms of land area. On 1 January 2021

4897-410: The municipalities of Westland and Midden-Delfland ). Like the rest of the Netherlands, South Holland experiences a temperate oceanic climate , a Cfb-class according to the Köppen climate classification . The climate is influenced by the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean , which results in relatively cooler summers and milder winters. Rain showers are common in the fall and winter seasons. Because of

4980-423: The municipality of Haaren merged into the existing municipalities of Boxtel , Oisterwijk , Tilburg , and Vught . On 1 January 2022 the municipalities of Landerd and Uden merged into the new municipality of Maashorst , and the municipalities of Boxmeer , Cuijk , Grave , Mill en Sint Hubert , and Sint Anthonis merged into the new municipality of Land van Cuijk . The Gross domestic product (GDP) of

5063-581: The north and one for the south. Even though the province had been reunited, the two areas were still treated differently in some ways and the idea of dividing Holland remained alive. In 1840, it was decided to once again split Holland into North and South Holland, because the province of Holland was deemed too dominant in area, population and wealth. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, five municipalities were transferred from South Holland to Utrecht; Oudewater in 1970, Woerden in 1989, Vianen in 2002, Leerdam and Zederik in 2019. The construction of

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5146-459: The north, and the Drechtsteden to the south-east, this conurbation in turn forms the South Wing of the Randstad conurbation, which spans across South Holland, North Holland and Utrecht. Other regions in South Holland include Alblasserwaard , Gouwestreek ("The Gouwe Area"), Hoeksche Waard , Krimpenerwaard , Rijnland ("Rhineland"), Rijnstreek ("The Rhine Area"), Vijfheerenlanden and Westland (roughly including Hook of Holland and

5229-427: The property, made a grant of ten percent of its revenues to the chapter of the Knights Templar based in Brida . Serious damage was done to the church, council chamber, and private residences during the Dutch war for independence from Spain (1568 - 1648). While many Dutch family names have been in existence for hundreds of years, particularly among the nobility and merchant classes, the use of heredity surnames amongst

5312-431: The province of North Brabant has been strongly Roman 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 strong demarcation between the Catholic south on one side and the Calvinist west and north on the other side of the Netherlands started to diminish. In

5395-496: 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 the agricultural , industrial and service sectors, with agricultural and food processing companies such as Agrifirm , Bavaria , FrieslandCampina , Mars Incorporated , Nutreco , Royal Canin all having large production sites or their headquarters located in

5478-505: The province. The main agricultural products are sweetcorn , wheat and sugar beet , while cows and pigs are held as livestock. An important economical activity is electronics industry, which developed as a spin-off from Philips . Several companies originated from Philips, such as Signify (formerly Philips Lighting), NXP (producer of semiconductors ), and the world's largest supplier of photolithography systems, ASML . There are eight 'innovation campusses' in North Brabant, including

5561-399: 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" area BrabantStad has become one of the major economically important, metropolitan regions of the Netherlands. As of 2010, Catholics were no longer

5644-488: 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 the confederate Dutch Republic became the unitary Batavian Republic , Staats-Brabant became a province as Bataafs Brabant . This status ended with the reorganisation by the invading French , and the area was united into the département of Deux-Nèthes (present province of Antwerp ). In 1815, Belgium and

5727-406: 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 of heathland and sand drifts with a sparse growth of pines, a few scattered villages subsisting on the poor soil and some small towns; and this

5810-457: 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 the Haringvliet there 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

5893-413: The second half of the 20th century a rapid secularization took place in North Brabant. South Holland South Holland ( Dutch : Zuid-Holland [ˌzœyt ˈɦɔlɑnt] ) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.8 million as of January 2023 and a population density of about 1,410/km (3,700/sq mi), making it the country's most populous province and one of

5976-459: The southern part of the province of Noord-Brabant and extends south of Eindhoven far into northern Belgium . To the east it reaches as far as the Meuse valley. The surface topography of De Kempen is 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 by Ice Age gravels and sands carried here by rivers of melt-water from

6059-460: 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

6142-790: The states of New England with later branches eventually appearing in most U. S. States and Canada. Another branch of the Osterhout family is believed to have immigrated to the United States in the early 20th century . A branch of the Oosterhout family from Joure , Haskerland, Friesland, Netherlands immigrated to Texas in 1922. Some possible variations of the name include Oosterhout , Osterhaus , Oosterhoudt, Oosterhouse, Osterhouse, Osterhaut, Osterhoudt, etc. North Brabant North Brabant ( Dutch : Noord-Brabant [ˌnoːrd ˈbraːbɑnt] ; Brabantian : Broabant [ˈbrɑːban] ), also unofficially called Brabant ,

6225-592: The whole of the Peel has been brought into cultivation. The province is bordered by the river Meuse in the north. Its delta flows through De Biesbosch area, 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

6308-447: The world's most densely populated areas. Situated on the North Sea in the west of the Netherlands, South Holland covers an area of 3,308 km (1,277 sq mi), of which 609 km (235 sq mi) is water. It borders North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. The provincial capital is the Dutch seat of government The Hague , while its largest city

6391-785: Was a state of the Holy Roman Empire established in 1183 or 1190. It developed from the Landgraviate of Brabant and formed the heart of the historic Low Countries, part of the Burgundian Netherlands from 1430 and of the Habsburg Netherlands from 1482, until it was split up after the Dutch revolt. After the War of Independence , Catholics in the Southern Netherlands were systematically and officially discriminated against by

6474-510: 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 in Belgium . During the 14th and 15th centuries, the area experienced a golden age—especially the now-Belgian cities of Brussels , Mechelen , Leuven and Antwerp , and the Dutch cities of Breda , Bergen op Zoom and 's-Hertogenbosch . After

6557-682: Was constructed along the coast. After the Second World War, in 1953, the south of South Holland was heavily struck by the North Sea flood , which took the lives of 677 South Hollanders. After this, the Dutch government decided for the construction of the Delta Works , which came to an end with the completion of the Maeslantkering in 1997. South Holland covers an area of 3,308 km (1,277 sq mi), of which 609 km (235 sq mi)

6640-619: Was expanded with a part of the province of Holland and the former territory of Ravenstein , which had previously belonged to the Duchy of Cleves , as well as several small, formerly autonomous entities. In World War II the area was liberated by the allies during Operation Pheasant between October 20 to November 4, 1944. The period from 1900 until the late 1960s is called Het Rijke Roomse Leven (translated as 'the rich Roman life', with 'Roman' meaning 'Roman Catholic'), an era of strong religious belief. Het Rijke Roomse Leven came about as result of

6723-934: Was founded in Leiden by William the Silent. The Hague , which had originated around the castle of the counts of Holland, became its new political centre. Both the States of Holland and the States General seated in the Binnenhof . The Dutch Golden Age blossomed in the 17th century. The south of Holland, back then often referred to as the Zuiderkwartier (literally "South Quarter"), was the birthplace and residence of scientists such as Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Christiaan Huygens , philosophers such as Baruch Spinoza and Pierre Bayle , and painters such as Johannes Vermeer , Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Steen . The province of South Holland as it

6806-653: Was founded near modern-day Voorburg , Forum Hadriani . It was built according to the grid plan, and facilitated a square, a court, a bathhouse and several temples. After the departure of the Romans, the area belonged to the Frisian Kingdom , after which it was conquered by the Frankish king Dagobert I in 636. In 690, the Anglo-Saxon monk Willibrord arrived near Katwijk and was granted permission to spread Roman Catholicism by

6889-545: Was split up into three departments. The islands in the south were merged with Zeeland and the west of North Brabant to form the Department of the Scheldt and Meuse . The north of the area became the Department of the Delf . A small region in the east of the area became part of the Department of the Rhine , which spanned much of Gelderland and Utrecht. In 1801, the old borders were restored when

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