Dronten
Encyclopedia
Dronten is a municipality
and a town
in the central Netherlands
. Its population is 39,787 (1 December 2009).
The foundations for the town were laid in 1960. Right from the start there was a discussion whether Dronten was to become a town or a city. The first plans assumed 15,000 inhabitants, while later plans foresaw a growth to 30,000 inhabitants. The first plans for the municipality assumed ten smaller villages situated around the central town (in this case Dronten). The number of villages was reduced due to increased traffic and experiences gained in developing the Noordoostpolder
, where a similar municipality had already been built. Eventually it was decided there were to be two smaller villages (Biddinghuizen and Swifterbant) and one larger town (Dronten).
On 1 January 1972 Dronten was given its official name.
In 1995, Dronten hosted the 18th World Scout Jamboree
. 28,960 Scouts and staff members from 166 countries and territories participated this event.
, which will be on the railway line, linking Zwolle
and Lelystad
.
At the moment, Kampen railway station
is closest, and easiest to park at, but for Amsterdam
or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol it is recommended to travel to Lelystad Centrum railway station
.
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
and a town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in the central Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Its population is 39,787 (1 December 2009).
History
Plans for the municipality of Dronten were made in the early half of the 1950s; real plans for the town of Dronten (the municipality's center) were revealed in 1958.The foundations for the town were laid in 1960. Right from the start there was a discussion whether Dronten was to become a town or a city. The first plans assumed 15,000 inhabitants, while later plans foresaw a growth to 30,000 inhabitants. The first plans for the municipality assumed ten smaller villages situated around the central town (in this case Dronten). The number of villages was reduced due to increased traffic and experiences gained in developing the Noordoostpolder
Noordoostpolder
Noordoostpolder is a municipality in the Flevoland province in the central Netherlands. Formerly, it was also called Urker Land. Emmeloord is the administrative center, located in the heart of the Noordoostpolder. The municipality has the largest land area in the Netherlands...
, where a similar municipality had already been built. Eventually it was decided there were to be two smaller villages (Biddinghuizen and Swifterbant) and one larger town (Dronten).
On 1 January 1972 Dronten was given its official name.
In 1995, Dronten hosted the 18th World Scout Jamboree
18th World Scout Jamboree
The 18th World Scout Jamboree was held August 1 to 11, 1995 and was hosted by the Netherlands on a polder near Dronten, Flevoland. 28,960 Scouts and staff members from 166 countries and territories participated in the event, the largest representation of countries to date, including 34 countries...
. 28,960 Scouts and staff members from 166 countries and territories participated this event.
Transportation
From 2012 there will be a station in Dronten - DrontenDronten railway station
Dronten is a future railway station, to be built on the Hanzelijn from Lelystad to Zwolle. The station will be located in the town of Dronten.-Information:...
, which will be on the railway line, linking Zwolle
Zwolle
Zwolle is a municipality and the capital city of the province of Overijssel, Netherlands, 120 kilometers northeast of Amsterdam. Zwolle has about 120,000 citizens.-History:...
and Lelystad
Lelystad
Lelystad is a municipality and a city in the centre of the Netherlands, and it is the capital of the province of Flevoland. The city, built on reclaimed land, was founded in 1967 and was named after Cornelis Lely, who engineered the Afsluitdijk, making the reclamation possible...
.
At the moment, Kampen railway station
Kampen railway station
Kampen is a terminus railway station located in Kampen, the Netherlands. The station was opened on 10 May 1865 and is located on the Kamperlijntje, which is the Zwolle - Kampen section of the Utrecht–Kampen railway. The train service is operated by Nederlandse Spoorwegen...
is closest, and easiest to park at, but for Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
or Amsterdam Airport Schiphol it is recommended to travel to Lelystad Centrum railway station
Lelystad Centrum railway station
Lelystad Centrum is the current terminus railway station on the Flevolijn. It is the only station in Lelystad and is in the centre of the town. The station was opened on 28 May 1988 after the extension from Almere Buiten was completed. There are plans to build the station Lelystad Zuid by 2015. The...
.