Reiderland
Encyclopedia
Reiderland is a former municipality
in the province Groningen
in the northeastern Netherlands
, which was founded in 1990 during a large municipal reorganization. The former municipalities Finsterwolde
and Bad Nieuweschans were abolished and added to Beerta
. In 1992, the new municipality was given its current name. In 2010 it joined in the municipality Oldambt
.
councillors after the dissolution of the Communist Party of the Netherlands
in 1989. (As of 2006, it was one of only four Dutch municipalities to have any, the other three being Heiloo
, Scheemda
and Lemsterland
). The New Communist Party of the Netherlands was in fact the largest party in Reiderland from 1990 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2006. Finsterwolde
and Beerta
, which was the only town in the Netherlands that ever had a communist mayor, had long been communist strongholds.
In the 1998 municipal elections, the New Communist Party of the Netherlands received 35.7% of the votes, behind the PvdA's 40.3%, but in 2002 it received 34.1%, ahead of the PvdA's 24.7%. It won five of the thirteen seats on the local council and formed the Court of Mayor and the Aldermen in alliance with local party Gemeentebelangen, although the two parties were traditionally foes. In the 2006 elections, however, the NCPN lost 3 of its 5 seats, getting only 18.3% of the vote, behind the PvdA's 38.1%, Gemeentebelangen's 20.4%, and the SP
's 19.0%, and consequently lost its positions on the Court of Mayor and Aldermen. For the remaining years of the municipality's existence, the PvdA had 5 seats on the local council, the SP
3 seats, local party Gemeentebelangen 3 seats as well, and the NCPN 2 seats.
Reiderland also drew some attention in the 2002 General Elections
, when the Pim Fortuyn List received 22.9% of the vote in the municipality, the party's best result in the province of Groningen.
, Booneschans, Drieborg, Ekamp, Finsterwolde
, Finsterwolderhamrik, Ganzedijk, Goldhoorn, Hamdijk, Hongerige Wolf, Kostverloren, Kromme-Elleboog, Nieuw-Beerta, Nieuwe Statenzijl, Bad Nieuweschans, Oude Statenzijl, Oudedijk, Oudezijl and Ulsda.
and Germany
that was drowned with 33 villages and a town in 1277 when the Dollart
inlet formed. Much of the area has been re-empoldered
since. See List of settlements lost to floods in the Netherlands#Drowned villages in Groningen province.
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...
in the province Groningen
Groningen (province)
Groningen [] is the northeasternmost province of the Netherlands. In the east it borders the German state of Niedersachsen , in the south Drenthe, in the west Friesland and in the north the Wadden Sea...
in the northeastern 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...
, which was founded in 1990 during a large municipal reorganization. The former municipalities Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Reiderland, about 7 km northeast of Winschoten.Finsterwolde was a separate municipality until 1990, when it was merged with Beerta.-External links:*...
and Bad Nieuweschans were abolished and added to Beerta
Beerta
Beerta is a village in the municipality of Reiderland in the Netherlands.Until 1991, Beerta was a separate municipality. It merged with Finsterwolde and Nieuweschans. The new municipality was originally named "Beerta", but changed its name a year later to "Reiderland".-External links: Map of the...
. In 1992, the new municipality was given its current name. In 2010 it joined in the municipality Oldambt
Oldambt
Oldambt is a municipality in the Dutch province of Groningen formed on January 1, 2010, by a fusion of the municipalities Reiderland, Scheemda and Winschoten....
.
Politics
Reiderland was one of the few municipalities in the Netherlands that still had communistCommunism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
councillors after the dissolution of the Communist Party of the Netherlands
Communist Party of the Netherlands
The Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
in 1989. (As of 2006, it was one of only four Dutch municipalities to have any, the other three being Heiloo
Heiloo
Heiloo is a municipality and town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The community is part of the cooperation region Kennemerland and is located in the historical region of West Friesland....
, Scheemda
Scheemda
Scheemda is a former municipality and a town in the northeastern Netherlands. Since January 1, 2010 it forms a part of Oldambt.- Population centres :Heiligerlee, Midwolda, Nieuw-Scheemda, Nieuwolda, Oostwold, Scheemda, 't Waar and Westerlee....
and Lemsterland
Lemsterland
- Population centres :Bantega, Delfstrahuizen, Echten, Echtenerbrug, Eesterga, Follega, Lemmer, Oosterzee, Oosterzee-Buren.-External links:** ----...
). The New Communist Party of the Netherlands was in fact the largest party in Reiderland from 1990 to 1998 and again from 2002 to 2006. Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Reiderland, about 7 km northeast of Winschoten.Finsterwolde was a separate municipality until 1990, when it was merged with Beerta.-External links:*...
and Beerta
Beerta
Beerta is a village in the municipality of Reiderland in the Netherlands.Until 1991, Beerta was a separate municipality. It merged with Finsterwolde and Nieuweschans. The new municipality was originally named "Beerta", but changed its name a year later to "Reiderland".-External links: Map of the...
, which was the only town in the Netherlands that ever had a communist mayor, had long been communist strongholds.
In the 1998 municipal elections, the New Communist Party of the Netherlands received 35.7% of the votes, behind the PvdA's 40.3%, but in 2002 it received 34.1%, ahead of the PvdA's 24.7%. It won five of the thirteen seats on the local council and formed the Court of Mayor and the Aldermen in alliance with local party Gemeentebelangen, although the two parties were traditionally foes. In the 2006 elections, however, the NCPN lost 3 of its 5 seats, getting only 18.3% of the vote, behind the PvdA's 38.1%, Gemeentebelangen's 20.4%, and the SP
Socialist Party (Netherlands)
The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...
's 19.0%, and consequently lost its positions on the Court of Mayor and Aldermen. For the remaining years of the municipality's existence, the PvdA had 5 seats on the local council, the SP
Socialist Party (Netherlands)
The Socialist Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Netherlands. After the 2006 general election, the Socialist Party became one of the major parties of the Netherlands with 25 seats of 150, an increase of 16 seats. The party was in opposition against the fourth Balkenende cabinet...
3 seats, local party Gemeentebelangen 3 seats as well, and the NCPN 2 seats.
Reiderland also drew some attention in the 2002 General Elections
Dutch general election, 2002
The General Election to the House of Representatives of the States-General of the Netherlands was held in the Netherlands on May 15, 2002....
, when the Pim Fortuyn List received 22.9% of the vote in the municipality, the party's best result in the province of Groningen.
Population centers
Beersterhoogen, BeertaBeerta
Beerta is a village in the municipality of Reiderland in the Netherlands.Until 1991, Beerta was a separate municipality. It merged with Finsterwolde and Nieuweschans. The new municipality was originally named "Beerta", but changed its name a year later to "Reiderland".-External links: Map of the...
, Booneschans, Drieborg, Ekamp, Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde
Finsterwolde is a village in the Dutch province of Groningen. It is located in the municipality of Reiderland, about 7 km northeast of Winschoten.Finsterwolde was a separate municipality until 1990, when it was merged with Beerta.-External links:*...
, Finsterwolderhamrik, Ganzedijk, Goldhoorn, Hamdijk, Hongerige Wolf, Kostverloren, Kromme-Elleboog, Nieuw-Beerta, Nieuwe Statenzijl, Bad Nieuweschans, Oude Statenzijl, Oudedijk, Oudezijl and Ulsda.
The old Reiderland
Reiderland is also the name of an area of land in the NetherlandsNetherlands
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...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
that was drowned with 33 villages and a town in 1277 when the Dollart
Dollart
The Dollart is a bay between northern Netherlands and Germany, on the west side of the estuary of the Ems river. Most of it dries at low tide. Many water birds feed there.- Gaining from and losing to the sea :...
inlet formed. Much of the area has been re-empoldered
Polder
A polder is a low-lying tract of land enclosed by embankments known as dikes, that forms an artificial hydrological entity, meaning it has no connection with outside water other than through manually-operated devices...
since. See List of settlements lost to floods in the Netherlands#Drowned villages in Groningen province.