West Friesland is a contemporary region in the northwestern 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...

, in the province of North Holland

North Holland

North Holland |West Frisian]]: Noard-Holland) is a province situated on the North Sea in the northwest part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam.-Geography:...

.

The region covers an area of about 800 km² (309 sq mi), delineated by the Westfriese Omringdijk

Westfriese Omringdijk

The Westfriese Omringdijk is a dyke system that protected the region of Westflinge, part of the historical region of West-Frisia...

. It consists of the municipalities of:

Dutch Dutch language Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...  name	West Frisian West Frisian (dialect) The West Frisian dialect is a Dutch dialect spoken in the contemporary West Friesland region , Wieringen, Wieringermeer, the coastal area from Den Helder to Castricum, and the island of Texel. It is a Hollandic Dutch dialect but has affinities to the Frisian language...  Name
Alkmaar Alkmaar Alkmaar is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of Noord Holland. Alkmaar is well known for its traditional cheese market. For tourists, it is a popular cultural destination.-History:...	Alkmar
Andijk Andijk Andijk is a former municipality and a village bordering Lake IJssel in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Since 1 January 2011 Andijk has been part of Medemblik municipality....	Andik
Drechterland Drechterland Drechterland is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The municipality was formed in 1979, in a merger of the former municipalities of Hoogkarspel, Westwoud en Oosterblokker. Its original name, Bangert, was changed to "Drechterland" in...	Drechterland
Enkhuizen Enkhuizen Enkhuizen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.Enkhuizen was one of the harbour-towns of the VOC, just like Hoorn and Amsterdam, from where overseas trade with the East Indies was conducted. It received city rights in 1355...	Henkhúze
Harenkarspel Harenkarspel Harenkarspel is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The main town of Harenkarspel is Tuitjenhorn-Population centres :...	Harenkarspel
Heerhugowaard Heerhugowaard Heerhugowaard is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.-History:...	Heerhugoweerd or Heregeweerd
Hoorn Hoorn -Cities :* Purmerend * Enkhuizen * Alkmaar * Amsterdam * Lelystad * Den Helder * Leeuwarden -Towns :* Edam...	Hoorn
Koggenland Koggenland Koggenland is a municipality in North Holland province and the region of West-Frisia of the Netherlands. It came into existence on 1 January 2007 upon the merger of the two former municipalities of Obdam and Wester-Koggenland.-Population centers:*Avenhorn...	Koggeland
Langedijk Langedijk Langedijk is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. Langedijk received city rights in 1415.-Population centres :...	Lengedik
Medemblik Medemblik Medemblik is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.- History :...	Memelik
Niedorp Niedorp Niedorp is a municipality in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia...	Nierup
Opmeer Opmeer Opmeer is a municipality and town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia.-Population centres :...	Obmar or Opmar
Schagen Schagen Schagen is a town and municipality in the northwestern Netherlands. It is located between Alkmaar and Den Helder, in and region of West Friesland and the province of North Holland. In 2007, Schagen had 19.078 residents. It received city rights in 1415....	Skagen
Stede Broec Stede Broec Stede Broec is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia. The name Stede Broec derives from "stede" and "broec" .- Population centres :...	Stee Broek
Wervershoof Wervershoof Wervershoof is a former municipality and a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia...	Wurrevershouf
Venhuizen Venhuizen Venhuizen is a town in the north-western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland and the region of West-Frisia, in the municipality of Drechterland. Venhuizen also was a municipality until 1 January 2006, when the municipality was combined with the existing municipality of Drechterland...	Venhûze

Major cities include Hoorn and Alkmaar.

Dialect

The traditional dialect of the region is the West Frisian dialect

West Frisian (dialect)

The West Frisian dialect is a Dutch dialect spoken in the contemporary West Friesland region , Wieringen, Wieringermeer, the coastal area from Den Helder to Castricum, and the island of Texel. It is a Hollandic Dutch dialect but has affinities to the Frisian language...

 of Hollandic

Hollandic

Hollandic or Hollandish is, together with Brabantian, the most frequently used dialect of the Dutch language. Other important Low Franconian language varieties spoken in the same area are Zeelandic, East Flemish, West Flemish and Limburgish....

 Dutch. The contemporary region is similar in size and location to the historical district (gouw) of Westflinge which itself was a part of a much larger historical region of West Friesland

West Friesland (historical region)

West Friesland is a historical region in the northern part of the Netherlands. It was located in parts of what now is Noord-Holland and the Waddenzee. The region was bordered by the rivers Vlie and IJ...

.

See also

• Frisia
  Frisia
  Frisia is a coastal region along the southeastern corner of the North Sea, i.e. the German Bight. Frisia is the traditional homeland of the Frisians, a Germanic people who speak Frisian, a language group closely related to the English language...
  
  
• The region website (in Dutch and partly westfrisian)