Etten-Leur

Etten-Leur
Municipality

Street (Markt) in Etten-Leur

Flag

Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Etten-Leur in a municipal map of North Brabant
Location in North Brabant
Coordinates: 51°34′N 4°38′E / 51.567°N 4.633°E / 51.567; 4.633Coordinates: 51°34′N 4°38′E / 51.567°N 4.633°E / 51.567; 4.633
Country Netherlands
Province North Brabant
Government[1]
  Body Municipal council
  Mayor Hélène van Rijnbach-De Groot (CDA)
Area[2]
  Total 55.92 km2 (21.59 sq mi)
  Land 55.36 km2 (21.37 sq mi)
  Water 0.56 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Elevation[3] 8 m (26 ft)
Population (May 2014)[4]
  Total 42,395
  Density 766/km2 (1,980/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode 4870–4879
Area code 076
Website www.etten-leur.nl

Etten-Leur ( pronunciation ) is a municipality in the southern Netherlands. Its name is a combination of the two towns from which the municipality originally arose: Etten and Leur. Nowadays both towns have grown into one.

History

Both towns, created in the Middle Ages, were relatively prosperous during the period of the Dutch Republic, the exception being the period of the Eighty Years' War in which the area was a major battleground. This prosperity was caused by the fact that Etten was a centre for the production of peat, and Leur was a local trading port, as it had a harbour.

Decline in economic importance marked both towns during the nineteenth century. During this time the painter Vincent van Gogh briefly lived in Etten, making him the most famous citizen in the history of Etten and Leur. During World War II, the two towns were freed from German occupation in late October 1944 by elements of the U.S. 104th Infantry Division.

The economic decline was halted when, in 1950, the Dutch government decided to encourage population growth and industrial development. As a result of this development, both towns have grown towards each other and merged into one: Etten-Leur.

Notable residents have included the previously mentioned Vincent van Gogh (and the town's namesake Jamie Alexander Leurs [source?]).

Transportation

Topography

Dutch topographic map of Etten-Leur (town), March 2014

Education

References

Notes

  1. "Het college van burgemeester en wethouders - samenstelling per 12 mei 2014" [The board of mayor and aldermen - members per 12 May 2014] (in Dutch). Gemeente Etten-Leur. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  2. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
  3. "Postcodetool for 4875AA". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  4. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.

Sources

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/22/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.