Almere facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Almere
City and municipality
Skyline with the Weerwater Almere Centrum railway station Topsportcentrum The Green Cathedral Floriade 2022
Flag Coat of arms Brandmark
Location in Flevoland
Almere Location in Netherlands Show map of Netherlands Almere Location in Europe Show map of Europe
Country	Netherlands
Province	Flevoland
Region	Amsterdam metropolitan area
Government
• Body	Municipal council
Area
• Total	248.77 km2 (96.05 sq mi)
• Land	129.60 km2 (50.04 sq mi)
• Water	119.17 km2 (46.01 sq mi)
Elevation	−3 m (−9.8 ft)
Population  (May 2014)
• Total	196,290
• Density	1,515/km2 (3,920/sq mi)
Demonym(s)	Almeerder
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	1300–1379
Area code	036
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Almere is a modern city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is located in the province of Flevoland, right across the IJmeer from Amsterdam. Almere is special because it's a "planned city," meaning it was designed from scratch.

The city shares borders with Lelystad and Zeewolde. Almere has six main areas: Almere Stad (which includes Almere Stad Oost, Almere Stad West, and Almere Centrum), Almere Buiten, and Almere Pampus (which is still being planned). It also has three boroughs: Almere Haven, Almere Hout, and Almere Poort. Almere is part of the larger Amsterdam Metropolitan Area.

Almere is one of the newest cities in the Netherlands. The land it sits on, called the Southern Flevoland polder, was actually reclaimed from the IJsselmeer lake between 1959 and 1968. This means the land was once underwater! The very first house in Almere was built in 1976. Almere officially became its own municipality in 1984. It is now the largest city in Flevoland by population and the 8th largest in the whole Netherlands. In 2007, the city decided to grow even more, aiming for 350,000 residents by 2030.

Discovering Almere's Past

The land where Almere now stands was originally meant for farming. But after World War II, more homes were needed for the fast-growing population of Amsterdam. So, two new towns were planned on the reclaimed land. One became Lelystad. The other, first called Zuidweststad (South West City), was later named Almere. This name comes from an old lake, also called Almere, which was the early medieval name for the Zuiderzee.

The first house in Almere was completed in 1976. At first, the town was managed by a special government body. But in 1984, Almere became its own official municipality, meaning it could govern itself. The city's design has changed over time. Early homes were built for basic needs. But from the 1990s, more unique and striking house designs started to appear, especially in areas like the Regenboogbuurt (Rainbow Neighborhood).

How Almere is Governed

Almere is run by a municipal council, which is like a local parliament. The city also has a mayor.

Who is Almere's Mayor?

The mayor of Almere is Hein van der Loo. He started his role in March 2023 and is an independent mayor, meaning he doesn't belong to a specific political party. The city council works together with different political groups to make decisions for Almere.

Past Mayors of Almere

Here is a list of the people who have served as mayor of Almere:

• 1984–1986: Han Lammers
• 1986–1993: Cees de Cloe
• 1993–1994: Cees Roozemond (acting)
• 1994–1998: Ralph Pans
• 1998–2003: Hans Ouwerkerk
• 2003–2003: Jaap van der Doef (acting)
• 2003–2015: Annemarie Jorritsma
• 2015–2022: Franc Weerwind
• 2022–2023: Ank Bijleveld (acting)
• 2023-current: Hein van der Loo

Almere's City Council

The first city council for Almere was set up on January 2, 1984. Before that, there was an "Adviesraad" (Advisory Council) that helped guide the city. Since 2018, Almere's city council has 45 members who represent different political parties. These members are elected by the people of Almere to make decisions for the city.

International Connections: Twin Cities

Almere has special friendships with cities around the world, called "twin cities" or "sister cities." These connections help promote cultural exchange and understanding.

Here are some of Almere's twin cities:

• Aalborg, Denmark
• České Budějovice, Czech Republic
• Haapsalu, Estonia
• Kumasi, Ghana
• Lancaster, United Kingdom
• Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
• Port Sudan, Sudan (since 1986)
• Rendsburg, Germany
• Tainan City, Taiwan (since 2009)
• Växjö, Sweden

Almere's Location and Layout

Satellite image of the Flevopolder

Topographic map of Almere, September 2014

Overview map of Almere

Almere is located in the polder of Southern Flevoland. A polder is land that was once under water but has been reclaimed and drained. Almere is the westernmost municipality in the province of Flevoland. It is bordered by the Markermeer lake to the west and north, Lelystad to the northeast, Zeewolde to the east, and the Gooimeer lake to the south.

Almere is divided into different areas, including three boroughs and three districts. Some of these areas are still being developed.

• Almere Haven ('Almere Harbor') - started in 1976
• Almere Stad ('Almere City') - started in 1980
• Almere Buiten ('Outer Almere') - started in 1984
• Almere Hout ('Almere Woods') - started in 1991
• Almere Poort ('Almere Gate') - started in 2000
• Almere Pampus - planned for the future

What's Almere's Weather Like?

Almere has an oceanic climate. This means it has mild to cool winters and warm summers. It also gets a fair amount of rain throughout the year.

Who Lives in Almere?

Almere is a diverse city with people from many different backgrounds. This table shows the origin of its residents in 2017:

How Has Almere's Population Grown?

Almere has grown a lot since it was founded. Here's how the population has changed over the years in different parts of the city:

Almere's Culture and Fun Facts

In Almere, there's a unique neighborhood called Stripheldenbuurt, which means "Comics Heroes Neighborhood." It was opened in 2004. All the street names in this area are named after famous comic book characters and artists!

Sports in Almere

Almere is home to several sports teams. If you like football, you can cheer for Almere City FC. For American football fans, there's the FlevoPhantoms. And if basketball is your game, the city has a professional team called the Almere Sailors.

Getting Around Almere: Transport

Kunstlinie Almere Flevoland (formerly known as "Schouwburg Almere")

Almere has a special way of organizing its traffic. It has separate paths for bikes, cars, and buses. This helps keep everyone safe and traffic flowing smoothly. Buses often have their own special lanes. Almere is also connected to major highways like the A6 and A27.

Train Travel in Almere

Almere got its first train connection in 1987 when the Flevolijn railway line was completed. This line connects Weesp to Lelystad Centrum.

Today, Almere has six railway stations:

• Almere Poort (opened in 2012)
• Almere Muziekwijk (opened in 1987)
• Almere Centrum (opened in 1987)
• Almere Parkwijk (opened in 1996)
• Almere Buiten (opened in 1987)
• Almere Oostvaarders (opened in 2004)

There used to be a seasonal station called Almere Strand for special events. It opened in 1996 and was closed in 2012 when Almere Poort station opened nearby.

Bus Services in Almere

Almere has a good network of local and regional bus lines.

Local Bus Lines

There are 11 local bus lines that serve different parts of the city. Most city buses run very often, especially on weekdays during the day. For example, some lines run every 5 minutes! On weekends, they run a bit less often. There are also a few overnight bus lines on Monday to Saturday nights. The main bus company is Keolis Netherlands, and local buses run under the name allGo. You can use a national transportation chip card or buy tickets on the bus.

Regional Bus Lines

Besides local buses, there are also regional bus lines that connect Almere to other towns and cities nearby. These buses help people travel for work or school. Some of these buses are even allowed to use emergency lanes on highways to avoid traffic jams!

Famous People from Almere

Many interesting people have lived in or are from Almere. Here are a few:

• Rob Verlinden (born 1950) – A Dutch gardener and TV presenter.
• Annemarie Jorritsma (born 1950) – A politician and former mayor of Almere.
• Jörgen Raymann (born 1966) – A comedian, actor, and TV host.
• Ali B (born 1981) – A famous rapper and music producer.
• Yfke Sturm (born 1981) – An international model.
• Pieter Elbers (born 1970) – The CEO of KLM airlines.

Sports Stars from Almere

Almere has also produced many talented athletes:

• Frank Rijkaard (born 1962) – A famous football player and coach.
• Remy Bonjasky (born 1976) – A well-known kickboxer.
• Maartje Scheepstra (born 1980) – A Dutch field hockey player who won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
• Hedwiges Maduro (born 1985) – A football coach and former player.
• Michaëlla Krajicek (born 1989) – A Dutch tennis player.
• Sergiño Dest (born 2000) – A Dutch-American football player.

Images for kids

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  Almere Haven

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  Almere Stad

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  Almere Buiten

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  Almere Hout

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  Almere Poort

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  Almere Pampus

See also

In Spanish: Almere para niños