Flevoland Facts for Kids

Map: Province of Flevoland in the Netherlands

The flag of Flevoland

The coat of arms of Flevoland

Flevoland is a special province in the Netherlands. It's unique because most of its land was once covered by water! People created this land by draining parts of a big inland sea. This makes Flevoland one of the newest provinces in the country.

Lelystad is the capital city of Flevoland. However, Almere is the biggest city, with more people living there. In 2015, about 403,000 people called Flevoland home.

Municipalities of Flevoland (6)

Almere · Dronten · Lelystad · Noordoostpolder · Urk · Zeewolde

Netherlands · Provinces · Municipalities

Provinces of the Netherlands

Drenthe • Flevoland • Friesland • Gelderland • Groningen • Limburg • North Brabant • North Holland • Overijssel • South Holland • Utrecht • Zeeland

How Flevoland Was Made
- The Zuiderzee Project
  - Building the Dikes
  - Creating New Land
Cities and Towns in Flevoland
Images for kids
See also

How Flevoland Was Made

Flevoland is famous for being land that was "reclaimed" from the sea. This means engineers and workers built dikes and then pumped out the water to create new land. This new land is called a polder.

The Zuiderzee Project

Long ago, there was a large inland sea in the Netherlands called the Zuiderzee. It was connected to the North Sea. Over many years, Dutch engineers planned a huge project to turn parts of this sea into farmland and new places for people to live. This project is known as the Zuiderzee Works.

Building the Dikes

The first step was to build long walls, called dikes, around the areas they wanted to drain. These dikes kept the sea water out. Once the dikes were finished, powerful pumps started working. They pumped all the water out of the enclosed areas.

Creating New Land

As the water was removed, the seabed appeared. This new land was very fertile. It was then prepared for farming and building. Flevoland was officially created as a province in 1986, making it the youngest province in the Netherlands.

Cities and Towns in Flevoland

Flevoland has several important cities and towns. Each one has its own story and role in the province.

Map showing the municipalities of Flevoland

Almere: The Biggest City

Almere is the largest city in Flevoland. It's a very modern city with lots of new buildings and homes. Many people who work in nearby Amsterdam choose to live in Almere. It has a busy railway station, Almere Centrum railway station, connecting it to other parts of the country.

Lelystad: The Capital

Lelystad is the capital of Flevoland. It's named after Cornelis Lely, who was very important in planning the Zuiderzee Works. Lelystad also has a main railway station, Lelystad Centrum railway station, making it easy to travel to and from the city.

Noordoostpolder and Urk

The Noordoostpolder is a large area of reclaimed land in the north of Flevoland. It's mostly used for farming. Urk is a unique town that was once an island in the Zuiderzee. When the polder was created, Urk became part of the mainland, but it still keeps its strong fishing traditions and unique culture.