Moerdijk Facts for Kids

For other uses, see Moerdijk (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Moerdijk

Aerial view over Moerdijk (Zevenbergen in centre)

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in North Brabant

Government

• Body

Municipal council

Area

• Total

184.03 km² (71.05 sq mi)

• Land

159.24 km² (61.48 sq mi)

• Water

24.79 km² (9.57 sq mi)

Elevation

1 m (3 ft)

Population

(May 2014)

• Total

36,822

• Density

231/km² (600/sq mi)

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

4758–4797

Area code

0168

Moerdijk is a municipality (like a local government area) and a small town in the southern part of the Netherlands. It is located in the province called North Brabant.

History of Moerdijk
Exploring Moerdijk's Villages
Transport and Industry
Famous People from Moerdijk
- Sports Stars from Moerdijk
Images for kids
See also

History of Moerdijk

The municipality of Moerdijk was created in 1997. This happened when several smaller municipalities joined together. These were Fijnaart en Heijningen, Klundert, Standdaarbuiten, Willemstad, and Zevenbergen.

At first, the new municipality was called Zevenbergen. However, its name was changed to Moerdijk on April 1, 1998.

Exploring Moerdijk's Villages

The municipality of Moerdijk includes several villages and towns. Each one has its own unique character.

Fijnaart en Heijningen
Klundert
Langeweg
Moerdijk
Noordhoek
Standdaarbuiten
Willemstad
Zevenbergen
Zevenbergschen Hoek

Moerdijk's Landscape

A topographic map of the Moerdijk municipality from June 2015.

This map shows the different areas and features of the Moerdijk municipality. It helps us understand the landscape.

The Village of Moerdijk

The village of Moerdijk is one of the smaller communities in the municipality. In 2002, about 1,205 people lived there.

Even though it's small, the name Moerdijk is well-known in the Netherlands. This is because of its large industrial area. This area has a big power plant.

Moerdijk is also famous for its Moerdijk bridges. These are important highway and railway bridges. They cross a wide water channel called the Hollands Diep.

During World War II, these bridges were very important. They were the last way for German forces to retreat from the area. In late 1944, American bombers even targeted these bridges. They used what were then new "smart bombs."

On January 5, 2011, Moerdijk was in the news. A large fire broke out at a company that handled many chemicals. This fire caused a big cloud of smoke to spread over the nearby areas.

Moerdijk Expressions

People in the Netherlands and Belgium use some common phrases related to Moerdijk:

"Above the Moerdijk" means "in the Netherlands" or "in Holland." This phrase is used in Belgium and the southern parts of the Netherlands.
"Below the Moerdijk" means "south of Moerdijk." It refers to the Catholic provinces of North Brabant and Limburg. This phrase is often used when talking about the traditional carnival celebrations in these regions. Carnival is not usually celebrated north of the major rivers.
"Over de Moerdijk" means "across the Moerdijk." People on either side of the bridges use this to refer to the other side.

Zevenbergen: The Largest Town

Zevenbergen is the biggest town in the Moerdijk municipality. In 2002, it had about 14,006 residents. It is located about 10 kilometers (6 miles) northwest of Breda.

Zevenbergen received its city rights in 1427. This meant it had special permissions and freedoms.

The town also has a train station. From here, you can travel to Dordrecht and Roosendaal.

Transport and Industry

The area near the Hollands Diep is important for industry. It is used for moving goods by water. This location offers great access to inland waterways. It also provides a way to reach the North Sea. Many transport companies have offices or ports here. For example, the company Van der Vlist has its own port in the area.

Famous People from Moerdijk

Many interesting people have come from the Moerdijk area.

Henry Berkmans, a painter from Klundert (1662).
Emanuel Sweert (1552 in Zevenbergen – 1612): A Dutch painter and a person who grew plants for sale.
François Vranck (around 1555 in Zevenbergen – 1617): A Dutch lawyer and statesman. He helped create the Dutch Republic.
Hendrick Berckman (1629 in Klundert – 1679): A painter from the Dutch Golden Age.
Jaap Burger (1904 in Willemstad – 1986): A Dutch politician.
Leo Riemens (1910 in Zevenbergen – 1985): A Dutch expert in music and a journalist.
Fons van der Stee (1928 in Zevenbergen – 1999): A Dutch politician.
Ad Bax (born 1956 in Zevenbergen): A Dutch-American scientist who studies molecules in living things.
Frans Bauer (born 1973 in Roosendaal): A Dutch singer known for his "levenslied" music.
The Dutch girl group O'G3NE (formed 2007).
O'G3NE (formed 2007 in Fijnaart): A Dutch music group with three girls.

Sports Stars from Moerdijk

Piet van der Horst (1903 in Klundert – 1983): A Dutch racing cyclist. He won a silver medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics.
Nico van Gageldonk (1913 in Klundert – 1995): A Dutch cyclist who competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Angelique Seriese (born 1968 in Zevenbergen): A former Dutch judo athlete. She won a gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.