Slochteren Facts for Kids

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Slochteren

Village and former municipality

Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren

Flag	Coat of arms

Location in Groningen

Country

Netherlands

Province

Groningen

Municipality

Midden-Groningen

Area

• Total

16.86 km² (6.51 sq mi)

Elevation

−1 m (−3.3 ft)

Population

(2021)

• Total

2,140

• Density

126.9/km² (328.7/sq mi)

Demonym(s)

Slochtenaar

Time zone

UTC+1 (CET)

• Summer (DST)

UTC+2 (CEST)

Postcode

9621

Area code

0598

Slochteren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈslɔxtərə(n)]) is a charming village located in the Groningen province, in the northeast of the Netherlands. It used to be its own municipality, which is like a local government area. On January 1, 2018, Slochteren joined with two other places, Hoogezand-Sappemeer and Menterwolde. Together, they formed a new, bigger municipality called Midden-Groningen.

The area around Slochteren is made up of many small villages. These villages are spread out across a landscape that is mostly used for farming. For over a thousand years, farming has been very important here. Today, many people who live in Slochteren travel to nearby towns for work. These towns include Hoogezand, Groningen, and Delfzijl. Slochteren is also home to a beautiful old building called the Fraeylemaborg. This large house is like a small castle, and some parts of it are very old, dating back to the Middle Ages.

Exploring Slochteren's Geography
- Villages in the Area
The Big Natural Gas Field
Gallery
See also

Exploring Slochteren's Geography

Slochteren is located in the beautiful province of Groningen. The former municipality of Slochteren was made up of several small communities. These villages are spread out and connected, forming a unique chain.

Villages in the Area

The main population centers that were part of the former Slochteren municipality include:

Denemarken
Froombosch
Harkstede
Hellum
Kolham
Lageland
Luddeweer
Overschild
Schaaphok
Scharmer
Schildwolde
Siddeburen
Slochteren
Steendam
Tjuchem
Woudbloem

Topographic map of the municipality of Slochteren, June 2015

The Big Natural Gas Field

Slochteren is famous for something very important hidden underground. It sits right in the middle of the huge Groningen gas field. This giant natural gas field was found in 1959. Finding this gas field was a big deal for the Netherlands. It helped the country become a major exporter of energy to other parts of the world. In 2009, experts estimated that there were still about 2,700 cubic kilometers of gas left in the field. That's a lot of energy!