Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces
of the Netherlands, located in the south-east of the country. It is bordered by Belgium in the west,
Germany in the east, and the province of North Brabant in the north.
Politically, Limburg used to look like a patch quilt with many counties and
other sorts of properties carving up the land. A result that can still be
noticed today is that the inhabitants of each municipality speak their own, distinct language.
Major cities are the provincial capital Maastricht in the south, the urban agglomerations of Sittard-Geleen
and Heerlen-Kerkrade, Roermond and Venlo.The south of the province is remarkable when compared to the rest of the
country, as it is one of the few regions that has hills. The highest point in
the Netherlands, the Vaalserberg, is situated in Limburg.
Limburg is both a Dutch province and a European region with a highly distinct
character. The social and economic trends which affected the province in recent
decades generated a process of change and renewal which has enabled Limburg to
transform the drawbacks of its national peripheral location into advantages
inherent in its European settings.
Today, Limburg is a European province par excellence and is the metaphorical
hand which the Netherlands extends towards Europe.
To the north, Limburg borders the Dutch provinces of Brabant
and a small part of Gelderland. At its narrowest point, at Roosteren, Limburg
farms a slim, six-kilometre-wide wedge between its two neighbouring countries,
with whom it has forged close social and economic ties down through the
centuries. The borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany converge at Vaals
at a spot known as the "Three CountriesPoint" (Drielandenpunt).
Stretching from south to north, Limburg's enchanting landscapefollows the river Meuse for a distance
of 160 kilometres. The river, which provides a direct link to the port area of
Rotterdam, has always played a significant role in Limburg's economic history.
In Central and North Limburg, part of the province's western border cuts through
the De Peel region, once a peat moor covering 6000 km2 which formed a natural
barrier to the western Netherlands. Today, the De Peel is largely under
cultivation. In contrast to other provinces in the Netherlands, Limburg has
become a crossroads for some of Europe's major transport routes.
Also of great importance to Limburg's economic infrastructure is Maastricht
Aachen Airport, which serves the Euroregion by providing an essential node for
normal passenger service, tourist charter flights and international freight
transport.
Air Tickets Online -
