|
Limburg is the southern-most of the twelve provinces of the Netherlands, located in the south-east of the country. Its capital is Maastricht. It is bordered by Belgium in the west, Germany in the east, and the provinces of North Brabant and Gelderland in the north.
Limburg has 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, linking the Netherlands to Europe.
Limburg has its own language, called Limburgish (Dutch: Limburgs). It is not recognised by the Dutch, German and Belgian governments as an official language. Limburgish is spoken by an estimated 4 million people in both Belgian and Dutch Limburg and Germany.
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.
The most important river is the Meuse, that passes through the entire length of the province from South to North. Limburg's surface is largely formed by deposits from this Meuse river, consisting of river clay, fertile loessial soil and large deposits of pebblestone, currently being quarried for the construction industry. In northern parts of the province, further away from the river bed, the soil primarily consists of sand and peat.
Major cities are the provincial capital Maastricht in the south, the urban agglomerations of Sittard-Geleen and Heerlen
|
|
