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Overijssels

Overijssel
Province of the Netherlands
Flag of Overijssel
Flag
Coat of arms of Overijssel
Coat of arms
Anthem: Aan de rand van Hollands gouwen
Location of Overijssel in the Netherlands
Location of Overijssel in the Netherlands
Country Netherlands
Capital Zwolle
Largest city Enschede
Government
 • King's Commissioner Ank Bijleveld (CDA)
Area
 • Land 3,327 km2 (1,285 sq mi)
 • Water 94 km2 (36 sq mi)
Area rank 4th
Population (2006)
 • Land 1,113,529
 • Rank 7th
 • Density 330/km2 (870/sq mi)
 • Density rank 7th
ISO 3166 code NL-OV
Religion (2006) Protestant 29%
Catholic 26%
Muslim 2%
Others 6%
Non-religious 37%
Website www.overijssel.nl

Overijssel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌoːvəˈrɛisəl]; Dutch Low Saxon: Oaveriessel [ˌoːvəˈrisəɫ]) is a province of the Netherlands in the central-eastern part of the country. The province's name translates to "[Land] across the IJssel", from the perspective of the bishopric of Utrecht by which it was held until 1528. The capital city of Overijssel is Zwolle and the largest city is Enschede. The province has a population of 1,113,529 inhabitants.

Overijssel is bordered by Germany to the east, the Achterhoek region of Gelderland to the south, the Veluwe region of Gelderland and Flevoland to the west, and Friesland and the former moors of Drenthe to the north. Overijssel comprises three regions: Kop van Overijssel in the northwest, Salland in the centre of the province, and Twente in the east. Besides the capital Zwolle, other major cities are Almelo, Deventer, Enschede, and Hengelo.

To the southeast, the province's surface is mostly sandy, interspersed with small rivers such as the Regge and Dinkel and other brooks. In the northwest, the geology is dominated by sediments from the Overijsselse Vecht and clay. The northern parts were once covered by veen (bogs) which separated the dryer and more arable south from Drenthe and which have been exploited as fuel to a large degree. Only small patches survive today (Engbertsdijksvenen near Tubbergen, Witteveen (near Haaksbergen), and the Aamsveen (near Enschede). The extreme northwest is dominated by a system of lakes formed by former peat-mining, the Weerribben, which is a valuable wetland.


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