Drenthe

Drenthe is a province in the northeast of the Netherlands. Its capital is Assen. With roughly half a million inhabitants, Drenthe is relatively sparsely populated compared with other Dutch provinces. The economy combines agriculture, small-scale industry, and services, with tourism centered on its natural landscapes and archaeological heritage.

Geography and landscape: Drenthe borders Groningen to the north, Friesland to the west, Overijssel to the south, and Lower Saxony, Germany to the east. The province features sandy heathlands, forests, and peat bogs, with the Hondsrug moraine running across the area and the Drentsche Aa river valley shaping the rural landscape. The Drents-Friese Wold National Park lies partly in Drenthe, and the Drentsche Aa is protected as a national landscape, highlighting traditional land use and water management.

History and culture: Drenthe has a long prehistory, notably the megalithic tombs called hunebedden, built around 3400–2900 BCE by the Funnelbeaker culture. In the Middle Ages it developed as a border region and later became one of the Dutch provinces when the United Netherlands was formed in the early 19th century. The province has its own distinct dialects within the Dutch language, and cultural institutions such as the Drents Museum in Assen preserve archaeology and regional art.

Cities and attractions: Assen is the administrative capital and among the largest cities, with Emmen as another major urban center. Meppel and Hoogeveen are important towns. The TT Circuit Assen hosts the annual Dutch TT motorcycle races, attracting visitors and motor-sport enthusiasts. Tourism focuses on the Hunebedden, the Drentsche Aa landscape, national parks, and cycling and hiking routes.