Basic objectives
Partnership – Presentation of the Main Partner regions
Province of Gelderland - Department of foreign affairs
c/o Doede Sijtsma
Posbus 9090
6800 GX Arnhem
THE NETHERLANDS
www.prv.gelderland.nl
Phone: +31 26 359 9037
E-mail: d.sijtsma@prv.gelderland.nl
Introduction
The province of Gelderland has a land surface of 5,138 square kilometres with an average population density of 394 inhabitants per square kilometre. Arnhem is the capital of Gelderland. Other major urban regions are Nijmegen, Apeldoorn and Ede. The province of Gelderland has 1,960,000 inhabitants (January 2003) and about 12% of the total Dutch population. The province is bordering the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Gelderland is a magnificent region for living and working, with an attractive mosaic of small, medium-sized and large residential centres. There are open 'green' areas, where the emphasis has been placed on managing the rural environment. The somewhat more 'red' areas consist of numerous small centres, medium-sized towns with an important function set aside for employment and social activity and larger cities that represent the economic motor for the region (entrepreneurship and job creation), and a source of inspiration for culture, knowledge and innovation.
The regions
Gelderland's four regions are extremely varied, and each contributes in its own way to the province's many-sided character.
First there is the Veluwe, with its dense woodlands and expanses of moorland. This region has become a popular tourist centre, which for years has helped to make Gelderland the Netherlands' No.1 holiday destination.
The Arnhem-Nijmegen region is an urbanised area with excellent facilities. Based on the twin cities of Nijmegen and Arnhem, it is the economic heart of the province and is an ideal location for European distribution centres (EDCs) and similar business establishments. The close distance between these towns facilitates intensive cooperation. In addition, this network is located on economic development axes between the Randstad and the Ruhr area in Germany.
The region has connections with Germany over water (River Rhine), rail (ICE Amsterdam-Frankfurt) and many highways. The region's development potential is clearly demonstrated by its increasingly close economic cooperation, its emergence as a multimodal logistic centre and its concentration of personnel and services in the Arnhem Centraal project, which includes a World Trade Centre.
The opportunities for the development of cities can often best be tackled in collaboration. An excellent example is the strategic cooperation between the Twente Network city (in Overijssel, also participating in “Change on Borders”) and the Arnhem-Nijmegen hub (KAN). In this cooperation, the central focus is not the individual interests of each city, but the overriding interests of the networks.
The cooperation of the Universities at Wageningen, Nijmegen and Enschede (Overijssel) in the 'Triangle' (www.triangle.nl) created a world-class network on food, health and technology, with innovative links to many economic sectors.
South-West Gelderland has a varied landscape which is dominated by water, from major rivers to quiet ponds. The region has long been famous for its fruit farms, which over the years have developed into modern businesses. Conveniently located close to international roads and waterways, South-West Gelderland has a rapidly growing transport and distribution sector.
The Achterhoek, to the east, still has plenty of room for economic development. This is a region of rustic farmland, surrounded by woods and criss-crossed by countless streams. Domestic and international firms wishing to locate away from the main business centres have been attracted here, and the region's rural character has encouraged the development of agribusiness.
Other interesting contacts
Contacts and information on economic opportunities can be found at the website of the Eastern Netherlands Development Agency (www.oostnv.nl).
The balanced mix of culture and nature makes Gelderland interesting for visitors. You could for instance check the website of the Kröller-Müller Museum (www.kmm.nl).
See you in Gelderland!
Stand: 11.10.2007
