Friesland
Leeuwarden is the capital of this province, which includes several of the West Frisian Islands along the North Sea coast. The province borders on the IJsselmeer in the west and the province of Groningen in the east. Friesland is a dairy and cattle raising region with beautiful landscapes with numerous canals, small rivers and picturesque lakes. This makes it a paradise for water sports fanatics.
A special treat and unique in Holland is mud walking on the flats that fall dry between the main land and the islands. The Frisians even have their own language, which dates back to the 8th century and is still spoken by a sizable part of the population. While in Leeuwarden, visit the Frisian Museum, where more than fifty thousand years of Frisian history and culture are displayed in a contemporary manner.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Friesland counted 630,539 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 419,000 professionals in Friesland, working with 31,100 registered companies, which account for 3,4% of companies registered in Holland.

Drenthe
Drenthe is situated south of Groningen, bordering Germany in the east. Assen is the capital of this province, Emmen is the chief industrial center. The province mostly consists of farmland. Drente is a region of so called "hunnebedden;" groups of large boulders carried to this area by ice-glaciers thousands of years ago. Early inhabitants (in the Stone Age) used them for ready-made tombstones. In Emmen, visit the Noorder Dierenpark Zoo. This animal-friendly park is known for its unique tropical butterfly garden.
STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Drenthe counted 474,506 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 311,000 professionals in Drenthe, working with 22,100 registered companies, which account for 2,4% of companies registered in Holland.

Overijssel
The province of Overijssel is located between the IJsselmeer in the west and Germany in the east. Zwolle is the capital; other cities include Almelo, Deventer, Enschede, Kampen and Zutphen. The IJssel River and several canals drain the province. It has a typical continental climate and landscape with lovely woods, ancient towns, interesting castles and manor houses.
Kampen used to be a member of the Hanseatic League. The picturesque village of Giethoorn has numerous small canals on which you can make wonderful boat trips. Zwolle is a perfect town for interesting and scenic historic walks. While doing so, consider a visit to the Stedelijk Museum in the historic center and learn about Zwolle’s and Overijssel’s history.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Overijssel counted 1,086,280 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 724,000 professionals in Overijssel, working with 52,700 registered companies, which account for 5,7% of companies registered in Holland.

Gelderland
Gelderland borders on Germany in the east. Arnhem, the capital, is known for its role in World War II (the Battle of the Rhine Bridge 'A Bridge Too Far,' which was part of Operation Market Garden). The Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek shows the course of events during this battle.
Gelderland is also known for National Park 'De Hoge Veluwe' (Holland's first and largest national park) where the remarkable Kröller-Müller Museum is located. This museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits, including 270 works by Van Gogh and sculptures by Rodin, Moore, Tadjiri, Marini and more.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Gelderland counted 1,934,314 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 1,294,000 professionals in Gelderland, working with 105,000 registered companies, which account for 11,4% of companies registered in Holland.

Utrecht
The IJsselmeer in the North bounds this province. The capital is Utrecht, a city known for its University, its wharves and canal side terraces. Or climb the beautiful tower of the Dom Church and have a splendid view over the city. Amersfoort is the other main city of the province.
If you love the outdoors, walk on the beautiful Utrechtse Heuvelrug between Utrecht and Amersfoort or have a nice sailing day on the Loosdrechtse Plassen. If you’re interested in the history of Christianity in The Netherlands, visit the Museum Catharijneconvent in Utrecht, a former convent in which you nowadays find everything about the history of the Christian culture.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Utrecht counted 1,139,925 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 523,000 professionals in Utrecht, working with 71,800 registered companies, which account for 7,8% of companies registered in

In 2001 there were 110,300 professionals in Flevoland, working with 17,700 registered companies, which account for 1,9% of companies registered in Holland.

Noord-Holland
Noord-Holland is a peninsula between the North Sea in the west and the IJsselmeer Lake in the east. Besides the well-known attractions in the city of Amsterdam (such as the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum), other cities worth visiting are Haarlem (the capital of Noord-Holland), Zaandam and Alkmaar.
Noord-Holland also has picturesque landscapes and villages, with drawbridges, windmills and tulip fields, as well as historic harbor villages such as Volendam and Marken, where Dutch traditional costumes are still worn. Consider visiting the Zuiderzee Museum, an open-air museum with exhibitions on what it was like to live and work on the Zuyder Zee (now called IJsselmeer) one hundred years ago.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Noord-Holland counted 2,534,599 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 1,737,000 professionals in Noord-Holland, working with 180,000 registered companies, which account for 19,5% of companies registered in Holland.

Zuid-Holland
This province is bounded by the North Sea in the west. East are the provinces of Utrecht and Noord-Brabant and in the south is Zeeland. The capital is The Hague, the residence of Queen Beatrix, as well as the seat of government and museums such as the Mauritshuis and Miniature City Madurodam.
Other cities include Rotterdam (known for its architecture and the largest harbor in the world), Leiden and Delft (famous for delftware). When in Leiden, visit the Naturalis Museum. This museum displays the diversity of nature and natural processes from the big bang to today’s ecosystems.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Zuid-Holland counted 3,420,700 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 1,380,000 professionals in Zuid-Holland, working with 197,000 registered companies, which account for 21,3% of companies registered in Holland.

Zeeland
This province is bounded by the North Sea in the west and borders on Belgium in the south. Water sport fans take to Zeeland like fish to water. Walcheren in particular has numerous attractions for families. The coast of Zeeland and its hinterland is fascinating all year round.
People interested in the rich history of Zeeland can enjoy themselves in one of its many historic towns. Middelburg, the capital, has no less than 1100 monuments. The fascinating story of how the Dutch finally conquered the sea is told at Waterland Neeltje Jans, a former work island, that now accommodates an informative exhibition. Neeltje Jans is located at Burgh-Haamstede.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Zeeland counted 377,231 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 179,000 professionals in Zeeland, working with 20,400 registered companies, which account for 2,2% of companies registered in Holland.

Noord-Brabant
Bordering on Belgium in the south and Germany in the east, Noord-Brabant extends west to the Oosterschelde, almost to the North Sea. The capital is ‘s Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch), and other cities include Eindhoven, Tilburg and Breda. Vincent van Gogh was born in the village of Nuenen.
This province has a most varied landscape and offers the visitor many choices of outdoor activities and attractions, such as the Efteling. When you enter this amusement park, you walk into a wonderland, packed with excitement for everyone. From fairytale forest, where ancient tales come to life, to various thrill rides. The Efteling has received major international awards because of its wide range of activities and the way they are presented.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2002 the province of Noord-Brabant counted 2,391,123 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 1,071,000 professionals in Noord-Brabant, working with 142,000 registered companies, which account for 15,4% of companies registered in Holland.

Limburg is known for its beautiful landscape with castles, green hills, picturesque villages and great hiking and biking facilities. Besides wonderful walks through the ancient historic center of Maastricht and the enjoyment of culinary feasts in one of the many restaurants, consider a visit to the Bonnefantenmuseum. The museum consists of a new building, designed by renowned architect Aldo Rossi, and a restored section of the historic Wiebengahal, which houses art collections from the medieval age to the 18th century.

STATISTICS
On January 1, 2001 the province of Limburg counted 1,143,000 inhabitants.

In 2001 there were 506,000 professionals in Limburg, working with 57,300 registered companies, which account for 6,2% of companies registered in Holland.