The province has approximately 370,000 inhabitants (2005) and consists of 6 municipalities. After a flood in 1916, it was decided that the Zuiderzee, an inland sea within the Netherlands, would be enclosed and reclaimed: the Zuiderzee Works started. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk was completed, which closed off the sea completely. The Zuiderzee was subsequently called IJsselmeer (lake at the end of the river IJssel). Read more >>>>

The Batavia Yard in Lelystad, the Netherlands, is foremost a center for traditional shipbuilding. Since 1985 over 200 young people have built an authentic reconstruction of the VOC-merchantman Batavia from 1628. Read More >>>
The present Batavia was named after a historic predecessor which was built in 1628 in Amsterdam by order of the VOC, the Dutch United East India Company. On her maiden voyage, under the command of Francisco Pelsaert, she was wrecked on a reef off the Australian westcoast. This reef is part of the islandgroup called 'Houtman Abrolhos'. The wreckplace of the Batavia lies on present Beacon Island at 28¡ 30' South and 113¡ 47' East. Of the 341 crew, forty drowned trying to reach a small island, the rest succeeded. The island held no water or food, therefore the commander decided to try and make for Batavia (now called Jakarta) on Java and get help. He left with the ship's boat together with some officers.

Tropical Garden
Thousands of species of orchids grow and blossom in a natural way in this closely imitated piece of jungle. The hanging air roots of the orchids provide the tropical garden with a mystic atmosphere, which make the visitor believe they are in a tropical forest. Temperature of the tropical garden: 21 Centigrade.

DID YOU KNOW ...
That practically the entire west and low north of the country consists of polders: drained land which is mainly surrounded by dikes, within which groundwater levels can be controlled. There are some 5.000 polders in all. The largest polders are the result of the Zuyderzee works. Since 1920 - when the decision to carry out the works was taken - these have resulted in the inland sea (Zuyder Zee or Zuiderzee) becoming a lake (the IJsselmeer) and a gain of 1.650 square km of land.