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{{Short description|Province of the Netherlands}}{{About|the Dutch province}}{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

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| image_shield = Zuid-holland wapen.svg| image_blank_emblem = | image_flag = Flag of Zuid-Holland.svgProvinces of the Netherlands>Province| image_skyline = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_map = Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands.svg| map_caption = Location of South Holland in the Netherlands| image_map1 = Prov-Zuid-Holland-OpenTopo.jpg| map_caption1 = Topography map of South Holland52N40type:adm1st_region:NL-ZH|display=inline,title}}| subdivision_type = Country| subdivision_name = Netherlands| established_title = EstablishedCountship of Holland>split-up of Holland)| seat_type = Capital| seat = The Hague| seat1_type = Largest city| seat1 = Rotterdam| leader_title = King’s CommissionerJaap Smit (Christian Democratic Appeal>CDA)| leader_title1 = Council| leader_name1 = States of South Hollandnlnolink=yes“Song of South Holland“}}lanolink=yes“Watch, trusting in God“}}| unit_pref = Metric| area_footnotes =  (2023)Statistieken provincie Zuid-Holland - Gegevens over meer dan 100 onderwerpen!, AlleCijfers.nl| area_total_km2 = 3308| area_land_km2 = 2698| area_water_km2 = 609Provinces of the Netherlands>6thProvinces of the Netherlands>1stProvinces of the Netherlands>1st| demographics_type2 = GDPWEBSITE=WWW.CBS.NL, 22 December 2023, | demographics2_title1 = Total| demographics2_info1 = €200.451 billion (2022)| demographics2_title2 = Per capita| demographics2_info2 = €53,600 (2022)Human Development Index>HDI (2019)PUBLISHER=GLOBAL DATA LAB ACCESS-DATE=13 SEPTEMBER 2018, {{colorvery high}} · 4th of 12| iso_code = NL-ZHwww.zuid-holland.nl|zuid-holland.nl}}}}South Holland ( {{IPA-nl|ËŒzÅ“yt ˈɦɔlÉ‘nt||290 Zuid-Holland.ogg|}}) is a province of the Netherlands with a population of over 3.8 million as of January 2023 and a population density of about {{convert|1410|/km2|abbr=on}}, making it the country’s most populous province and one of the world’s most densely populated areas. Situated on the North Sea in the west of the Netherlands, South Holland covers an area of {{convert|3308|km2|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|609|km2|abbr=on}} is water. It borders North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. The provincial capital is the Dutch seat of government The Hague, while its largest city is Rotterdam. The Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta drains through South Holland into the North Sea. Europe’s busiest seaport, the Port of Rotterdam, is located in South Holland.

History

Early history

Archaeological discoveries in Hardinxveld-Giessendam indicate that the area of South Holland has been inhabited since at least c. 7,500 years before present, probably by nomadic hunter-gatherers. Agriculture and permanent settlements probably originated around 2,000 years later, based on excavations near Vlaardingen. In the classical antiquity, South Holland was part of the Roman Province of Germania Inferior, and the border of the Roman Empire ran along the Old Rhine and reached the North Sea near Katwijk. The Romans built fortresses along the border, such as Praetorium Agrippinae near modern-day Valkenburg, Matilo near modern-day Leiden, and Albaniana near modern-day Alphen aan den Rijn. A city was founded near modern-day Voorburg, Forum Hadriani. It was built according to the grid plan, and facilitated a square, a court, a bathhouse and several temples.After the departure of the Romans, the area belonged to the Frisian Kingdom, after which it was conquered by the Frankish king Dagobert I in 636. In 690, the Anglo-Saxon monk Willibrord arrived near Katwijk and was granted permission to spread Roman Catholicism by the Frankish king Pepin II. He accordingly founded a church in Oegstgeest, after which the entire area was gradually Christianised. The area was appointed to East Francia in the Treaty of Verdun in 843, after which the king granted lands to Gerolf, who had helped him claim the lands. This was the birth of the County of Holland. Gerolf was later succeeded by Dirk I, who continued to rule Holland under the Frankish king. In 1248, count William II ordered the construction of the Ridderzaal, which was later finished by his son and successor Floris V.File:Veen01.jpg|thumb|left|The liberation of LeidenLeidenFile:Joust on the Hofvijver, by Dutch School of the 17th century.jpg|thumb|left|The Binnenhof by the HofvijverHofvijverThe first city in South Holland to receive city rights was Dordrecht, which did so in 1220. The city retained a dominant position in the area until it was struck by a series of floods in the late 14th century. The same century also saw a series of civil wars, the Hook and Cod wars, concerning the succession of count William IV. Both his daughter Jacqueline and his brother John, the latter supported by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, claimed the throne. The conflict ended in 1490, with John victorious.Overall, the area of South Holland remained largely agrarian throughout the late Middle Ages. This changed around 1500, when Holland became Europe’s most urbanised area. During the Eighty Years’ War, the area of South Holland was the scene of the Capture of Brielle, the Siege of Leiden and the assassination of William the Silent.The United Netherlands declared their independence in 1581, and Holland quickly emerged as the country’s dominant province, with important trading cities such as Leiden, Delft, Gouda and Dordrecht. In 1575, the Netherlands’ first university was founded in Leiden by William the Silent. The Hague, which had originated around the castle of the counts of Holland, became its new political centre. Both the States of Holland and the States General seated in the Binnenhof. The Dutch Golden Age blossomed in the 17th century. The south of Holland, back then often referred to as the Zuiderkwartier (literally “South Quarter“), was the birthplace and residence of scientists such as Antoni van Leeuwenhoek and Christiaan Huygens, philosophers such as Baruch Spinoza and Pierre Bayle, and painters such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn and Jan Steen.

As a province

The province of South Holland as it is today has its origins in the period of French rule from 1795 to 1813. This was a time of bewildering changes to the Dutch system of provinces. In 1795, the Batavian Republic was proclaimed and the old order was swept away by a series of constitutional changes in the following years. In the Constitution enacted on 23 April 1798, the old borders were radically changed. The republic was reorganised into eight departments with roughly equal populations. The south of Holland was split up into three departments. The islands in the south were merged with Zeeland and the west of North Brabant to form the Department of the Scheldt and Meuse. The north of the area became the Department of the Delf. A small region in the east of the area became part of the Department of the Rhine, which spanned much of Gelderland and Utrecht. In 1801, the old borders were restored when the department of Holland was created. The reorganisation had been short-lived, but it gave birth to the concept of a division of Holland, creating less dominant provinces. In 1807, Holland was reorganised once again. This time, the department was split in two. The south, what would later become South Holland, was called the Department of Maasland. This also did not last long. In 1810, all the Dutch provinces were integrated into the French Empire, and Maasland was renamed Bouches-de-la-Meuse.File:Rotterdam, Laurenskerk, na bombardement van mei 1940.jpg|thumb|The centre of Rotterdam in ruins after the Rotterdam BlitzRotterdam BlitzAfter the defeat of the French in 1813, this organisation remained unchanged for a year or so. When the 1814 Constitution was introduced, most borders were restored to their situation before the French period. The north and south of Holland were reunited as the province of Holland. However, the division had not completely been undone. Since its re-establishment in 1814, Holland had always had two King’s Commissioners, one for the north and one for the south. Even though the province had been reunited, the two areas were still treated differently in some ways and the idea of dividing Holland remained alive. In 1840, it was decided to once again split Holland into North and South Holland, because the province of Holland was deemed too dominant in area, population and wealth. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, five municipalities were transferred from South Holland to Utrecht; Oudewater in 1970, Woerden in 1989, Vianen in 2002, Leerdam and Zederik in 2019.The construction of the Nieuwe Waterweg in 1863 marked the start of the growth of the Port of Rotterdam. On 14 May 1940, during the Second World War, the centre of Rotterdam was destroyed by a German bombardment. The subsequent German occupation of the Netherlands resulted in anti-Jewish measures, and many members of Dutch resistance were captured and executed on the Waalsdorpervlakte. At the same time, the Atlantikwall was constructed along the coast. After the Second World War, in 1953, the south of South Holland was heavily struck by the North Sea flood, which took the lives of 677 South Hollanders. After this, the Dutch government decided for the construction of the Delta Works, which came to an end with the completion of the Maeslantkering in 1997.

Geography

South Holland covers an area of {{convert|3308|km2|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|609|km2|abbr=on}} is water. It borders the North Sea to the west, North Holland to the north, Utrecht and Gelderland to the east, and North Brabant and Zeeland to the south. Beside the dunes along the North Sea coast, the province is almost entirely flat and mostly consists of polders. The centre of South Holland and the area along the coast in the west are largely urban, part of the Randstad conurbation, while the east of the province is more agrarian and belongs to the Groene Hart, literally Green Heart. The south of the province is a collection of islands in the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. For census reasons, South Holland is divided into five regions: Rijnmond, South, West, East, and Southwest.The Duin- en Bollenstreek is a region in the northwest of South Holland, around Katwijk, that features coastal dunes and the cultivation of flower bulbs. To the south of the region lie mostly pastures on sand soil, that form the transition to more urban area. This urban area runs along the Old Rhine, from Katwijk via Rijnsburg to Leiden and Zoeterwoude-Rijndijk. South of Leiden and north of The Hague lies an area where a landscape of dunes bordering the North Sea in the west transitions to one of peat more to the east. The easternmost tip of South Holland is part of De Biesbosch, one of the largest national parks of the Netherlands and one of the last freshwater tide areas in Europe. Other parks in South Holland, although no national parks, include Delftse Hout east of Delft,WEB,commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Delftse_Hout, Category:Delftse Hout, Wikimedia Commons, Ackerdijkse Plassen, a bird reserve north of Rotterdam,WEB,www.natuurmonumenten.nl/ackerdijkse-plassen, Ackerdijkse plassen web page in Dutch, 4 December 2013,www.natuurmonumenten.nl/ackerdijkse-plassen," title="web.archive.org/web/20131019073245www.natuurmonumenten.nl/ackerdijkse-plassen,">web.archive.org/web/20131019073245www.natuurmonumenten.nl/ackerdijkse-plassen, 19 October 2013, dead, and Buytenpark and Westerpark near Zoetermeer.WEB,www.zoetermeer.nl/sport-vrije-tijd/parken_3397/item/westerpark_27739.html,www.zoetermeer.nl/sport-vrije-tijd/parken_3397/item/westerpark_27739.html," title="web.archive.org/web/20131212061118www.zoetermeer.nl/sport-vrije-tijd/parken_3397/item/westerpark_27739.html,">web.archive.org/web/20131212061118www.zoetermeer.nl/sport-vrije-tijd/parken_3397/item/westerpark_27739.html, dead, Page in Dutch about Westerpark on site Zoetermeer municipality, 12 December 2013, The Kagerplassen are a collection of lakes north-east of Leiden, popular for boating, watersports, fishing, camping and walking.The southern part of South Holland consists of a number of islands of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. Although technically islands in the sense that they are surrounded by rivers, canals or other bodies of water, most of these islands are well connected to the rest of the province via bridges, tunnels and dams. The southern islands, most notably Goeree-Overflakkee (1 on the map), Tiengemeten (2), Hoeksche Waard (6) and Voorne-Putten (4/5), are largely agrarian, while more to the north, the islands are more urban, such as Dordrecht (7), IJsselmonde (9) and Rozenburg (10), while other islands, like Rozenburg (10), are mostly used for petrochemical industry. Together, these cities form the Rijnmond conurbation, centred on the city of Rotterdam. Together with Haaglanden (centred on The Hague) and Delfland (centred on Delft) in the north, and the Drechtsteden to the south-east, this conurbation in turn forms the South Wing of the Randstad conurbation, which spans across South Holland, North Holland and Utrecht.Other regions in South Holland include Alblasserwaard, Gouwestreek (“The Gouwe Area“), Hoeksche Waard, Krimpenerwaard, Rijnland (“Rhineland“), Rijnstreek (“The Rhine Area“), Vijfheerenlanden and Westland (roughly including Hook of Holland and the municipalities of Westland and Midden-Delfland).RMSDeltaNorth.jpg|A satellite image of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta, showing the islands of South HollandSouth Holland by Sentinel-2, 2018-06-30.jpg|A satellite image of South Holland2013-Top33-P08-Zuid-Holland.jpg|A topographic map of South Holland as of 2013

Climate

Like the rest of the Netherlands, South Holland experiences a temperate oceanic climate, a Cfb-class according to the Köppen climate classification. The climate is influenced by the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, which results in relatively cooler summers and milder winters. Rain showers are common in the fall and winter seasons. Because of the flat surface, wind storms are also not uncommon in the winter. Although rain occurs all year long, the first six months of the year are relatively dry. Eastern winds can result in temporary continental climate conditions with relatively warm and dry summers and cold and stormy winters. The temperature varies between the 2 Â°C and 6 Â°C in the winter and 17 Â°C and 20 Â°C in the summer.{{Weather box|location = Rotterdam The Hague Airport|metric first = Yes|single line = Yes| Jan record high C = 14.1| Feb record high C = 16.7| Mar record high C = 21.2| Apr record high C = 26.7| May record high C = 30.5| Jun record high C = 32.8| Jul record high C = 33.1| Aug record high C = 34.9| Sep record high C = 29.0| Oct record high C = 24.8| Nov record high C = 18.3| Dec record high C = 15.1|year record high C = 34.9| Jan high C = 6.0| Feb high C = 6.6| Mar high C = 9.9| Apr high C = 13.5| May high C = 17.5| Jun high C = 19.9| Jul high C = 22.2| Aug high C = 22.1| Sep high C = 18.9| Oct high C = 14.7| Nov high C = 9.9| Dec high C = 6.6|year high C = 14.0| Jan mean C = 3.6| Feb mean C = 3.7| Mar mean C = 6.4| Apr mean C = 9.1| May mean C = 12.9| Jun mean C = 15.5| Jul mean C = 17.8| Aug mean C = 17.6| Sep mean C = 14.8| Oct mean C = 11.2| Nov mean C = 7.3| Dec mean C = 4.2|year mean C = 10.4| Jan low C = 0.8| Feb low C = 0.5| Mar low C = 2.6| Apr low C = 4.3| May low C = 7.8| Jun low C = 10.6| Jul low C = 13.1| Aug low C = 12.8| Sep low C = 10.6| Oct low C = 7.5| Nov low C = 4.2| Dec low C = 1.4|year low C = 6.4| Jan record low C = -17.1| Feb record low C = -13.8| Mar record low C = -11.4| Apr record low C = -6.0| May record low C = -1.4| Jun record low C = 0.5| Jul record low C = 3.6| Aug record low C = 4.6| Sep record low C = 0.4| Oct record low C = -5.1| Nov record low C = -7.5| Dec record low C = -13.3|year record low C = -17.1|precipitation colour = green| Jan precipitation mm = 69.4| Feb precipitation mm = 57.9| Mar precipitation mm = 64.9| Apr precipitation mm = 42.6| May precipitation mm = 58.3| Jun precipitation mm = 65.2| Jul precipitation mm = 74.0| Aug precipitation mm = 81.0| Sep precipitation mm = 87.1| Oct precipitation mm = 90.1| Nov precipitation mm = 87.1| Dec precipitation mm = 78.3|year precipitation mm = 855.6|unit precipitation days = 1 mm| Jan precipitation days = 12| Feb precipitation days = 10| Mar precipitation days = 12| Apr precipitation days = 9| May precipitation days = 9| Jun precipitation days = 10| Jul precipitation days = 10| Aug precipitation days = 10| Sep precipitation days = 12| Oct precipitation days = 12| Nov precipitation days = 13| Dec precipitation days = 13|year precipitation days = 131| Jan snow days = 6| Feb snow days = 5| Mar snow days = 4| Apr snow days = 2| May snow days = 0| Jun snow days = 0| Jul snow days = 0| Aug snow days = 0| Sep snow days = 0| Oct snow days = 0| Nov snow days = 2| Dec snow days = 4|year snow days = 22|Jan humidity = 88|Feb humidity = 85|Mar humidity = 83|Apr humidity = 78|May humidity = 77|Jun humidity = 79|Jul humidity = 79|Aug humidity = 80|Sep humidity = 84|Oct humidity = 86|Nov humidity = 89|Dec humidity = 89| Jan sun = 62.5| Feb sun = 83.8| Mar sun = 124.0| Apr sun = 174.9| May sun = 213.9| Jun sun = 203.6| Jul sun = 213.1| Aug sun = 196.6| Sep sun = 137.6| Oct sun = 106.9| Nov sun = 60.4| Dec sun = 46.7|year sun = 1623.8|source 1 = Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (1981–2010 normals, snowy days normals for 1971–2000)WEB , |source 2 = Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (1971–2000 extremes)WEB , {{dead link|date=April 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}}

Municipalities

South Holland is divided into 50 municipalities.{{colbegin}}

• Leiden & Bollenstreek COROP group
  • Hillegom
  • Kaag en Braassem
  • Katwijk
  • Leiden
  • Leiderdorp
  • Lisse
  • Noordwijk
  • Oegstgeest
  • Teylingen
  • Voorschoten
  • Zoeterwoude
• The Hague COROP group
  • The Hague
  • Leidschendam-Voorburg
  • Pijnacker-Nootdorp
  • Rijswijk
  • Wassenaar
  • Zoetermeer
• Delft & Westland COROP group
  • Delft
  • Midden-Delfland
  • Westland
• East South Holland COROP group
  • Alphen aan den Rijn
  • Bodegraven-Reeuwijk
  • Gouda
  • Krimpenerwaard
  • Nieuwkoop
  • Waddinxveen
• Rijnmond COROP group
  • Albrandswaard
  • Barendrecht
  • Capelle aan den IJssel
  • Goeree-Overflakkee
  • Hoeksche Waard
  • Krimpen aan den IJssel
  • Lansingerland
  • Maassluis
  • Nissewaard
  • Ridderkerk
  • Rotterdam
  • Schiedam
  • Vlaardingen
  • Voorne aan Zee
  • Zuidplas
• South East South Holland COROP group
  • Alblasserdam
  • Dordrecht
  • Gorinchem
  • Hardinxveld-Giessendam
  • Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht
  • Molenlanden
  • Papendrecht
  • Sliedrecht
  • Zwijndrecht

{{colend}}

Economy

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the region was 163.8 billion € in 2018. This contributes to the gross domestic product of the Netherlands by 21.2%. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 38,700 € or 128% of the EU27 average in the same year.WEB,ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/10474907/1-05032020-AP-EN.pdf/81807e19-e4c8-2e53-c98a-933f5bf30f58, Regional GDP per capita ranged from 30% to 263% of the EU average in 2018, Eurostat, South Holland’s labour force amounts to 1,661,000 people; 47.1% of the total population. The unemployment rate is 6.1% in 2013.WEB,www.ing.nl/Images/ING-Regios-in-economisch-perspectief-2013-december2012_tcm7-125821.pdf?id=20140410063759, Regio’s in economisch perspectief 2013, 30 November 2012, PDF, 15 April 2014, nl, 16 April 2014,www.ing.nl/Images/ING-Regios-in-economisch-perspectief-2013-december2012_tcm7-125821.pdf?id=20140410063759," title="web.archive.org/web/20140416182240www.ing.nl/Images/ING-Regios-in-economisch-perspectief-2013-december2012_tcm7-125821.pdf?id=20140410063759,">web.archive.org/web/20140416182240www.ing.nl/Images/ING-Regios-in-economisch-perspectief-2013-december2012_tcm7-125821.pdf?id=20140410063759, dead, The main sectors of economical activity in this province are among others:

• Horticulture is an important sector in South Holland. The province is home to around 2550 glasshouse companies, approximately half of the Netherlands’ total.WEB,www.nu.nl/economie/2939691/leegstand-van-kassen-in-westland-dreigt.html, Leegstand van kassen in Westland dreigt, Nu.nl, 22 October 2012, 29 April 2014, nl, Specifically the Westland is well known for its intensive horticulture. The glasshouses in this region cover an area of {{convert|2750|ha|sqmi}},WEB,economie.rabobank.com/PageFiles/3590/De%20Kracht%20van%20het%20Westland%202008.pdf, De Kracht van het Westland, 2008, 29 April 2014, nl,web.archive.org/web/20140429191219/https://economie.rabobank.com/PageFiles/3590/De%20Kracht%20van%20het%20Westland%202008.pdf, 29 April 2014, dead, making it the world’s largest contiguous greenhouse area.WEB,www.gemeentewestland.nl/ondernemen/glastuinbouw, GLASTUINBOUW, Westland.nl, 22 October 2012, 29 April 2014, nl,
• Flower bulb cultivation;
• Port of Rotterdam;
• Petrochemical industry, particularly near Rotterdam neighbourhood Pernis; (Shell’s refinery there is the largest oil refinery in Europe, and one of the largest in the world);
• The service-oriented economy of The Hague, where many jobs are offered by the national government (of which the main administrative parts are settled in this town), international institutions and headquarters of several large international businesses;
• Tourism-related activities (among others in historic places like Delft, and several seaside resorts);
• Commercial fishing; main South Holland fishing places are Katwijk and Scheveningen;
• Stockbreeding, of which in this province dairy industry is the main sector.

File:Waalhaven in Rotterdam 2016.jpg|Waalhaven in the Port of RotterdamFile:Tulip fields Lisse (13983881641).jpg|Flower fields near LisseFile:Bollenvelden bij De Zilk.ogv|Drone footage of flower fields near De Zilk

Religion

{{Expand section|date=July 2021|small=no}}{{Pie chart|thumb = right|caption = Religion in South Holland (2015)Helft Nederlanders is kerkelijk of religieus, CBS, 22 December 2016|label1 = Not religious|value1 = 52.2|color1 = Gray|label2 = Protestant Church in the Netherlands|value2 = 18.2|color2 = DodgerBlueCatholic Church>Catholicism|value3 = 14.5|color3 = DarkOrchid|label4 = Islam|value4 = 7.5|color4 = Green|color5 = Orange|label5 = Hinduism|value5 = 1.8|label6 = Other|value6 = 5.7|color6 = Turquoise}}In 2015, 18.2% of the population belonged to the Protestant Church in the Netherlands while 14.5% were Roman Catholic, 7.5% Muslim and 7.5% belonged to other churches or faiths. Over half (52.2%) of the population identified as non-religious.

Notable residents

Among the well-known scientists originating from South Holland are:

• Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695), mathematician, physicist, astronomer and inventor
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), father of microbiology and developer of the microscope
• Desiderius Erasmus, philosopher and humanist.

As far as art examined, several famous painters originate from this province; such as:

• Rembrandt, (Leiden)
• Jan Steen, (Leiden)
• Johannes Vermeer, (Delft)

See also

• List of cities, towns and villages in South Holland
• Politics of South Holland
• Zijl

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category|South Holland}}{{Wikivoyage|South Holland}}

• Province of South Holland website (in Dutch)
• www.zuid-holland.nl/foreign-visitors.htm" title="web.archive.org/web/20080407013835www.zuid-holland.nl/foreign-visitors.htm">English home page on Province of South Holland website (limited info in English)
• Deltaworks Online Website on flood protection in South Holland river delta

{{South Holland Province}}{{Provinces of the Netherlands}}{{Authority control}}