The Municipality of Dantumadeel (NL)


The Municipality of Dantumadeel (almost 20,000 inhabitants; local government offices at Damwoude) is situated in the north-east of the Province of Fryslân, in the north of The Netherlands. It is a typical rural municipality with three main villages:

• Damwoude (5,800)
• Veenwouden/Veenwoudsterwal (3,800)
• Zwaagwesteinde (5,100)

and seven smaller villages:

• Broeksterwoude (1,300)
• De Valom (250)
• Driesum (900)
• Rinsumageest (1,180)
• Roodkerk (200)
• Sijbrandahuis (60)
• Wouterswoude (1,100)

(The number between brackets is the number of inhabitants.)



The landscape of the Municipality of Dantumadeel is partly characterised by the closed and 'smûke' (cosy) nature of the Frisian 'Woudstreek', higher Pleistocene sands, arising beyond the direct influence of the sea. A second area is open, wide and watery, below the NAP (Normaal Amsterdams Peil = Normal Amsterdam Water Level) and parts are being preserved as a wetland reserve. One of the most important industries is agriculture, especially cattle breeding.