Zuiderzee

Originally the Zuiderzee was a bay in the North Sea. After it was cut off by the Afsluitdijk in 1932 its name was changed to the IJsselmeer. The plan was to reclaim some of the land for industry and agriculture and for use as residential areas. Some of the polders, as the reclaimed areas are called, are already in use: the Wieringermeer polder, covering 20,000 hectares (49,420 acres) was reclaimed as early as 1930; the Noordoostpolder (1942) covers 48,000 hectares (118,608 acres), and the reclamation of the East Flevoland polder (54,000 hectares/133,434 acres) and the South Flevoland polder (43,000 hectares/106,253 acres) was completed in 1957 and 1968 respectively. Lelystad in East Flevoland is to become a residential and industrial center of national importance. There are plans to build the towns of Almere and Zeewolde in South Flevoland. The primary objective of these polders and of the Markerwaard which has yet to be reclaimed is to reduce the pressure of population on the surrounding conurbations. They will be residential, employment and recreational areas. The remaining lakes around the edges are becoming the sites of swimming pools, camp-sites and marinas. Last but not least, the polders enable important lines of communication to be set up - for example, between the provinces of North Holland and Friesland. Visitors who are interested in the land-reclamation project should visit the Enkhuizen Zuidersee Museum. A permanent exhibition about the land reclamation process is housed in a display building near the harbor.