Zierikzee is the chief place on the island of Schouwen-Duiveland in the Rhine-Maas delta, which consists of six communes.
The island's main tourist attractions are Zierikzee's yacht harbor, its picturesque old town center and the beautiful sandy beaches fringed by wooded dunes up to 38m/125ft high at the west end of the island.
The main
sources of income are the thriving tourist trade and agriculture. The principal crops grown on the island's fertile fenland soil are grain, root crops, flax and vegetables, much of the produce being processed by Zierikzee's foodstuffs industries. The town's real economic development began when traffic links were installed between the island and the mainland, in accordance with the Delta Plan. The opening of the 5km/3mile long Zeelandbrug (Zealand Bridge) in 1966 brought Schouwen- Duiveland closer to Noord-Beveland and the mainland, and it was also linked with neighboring islands by the construction of dams.