Almere

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Almere
The skyline of Almere
Flag Coat of arms
Location of Almere in Flevoland and the Netherlands
Coordinates: 52°22′N 5°13′E / 52.367°N 5.217°E / 52.367; 5.217Coordinates: 52°22′N 5°13′E / 52.367°N 5.217°E / 52.367; 5.217
Country	Netherlands
Province	Flevoland
Government
• Mayor	Annemarie Jorritsma (VVD)
Area
• Total	248.77 km2 (96.05 sq mi)
• Land	130.47 km2 (50.37 sq mi)
• Water	118.29 km2 (45.67 sq mi)
Population (May 2011)
• Total	191,495
• Density	1,369/km2 (3,550/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Website	www.almere.nl

Almere (Dutch pronunciation: [ɑɫ.ˈmɪː.rə] ( listen)) is a planned city and municipality in the province of Flevoland, the Netherlands, bordering Lelystad and Zeewolde. The municipality of Almere comprises the districts Almere Stad, Almere Haven, Almere Buiten, Almere Hout, Almere Poort (under construction) and Almere Pampus (design phase).

Almere is the youngest city in the Netherlands: the first house was finished in 1976, and Almere became a municipality in 1984. It is the largest municipality in Flevoland with 191,495 citizens (9 May 2011),^[1] and the 7th largest in the Netherlands.^[2] In October 2007, the city council of Almere made agreements with the government to expand the city to 350,000 inhabitants by 2030.^[3]

History

The original plans for the IJsselmeerpolders saw the land being used for agriculture. However, after World War II housing was needed for the rapidly growing population of Amsterdam and two towns were planned in the polders Oostelijk Flevoland and Zuidelijk Flevoland. The town in Oostelijk Flevoland became Lelystad. The town in Zuidelijk Flevoland was still called Zuidweststad (English: South West City) on the first sketches, but in the 1970s it became called Almere, named after the early medieval name of the Zuiderzee. The first house in Almere was finished in 1976. At that time the town was still controlled by the Openbaar Lichaam Zuidelijke IJsselmeerpolders (Z.IJ.P.), with a Landdrost. In 1984 Almere became an official municipality. Originally, Almere was envisioned as a town with multiple centres. This idea was later abandoned in favor of allowing neighbourhoods like Tussen de Vaarten to be built. There is also a difference between the way houses are built in the oldest and the newest parts of the city. The housing plan in Almere in the 1970s was basic functionality and a levelling of social status. However, starting in the 1990s more exclusive homes with striking designs were built (e.g., in the Regenboogbuurt).

Governance

Local executive

Former minister Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink (VVD) has been the mayor of Almere since 16 August 2003. On 20 May 2010 the new council was inaugurated. The populist Party for Freedom had won the most seats in the local elections, which was both national and international news due to the controversial statements of its leader Geert Wilders. Even though the largest party they didn't take part in the local administration.

• Adri Duivesteijn (PvdA)
• Ineke Smidt (PvdA)
• Arno Visser (VVD)
• Ben Scholten (VVD)
• René Peeters (D66)
• Berdien Steunenberg (CDA/CU)

List of mayors:

• 1984 - 1986 Han Lammers (PvdA)
• 1986 - 1993 Cees de Cloe (PvdA)
• 1993 - 1994 Cees Roozemond (PvdA, supervisor)
• 1994 - 1998 Ralph Pans (PvdA)
• 1998 - 2003 Hans Ouwerkerk (PvdA)
• 2003 - 2003 Jaap van der Doef (PvdA, supervisor)
• 2003–present Annemarie Jorritsma-Lebbink (VVD)

City council

The first local council was installed on 2 January 1984 in the presence of the then minister of the Interior Koos Rietkerk. The council elections took place on 21 September 1983. Prior to 1984 Almere had an Adviesraad, which was chosen every 2 years (1978–1980, 1980–1982, 1982–1984). This Adviesraad was made up of different political parties similar to a local council. On 11 March 1977 the first adviescommissie was elected. It consisted of 5 people that were chosen on personal title. Since 1998, the council of Almere has a total of 39 members.

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Almere maintains international relations with the following twin cities:^[4][5]

• Aalborg, Denmark
• České Budějovice, Czech Republic
• Dmitrov, Russia
• Yaroslavl, Russia^{[citation needed]}
• Haapsalu, Estonia^{[citation needed]}
• Kumasi, Ghana
• Port Sudan, Sudan(1986)
• Lancaster, United Kingdom
• Milton Keynes, United Kingdom
• Rendsburg, Germany
• Växjö, Sweden
• Tainan City, Taiwan (2009)

Geography

Satellite image of Southern and Eastern Flevoland.

Map of Almere.

Topographic map image of Almere (2011).

Almere is located in the polder of Southern Flevoland (Dutch: Zuidelijk Flevoland). It is the most western municipality of the province Flevoland. It borders with Lake Marken in the west and north, Lelystad in the northeast, Zeewolde in the east, and Lake Gooi in the south.

Almere consists of six districts (Dutch: stadsdelen), three of which are under construction.^[6]

Name	Year[7]	Location
Almere Haven	1976
Almere Stad	1980
Almere Buiten	1984
Almere Hout	1991
Almere Poort	2000
Almere Pampus	-

Demography

Transport

Theater "Schouwburg Almere"

The traffic infrastructure in Almere is recognisable because of its separate infrastructure for cycles (which have separate cycle paths), cars and buses (In Almere the buses drive on a separate bus lane). Almere is connected to the motorways the A6 and the A27.

Railway

In 1987 Almere was connected to the national railway system (see NS) in 1988 with the fully completed Flevolijn which connected Weesp to Lelystad Centrum. Almere currently has five railway stations:

• Almere Muziekwijk (opened in 1987)
• Almere Centrum (opened in 1987)
• Almere Parkwijk (opened in 1996)
• Almere Buiten (opened in 1987)
• Almere Oostvaarders (opened in 2004).

A sixth station for Almere Poort will open in 2012.
For now a temporary station at Almere Strand is usually set up for certain events, such as Libelle Zomerweek, It will close once Almere Poort opens.

Public buses

In Almere there are 10 bus lines which service the urban area:

• 1 Almere Buiten Stripheldenbuurt-Almere Haven De Marken
• 2 CS Almere-Almere Poort TK Station
• 3 Almere de Vaart-Almere Haven Centrun
• 4 CS Almere-Almere Poort Columbuskwartier
• 5 Almere Oostvaarders-Almere Muziekwijk
• 6 Noorderplassen-CS Almere-Almere Parkwijk
• 7 CS Almere-Almere Sallandsekant
• 10 Almere Buiten-Almere Stad Gooisekant

Most buses run about every 7 minutes. The bus company that runs the buses is called Connexxion and the name of the local bus system is called Maxx Almere owned by Connexxion. In the buses one can use the national transportation chipcard (smart card), subscriptions or one can buy bus tickets of Maxx Almere.

Besides the local bus lines there are regional bus lines to Bussum, Hilversum, Zeewolde, Harderwijk, Amsterdam Amstel and Amsterdam Bijlmer

In addition to the regional bus lines, there are also spitsbussen (buses that only run during rush hours) to Amsterdam and Schiphol.

In April 2012 a new bus line to Utrecht was put in place. connecting Almere directly with the University-area of Utrecht called De Uithof (like done in the past by former bus line 155).

Notable Natives

• Ali B (16 October 1981) Rapper, Show Host Presenter, Music label
• Danny Holla (31 December 1987), Soccer Player
• Hedwiges Maduro (14 February 1985), Soccer Player
• Yfke Sturm (19 November 1981), International topmodel
• Danny Masseling A.K.A. DJ Angerfist
• Jörgen Raymann TV host
• Quinty Trustfull TV host

References

Notes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Almere

• (Dutch) Gemeente Almere (official website)
• Gemeente Almere (English language section of the official website)
• Free foundation with a critical view about Almere
• (Dutch) Geheugen van Almere (people's stories about Almere)
• Oldest location in Almere

v t e    Municipalities of Flevoland Almere Dronten Lelystad Noordoostpolder Urk Zeewolde See also Netherlands Provinces Municipalities