| Vaals | |||
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| — Municipality — | |||
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| Coordinates: 50°46′N 6°01′E / 50.767°N 6.017°E | |||
| Country | Netherlands | ||
| Province | Limburg (Netherlands) | ||
| Area (2006) | |||
| - Total | 23.90 km2 (9.2 sq mi) | ||
| - Land | 23.89 km2 (9.2 sq mi) | ||
| - Water | 0.01 km2 (0 sq mi) | ||
| Population (1 January, 2007) | |||
| - Total | 9,952 | ||
| - Density | 417/km2 (1,080/sq mi) | ||
| Source: CBS, Statline. | |||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
| - Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) | ||
Vaals (
pronunciation (help·info)) is a town in the extreme southeastern part of the Dutch province of Limburg, which in its turn finds itself in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.
The municipality covers an area of 23.90 km² in the foothills of the Ardennes-Eifelrange and is located about 23 km east of Maastricht and 5 km west of the city centre of Aachen.
It borders on both Belgium and Germany. The three borders meet on the Drielandenpunt, a few meters from the highest point of the Netherlands, the Vaalserberg.
The municipality of Vaals also includes the following towns, villages and townships: Camerig, Cottessen, Harles, Holset, Lemiers, Mamelis, Melleschet, Raren, Rott, Vijlen, Wolfhaag.
Vaals is the place in the Netherlands with the highest portion of German inhabitants (26%). With the last local elections on 7 March 2006 Georg Goetz, a German citizen with the Burgerbelang party, was elected into the local council (15 seats). A first in the history of the Netherlands. Since then he left the Burgerbelang party because of differences concerning their view on a planned road. Vaals is now governed by a coalition from CDA (5), Burgerbelang (3) and PvdA (3).
Tourism is regarded as the main source of income for Vaals. The neighbouring coal industry and textile industry were to a large extent lost starting from the 60's. Most inhabitants commute today to the larger neighbouring cities of Heerlen, Kerkrade and Maastricht as well as to Aachen and surroundings. A sixth of the population is classified as poor in the current national poverty monitor of the Netherlands.
Its occupation in ancient Roman times is recorded by its name itself which comes from Latin 'Vallis' - in the valley. It is one of the few places in the Netherlands with a name deriving from Latin. In Roman times, the south of the Dutch province of Limburg was a densely populated part of the Roman empire, with its regional focus on Cologne (Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium), for a while even capital of the Western Roman Empire.
Notable people
- Ronald Waterreus (from Lemiers), goalkeeper for the MLS side Red Bull New York
- John Bröcheler (from Vaals), an opera singer with performances all over the world
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vaals |
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Coordinates: 50°46′N 6°01′E / 50.767°N 6.017°E
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