Flevopolder

Flevopolder is a large reclaimed polder in the province of Flevoland in the central Netherlands, created as part of the 20th-century Zuiderzee Works. It is one of the largest continuous areas of reclaimed land in the world, covering roughly 970 square kilometres.

The polder contains major new towns and planned urban developments, extensive agricultural areas and notable nature reserves. Visitors and residents make use of extensive cycling routes, open flat landscapes and birdwatching sites such as the Oostvaardersplassen wetland.

Reclamation and drainage of Flevopolder took place during the mid-20th century under the Dutch Zuiderzee Works, transforming former shallow sea into agricultural and urban land. The planning aimed to combine settlement, farming and nature development on newly reclaimed territory.

Flevopolder lies in the IJsselmeer basin in central Netherlands and forms the main landmass of the province of Flevoland. It sits between the mainland provinces and the former Zuiderzee, with Almere and Lelystad as the principal towns located on the polder.

• Scale: Covers roughly 970 square kilometres and is widely described as the largest artificial island in the world by area.
• Creation: Created as part of the 20th-century Zuiderzee Works, with deliberate planning for agriculture, towns and nature areas.

What to See #

• Almere and Lelystad: The Netherlands' largest new towns, built on reclaimed land and serving as the main urban centres on the polder.
• Oostvaardersplassen: A large wetland and nature reserve created within the polder that is important for breeding and migratory birds and for wetland ecology.
• Polder landscape: An extensive area of agricultural and planned urban land laid out on a rectilinear grid typical of Dutch polders, used for farming, industry and housing.