Baarle-Nassau

Baarle-Nassau
Municipality
Baarle-Nassau town hall
Flag Coat of arms
Location in North Brabant
Coordinates: 51°27′N 4°56′E / 51.450°N 4.933°ECoordinates: 51°27′N 4°56′E / 51.450°N 4.933°E
Country	Netherlands
Province	North Brabant
Government[1]
• Body	Municipal council
• Mayor	Marjon de Hoon-Veelenturf (CDA)
Area[2]
• Total	76.21 km^2 (29.42 sq mi)
• Land	76.16 km^2 (29.41 sq mi)
• Water	0.05 km^2 (0.02 sq mi)
Elevation[3]	28 m (92 ft)
Population (May 2014)[4]
• Total	6,626
• Density	87/km^2 (230/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postcode	5110–5114
Area code	013
Website	www.baarle-nassau.nl

Border between Netherlands and Belgium in Baarle-Nassau.

Baarle-Nassau ( pronunciation ) is a municipality and a town in the southern Netherlands, located in North Brabant province. It had a population of 6,626 in 2014.

Geography

Topography

Topographic map of the municipality of Baarle-Nassau, June 2015.

The border with Baarle-Hertog, Belgium

It is closely linked, with complicated borders, to the Belgian exclaves of Baarle-Hertog.^[5] Baarle-Hertog consists of 26 separate pieces of land. Apart from the main piece (called Zondereigen) located north of the Belgian town of Merksplas, there are 22 Belgian exclaves in the Netherlands and three other pieces on the Dutch-Belgian border. There are also six Dutch exclaves located within the largest Belgian exclave, one within the second-largest, and an eighth within Zondereigen. The smallest Belgian parcel, H22, measures 2,632 square metres (about 28,330 square feet).

The border's complexity results from a number of equally complex medieval treaties, agreements, land-swaps and sales between the Lords of Breda and the Dukes of Brabant. Generally speaking, predominantly agricultural or built environments became constituents of Brabant, other parts devolved to Breda. These distributions were ratified and clarified as a part of the borderline settlements arrived at during the Treaty of Maastricht in 1843.

For clarification and the interest of tourists, the border is made visible on all streets with iron pins. This way it is always clear whether one is in Belgium (Baarle-Hertog) or in The Netherlands (Baarle-Nassau). This is also visible on the house numbers: the style of house numbers is different in both countries and often one will find the Dutch or Belgian flag next to the number.

The border between Belgium and the Netherlands at Baarle-Nassau

Localities

• Baarle-Nassau (population: 5,330)
• Ulicoten (1,110)
• Castelré (140)

List of enclaves

Serial No. and Local Name [6]	Area (ha)	Notes
N1, De Loversche Akkers – De Tommelsche Akkers	5.3667	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; contains a mix of dwellings and farmland; boundary of N1 and H1 runs through one building
N2, De Tommelsche Akkers	1.3751	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; contains 8 dwellings
N3, De Tommelsche Akkers	0.2863	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; boundary of N3 and H1 bisects the loading dock of a liquor store
N4, De Rethsche Akkers	1.2324	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; boundary of N4 and H1 runs through a warehouse, with vacant Dutch land to the rear of the warehouse
N5, De Rethsche Akkers	1.9212	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; boundary of N5 and H1 runs through a furniture showroom, a shed and a barn
N6, Gierle Straat	1.4527	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian exclave, H1, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; consists of farmland with two buildings
N7, De Kastelein	0.5812	Counter-enclave surrounded by Belgian Oordeel exclave, H8, in Baarle-Hertog; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; occupies part of a field
N8, Vossenberg	2.8528	Farmland enclave situated within Zondereigen, Belgium, less than 50 meters south of the Dutch border; part of Baarle-Nassau Commune.

Serial No. and Local Name [6]	Area (ha)	Notes
H1, Aen het Klooster Straetje - Hoofdbraek - Loveren - De Boschcovensche Akkers - De Loversche Akkers - De Tommelsche Akkers - De Tommel - De Gierle Straat - De Reth - De Rethsche Akkers - Het Dorp - De Kapel Akkers - De Kastelein	153.6448	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; forms a quadripoint with enclave H2; largest Belgian exclave encompasses six Dutch enclaves; consists of dwellings for the most part with outlying farmland and an industrial area; boundary runs through numerous buildings; contains a portion of the former Turnhout-Tilburg rail line, now a cyclepath
H2, De Rethsche Akkers	2.4116	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland with a single point of connection (quadripoint) between enclaves H1 and H2 in the middle of a corn field
H3, De Rethsche Akkers	0.3428	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; occupies part of a field; boundary runs through a shed in one instance
H4, De Rethsche Akkers	1.476	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland; boundary runs through a house and three sheds
H5, De Kapel Akkers	0.9245	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland with a dwelling
H6, Hoofdbraek	1.7461	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; has mixed land usage; boundary runs through a warehouse/factory
H7, De Loversche Akkers	0.2469	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through two dwellings, including the middle of one front door (giving it two house numbers: Loveren 2, Baarle-Hertog / Loveren 19, Baarle-Nassau)
H8, Boschcoven - De Kastelein - De Oordelsche Straat	41.8781	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; second largest Belgian exclave, contains a mix of dwellings and farmland; boundary runs through a barn, a dwelling and two businesses
H9, De Kapel Akkers	0.4005	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through a printing factory/warehouse in an industrial area
H10, De Oordelsche Straat	0.65	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H11, De Oordelsche Straat	0.93	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H12, Boschcoven	0.2822	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H13, Boschcoven	1.5346	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through about 20 dwellings
H14, Boschcoven	0.7193	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through about 13 dwellings
H15, Boschcoven	1.7211	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through about 16 dwellings
H16, Keizershoek - Oordelsche Straat	4.4252	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; boundary runs through a house and three sheds, with three turning points inside just one shed
H17, Moleriet Heide	14.9248	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; rural area contains a portion of the former Turnhout-Tilburg rail line, now a cyclepath
H18, De Manke Gooren	2.9247	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H19, De Peruiters	0.6851	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of several ponds and a field
H20, Wurstenbosch - Vossenberg	1.1681	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H21, Baelbrugsche Beemden	1.1845	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; consists of farmland
H22, De Wit Hagen	0.2632	Surrounded by Baarle-Nassau Commune, Netherlands, south of the village of Ulicoten; part of Baarle-Hertog Commune; occupies part of a field; nationality was contested from the 1830s until 1995 (remained unallocated to either country in boundary treaty of 26 April 1974)

References

1. "Braam V.T.M." (in Dutch). Gemeente Baarle-Nassau. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
2. "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.
3. "Postcodetool for 5111CC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
4. "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
5. Map, pictures and infos on "Fronterasblog" (Spanish)
6. Whyte, Brendan (2004). "En Territoire Belge et à Quarante Centimètres de la Frontière" An historical and documentary study of the Belgian and Dutch enclaves of Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau. The University of Melbourne, School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies. ISBN 0-7340-3032-0.

External links

• Official Web site Baarle-Nassau (Dutch)
• Official Web site Baarle-Hertog (Dutch)
• The Baarle Enclaves outlined with Maps
• Photograph of H-22, the smallest enclave of B.-Hertog
• Baarle-Nassau / Baarle-Hertog (with maps)
• Photos from Baarle-Nassau/Hertog
• English Website about the Baarle Enclaves / with maps [Dead link]
• Dutch pages about Baarle-Hertog and Baarle-Nassau / with maps
• Page with various pictures of border curiosities in the town