Meppel
Meppel (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈmɛpəl] ⓘ; Drents: Möppelt) is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It constitutes the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe. Meppel is the smallest municipality in Drenthe, with a total area of about 57 km2 (22 sq mi). As of 1 July 2021, it had a population of 34,506 with over 30,000 inhabitants within city limits. People born in Meppel are occasionally referred to as Meppeler Muggen in Dutch;[5] this translates as 'mosquitoes from Meppel'. The nickname comes from a traditional folk tale. The people of Meppel thought the church tower was on fire, but after closer inspection, they realised it was only a swarm of mosquitoes.[6] HistoryMeppel developed in the 16th century as an inland harbour for peat transport and distribution.[citation needed] There used to be a lot of waterways in the town, but now only one remains. Meppel received city rights in 1644. On 1 October 1867, Meppel railway station opened to service, drastically improving connectivity in the region. On 1 January 1998, the municipality of Nijeveen, northwest of Meppel, was merged with that of Meppel, retaining the latter name. GeographyMeppel is located at 52°42′N 6°11′E / 52.700°N 6.183°E in the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe in the northeastern part of the Netherlands. The Meppelerdiep, the Drentsche Hoofdvaart and the Hoogeveense Vaart connect Meppel to Zwartsluis, Assen and Hoogeveen. To offload professional transport vessels the Omgelegde Hoogeveense Vaart was dug out south of the city. The Meppelerdiep is accessible for boats with a size of 2,000 ton. The streams Reest and Wold Aa run through the city. The Reest end in the Meppeler Diep. The population centres in the municipality are: TransportationMeppel is served by national and regional train connections with Zwolle to the southwest, which leads to the rest of the country, as well as Leeuwarden and Groningen to the northwest and northeast respectively. The city's station is located on both the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway (Staatslijn A) and Meppel–Groningen railway (Staatslijn C). There are regular and frequent bus lines within Meppel and towards Zwolle, Hoogeveen and Assen.[citation needed] Twin towns – sister cities
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