Achtkarspelen
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Achtkarspelen | |
|---|---|
 Road into Surhuizum | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
 Location in Friesland | |
| Coordinates: 53°15′N 6°9′E / 53.250°N 6.150°E | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Province | Friesland |
| Government | |
| • Body | Municipal council |
| • Mayor | Jouke Douwe de Vries[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 103.98 km2 (40.15 sq mi) |
| • Land | 102.23 km2 (39.47 sq mi) |
| • Water | 1.75 km2 (0.68 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2 m (6.6 ft) |
| Population (January 2021)[4] | |
• Total | 27,900 |
| • Density | 273/km2 (710/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postcode | Parts of 9000 range |
| Area code | 0511, 0512 |
| Website | www |
Achtkarspelen (Dutch pronunciation: [ɑxtˈkɑrspələ(n)] ⓘ) is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, it had a population of 27,900.
The name Achtkarspelen, literally meaning "eight parishes", is derived from the original eight parishes within the grietenij, namely: Augustinusga, Buitenpost (the capital), Drogeham, De Kooten, Kortwoude, Lutkepost, Surhuizum and Twijzel. Achtkarspelen held a separate status within Friesland for many years. In the Middle Ages Achtkarspelen fell under the Bishopric of Münster, meanwhile the rest of Friesland was a part of the Bishopric of Utrecht.
The grietenij Achtkarspelen became a municipality in 1851 as a result of the Municipality Act of Minister of the Interior Johan Rudolph Thorbecke.
Population centres
The administrative centre in the municipality is Buitenpost.
| Dutch name | West Frisian name | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Augustinusga | Stynsgea | 1332 |
| Boelenslaan | Boelensloane | 1145 |
| Buitenpost | Bûtenpost | 5785 |
| Drogeham | Droegeham | 1751 |
| Gerkesklooster-Stroobos | Gerkeskleaster-Strobos | 1140 |
| Harkema | De Harkema | 4235 |
| Kootstertille | Koatstertille | 2595 |
| Surhuisterveen | Surhústerfean | 5810 |
| Surhuizum | Surhuzem | 1371 |
| Twijzel | Twizel | 1093 |
| Twijzelerheide | Twizelerheide | 1889 |
Notable people
- Derk Holman (1916 in Buitenpost – 1982 in Groningen) sculptor and ceramist
- Louw de Graaf (1930 in Kootstertille – 2020) politician and trade union leader.
- Gerriet Postma (1932 in Twijzelerheide – 2009) painter
- Johannes Lützen Bouma (1934 in Twijzelerheide – 2025) economist and academic
- David Porcelijn (born 1947 in Achtkarspelen) composer and conductor
- Joop Atsma (born 1956 in Surhuisterveen) politician and sport administrator.
- Meindert Talma (born 1968 in Surhuisterveen) lo-fi singer and keyboardist
- Oedo Kuipers (born 1989 in Stroobos) singer and actor in musical theatre
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