The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of 925 km.
The Waal is the main distributary branch of the river Rhine flowing approximately 80 km (50 mi) through the Netherlands. It is the major waterway connecting the port of Rotterdam to Germany. Before it reaches Rotterdam, it joins with the Afgedamde Maas near Woudrichem to form the Boven Merwede. Along its length, Nijmegen, Tiel, Zaltbommel and Gorinchem are towns of importance with direct access to the river.
Aalburg is a former municipality in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. The municipality had been formed in 1973 by the merging of the former municipalities of Eethen, Veen, and Wijk en Aalburg. On January 1, 2019 it joined Werkendam and Woudrichem in the new municipality of Altena.
Werkendam is a town and a former municipality in the southern Netherlands. The municipality, part of Land van Heusden en Altena, contained a large part of De Biesbosch area as is located in the province of North Brabant. On January 1sth 2019 it joined Woudrichem and Aalburg in the new municipality of Altena.
Woudrichem is a city and former municipality in the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands.
The Nieuwe Merwede is a Dutch canal, mainly fed by the river Rhine, that was constructed in 1870 to form a branch in the Rhine–Meuse delta. It was dug along the general trajectories of a number of minor Biesbosch creeks to reduce the risk of flooding by diverting the water away from the Beneden Merwede, and to facilitate navigation and regulate river traffic in the increasingly silted-up delta.
De Biesbosch National Park is one of the largest national parks in the Netherlands and one of the last extensive areas of freshwater tidal wetlands in Northwestern Europe. The Biesbosch consists of a large network of rivers and smaller and larger creeks with islands. The vegetation is mostly willow forests, although wet grasslands and fields of reed are common as well. The Biesbosch is an important wetland area for waterfowl and has a rich flora and fauna. It is especially important for migrating geese.
The Land of Altena is a historical region and former fiefdom of the Lords of Altena, historically part of the County of Holland, but since 1815 located in the Dutch province of North Brabant.
The Grote Waard or Hollandse Waard was a farming region in the County of Holland at the border of the Duchy of Brabant, that disappeared in the St. Elizabeth's flood. Parts of this polder are now separated by water: Hoekse Waard, Eiland van Dordrecht, De Biesbosch, and parts of North Brabant. The Grote Waard was a damp peat region, which was roughly limited by what now is the Afgedamde Maas between Heusden and Woudrichem, the Boven Merwede and Beneden Merwede, Dordrecht, Maasdam, the Keizersdijk between Maasdam and Strijen, Strijensas, Lage Zwaluwe, and Hooge Zwaluwe.
Sleeuwijk is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant and part of the municipality of Altena.
The Merwede is the name of several connected stretches of river in the Netherlands, between the cities of Woudrichem, Dordrecht and Papendrecht. The river is part of the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta and is mostly fed by the river Rhine.
Almkerk is a village in the municipality of Altena, Netherlands. It is located about 7 km south of Gorinchem.
Andel is a village in the municipality of Altena, North Brabant, in the Netherlands. It is located about 7 km southeast of Gorinchem.
Giessen is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Altena, about 7 km southeast of Gorinchem.
Rijswijk is a village in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It is located in the municipality of Altena, about 5 km southeast of Gorinchem.
Cornelia Johanna "Carola" Schouten is a Dutch politician serving as third Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions in the IV Rutte Cabinet since 10 January 2022. She has served as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the Third Rutte cabinet from 2017 to 2022. She is a member of the Christian Union (CU).
The Land of Heusden and Altena is a region located in the Dutch province of North Brabant. In 1904 it consisted of the historical regions Land van Altena and Land van Heusden. Historically this region has been a part of North Brabant since 1815. During the Dutch Republic it belonged to Holland. It resembles comparable landscapes in the latter one, like e.g. the Alblasserwaard, which is situated just north of the region.
Honswijk is a historic municipality in the Dutch province of North Brabant. It was located to the west of the city of Woudrichem, in the Land van Altena. Between 1812 and 1950 the territory was divided between as many as four municipalities, namely Almkerk, Rijswijk, De Werken en Sleeuwijk and Woudrichem. In the 21st century Honswijk belonged for most of its former area to Woudrichem, with a small section belonging to Werkendam. The territory consists of three polders, namely Ruigenhoek, P. Honswijk and Oudbroek, the latter also being a small hamlet. Honswijk has an estimated population of 35.
Line-crosser is a Dutch concept from World War II. The name is used to refer to 21 people, mostly from Werkendam, who during the last months of the war maintained a secret connection between occupied and liberated Netherlands across the Biesbosch and the Merwede. They were part of the larger Biesbosch resistance group, and the Albrecht intelligence group.
Waardhuizen is a village in the municipality of Altena, in the province of North Brabant, Netherlands. It is about 4 km south of Woudrichem, as well as just south of Uitwijk. As of 2020, Waardhuizen had a population of 275.
