Nieuwegein
Municipality
Canal through Nieuwegein
Canal through Nieuwegein
Flag of Nieuwegein
Flag
Coat of arms of Nieuwegein
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Nieuwegein in a municipal map of Utrecht
Location in Utrecht
Coordinates: 52°2′N 5°5′E / 52.033°N 5.083°E / 52.033; 5.083
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceUtrecht
Established1 July 1971
Government
[1]
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorMarijke van Beukering (D66)
Area
[2]
 • Total25.65 km2 (9.90 sq mi)
 • Land23.51 km2 (9.08 sq mi)
 • Water2.14 km2 (0.83 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
1 m (3 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total63,866
 • Density2,717/km2 (7,040/sq mi)
DemonymNieuwegeiner
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
3430–3439
Area code030
Websitewww.nieuwegein.nl
Dutch Topographic map of Nieuwegein, 2017.

Nieuwegein (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌniu.əˈɣɛin] ⓘ) is a municipality and city in the Dutch province of Utrecht. It is bordered on the north by the city of Utrecht, the provincial capital. It is separated from Vianen to the south by the river Lek and borders on IJsselstein in the southwest and Houten in the east. Nieuwegein has 64,606 inhabitants as of 1 December 2021.

Several national sports federations are housed in Nieuwegein, including the NeVoBo (volleyball), KNZB (swimming), NBb (basketball) and KNCB (cricket).

There are three main secondary schools in the city, including the Anna van Rijn College, Oosterlicht College and the Cals College.

History

Nieuwegein was founded on 1 July 1971 as a planned city, following the merger of the former municipalities of Jutphaas and Vreeswijk. The new town was built for the expanding population of the city of Utrecht, and grew rapidly during the decades following its foundation.

In the area between Jutphaas and Vreeswijk there used to be a settlement called Geyne (Gein). This settlement received city rights in 1295 but was destroyed in 1333, in a war between the Bishop of Utrecht and the Count of Holland. Today only Oudegein House remains from that time. After the boards of Vreeswijk and Jutphaas had debated for some time about the name of the new municipality, they decided to name it after this old settlement - Nieuwegein meaning 'New Gein'.

Population

Demographics

As of 2016, 50.7% of the population consider themselves religious. The largest denomination are Catholics, which are 27.5% of the population, followed by various Protestant denominations (23.8%), and Islam (5.3%). 14.3% of the Nieuwegein population attends religious service regularly.[5]

Social characteristics & issues

As of 2017, Nieuwegein has a poverty rate of 4.7% compared to the 5.7% national average.[6]

Transportation

Nieuwegein is surrounded by three motorways (Dutch: autosnelweg), the A2 to the west, the A12 to the north and the A27 to the east.

Nieuwegein is connected to Utrecht and IJsselstein by the Sneltram (light rail) line. There is a pedestrian ferry across the river Lek to Vianen. Three canals flow through Nieuwegein: the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal, the Lek River and the Merwede Canal. There are also a few sports clubs in Nieuwegein, such as: KV Koveni, SV Geinoord, VSV Vreeswijk and JSV Nieuwegein.

Buildings

In Nieuwegein, there is a mandi (Mandaean temple) called Vereniging Mandi van de Mandeeërs Gemeenschap in Nederland.[7]

Twin towns

Notable people

References

  1. ↑ "Burgemeester Frans Backhuijs" [Mayor Frans Backhuijs] (in Dutch). Gemeente Nieuwegein. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020" [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. StatLine (in Dutch). CBS. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
  3. ↑ "Postcodetool for 3431LZ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Helft van de Nieuwegeiners (50,7%) is kerkelijk of religieus". 2022-12-28.
  6. ↑ "Waar wonen de armen in Nederland?". 2022-12-28.
  7. ↑ "Vereniging Mandi van de Mandeeërs Gemeenschap in Nederland" (in Dutch). 2016-11-12. Retrieved 2022-06-07.
  8. ↑ Boffey, Daniel (16 July 2020). "Dutch town ends ties with Polish twin declared 'gay-free zone'". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "Nieuwegein 'ontvriendt' Poolse partnerstad: 'Homovrije zones zijn not done'". NOS.nl. 14 July 2020.
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