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'''Utrecht''' is the smallest [[Provinces of the Netherlands|province]] of the [[Netherlands]], and is located in the center of the country. It is bordered by the [[IJsselmeer]] in the north, [[Gelderland]] in the east, the river [[Rhine]] in the south, [[South Holland]] in the west, and [[North Holland]] in the northwest.

Important cities in the province are its capital [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] and [[Amersfoort]].

<table style = "margin-left: 0.5em;" border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" align="right" width="250px">
<caption><font size="+1">'''Utrecht'''<BR>'''Province of the Netherlands'''</font></caption>
<!--tr><td style="background:#efefef;" align="center" colspan=2>
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0">
<tr><td align="center" width="125px">[[Image:Flag_north_brabant.jpg]]</td>
<td align="center" width="125px">[[image:Coa_north_brabant.jpg]]</td></tr>
</table></td></tr-->
<tr><td colspan=2 style="background:#efefef;" align="center">[[Image:Flag Utrecht.png]]</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan=2 align="center">[[Image:NetherlandsUtrecht.png]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Capital]]</td><td>[[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Queen's Commissioner]]</td><td>Boele Staal</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Area]]<br>&nbsp;- Total <br>&nbsp;- % water</td><td>12th<br>1449 [[square kilometre|km²]] <br> 4.3% </td></tr>               
<tr><td>[[Population]]<br>&nbsp;- Total ([[2002]]) <br>&nbsp;- [[Density]] </td><td>5th<br>1.15 million<br>821/km² </td></tr>
</table>

== History ==
In the Middle Ages, most of the area of the current province was ruled by the [[bishop of Utrecht]]. The bishopric was founded in [[722]] by [[Willibrord]]. Many wars were fought between Utrecht and the neighbouring counties and duchies, [[Holland]], [[Gelderland]] and [[Brabant]].

In [[1527]], the bishop of Utrecht sold his worldly power over his territories to Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], who already owned the other Dutch provinces. However, the Habsburg rule did not last long, as Utrecht joined the revolt of the [[United Provinces]] against Charles' son [[Philip II of Spain]] in 1579.

== Geography ==

In the east of Utrecht lies the [[Utrechtse Heuvelrug]], a chain of hills left as [[lateral moraine]] by tongues of glacial ice after the Saline glaciation that preceded the last [[ice age]]. Because of the scarcity of nutrients in the fast-draining sandy soil, the greatest part of a landscape that was formerly [[heath]] has been planted with pine trees. The south of the province is a river landscape. The west consists mostly of meadows. In the north are big lakes formed by the digging of peat from bogs formed after the last ice age.

*[http://www.heemlanden.nl/comenius/2003/sandscape.html Geological "sand landscapes" of Utrecht]

== Municipalities ==

*[[Abcoude]]
*[[Amerongen]]
*[[Amersfoort]]
*[[Baarn]]
*[[Breukelen]]
*[[Bunnik]]
*[[Bunschoten]]
*[[De Bilt]]
*[[De Ronde Venen]]
*[[Doorn]]
*[[Driebergen-Rijsenburg]]
*[[Eemnes]]
*[[Houten]]
*[[IJsselstein]]
*[[Leersum]]
*[[Leusden]]
*[[Loenen]]
*[[Lopik]]
*[[Maarn]]
*[[Maarssen]]
*[[Montfoort]]
*[[Nieuwegein]]
*[[Oudewater]]
*[[Renswoude]]
*[[Rhenen]]
*[[Soest, Netherlands|Soest]]
*[[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]
*[[Veenendaal]]
*[[Vianen]]
*[[Wijk bij Duurstede]]
*[[Woerden]]
*[[Woudenberg]]
*[[Zeist]]

== External links ==

*[http://www.provincie-utrecht.nl/ Site of the province]
*[http://www.investinutrecht.com/ Utrecht Foreign Investment Office]
*Province maps showing subdivision in municipalities:
**[http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gemprovin.htm#U with link for each municipality to basic data page]
**[http://www.provincie-utrecht.nl/prvutr/internet/j20_10.nsf/files/gemeentekaart_2003.pdf/%24FILE/gemeentekaart_2003.pdf more detailed, but without links] (pdf, 900 kB)
* [http://geocement.esrinl.com/viewer.htm Detailed map]
*Public transport:
**[[Nederlandse Spoorwegen]]
**[[Connexxion]], region Midden [http://www.connexxion.nl/website/uwregio.asp?action=goto_regio&regioid=30&id=35]
**[[BBA]], region Utrecht northwest [http://www.bba.nl/reisinfo_dienstreg_bru.shtm]
**[http://www.gvu.nl GVU]

{{Footer_Provinces_of_the_Netherlands}}

[[Category:Utrecht]]

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[[id:Provinsi Utrecht]]
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