Wikipedia

Nijkerk

Nijkerk (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈnɛikɛr(ə)k] ⓘ; Dutch Low Saxon: Niekark) is a municipality and a city located in the middle of the Netherlands, in the province of Gelderland.

Nijkerk
Municipality
Aerial view of Nijkerk
Aerial view of Nijkerk
Flag of Nijkerk
Flag
Coat of arms of Nijkerk
Coat of arms
Highlighted position of Nijkerk in a municipal map of Gelderland
Location in Gelderland
Coordinates: 52°14′N 5°29′E / 52.233°N 5.483°E / 52.233; 5.483
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceGelderland
Government
[1]
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorGerard Renkema (CDA)
Area
[2]
 • Total72.04 km2 (27.81 sq mi)
 • Land69.34 km2 (26.77 sq mi)
 • Water2.70 km2 (1.04 sq mi)
Elevation
[3]
1 m (3 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total43,600
 • Density629/km2 (1,630/sq mi)
DemonymNijkerker
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
3860–3871
Area code033
Websitewww.nijkerk.eu

Population centres

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Some people state that Groot Corlaer is a population centre on its own, but it is officially part of Nijkerk.

Transportation

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Railway station: Nijkerk

The city of Nijkerk

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Map of Nijkerk, June 2015

The name Nijkerk stems from Nieuwe Kerk (Dutch for New Church). This new church was built after the old chapel had been destroyed by fire in 1221. Nijkerk was strategically located between the Duchy of Guelders (Dutch: Hertogdom Gelre) and the Bishopric of Utrecht. Because of this strategic location Nijkerk regularly was the scene of war, and in 1412 the village was completely destroyed. It was restored and Nijkerk received city rights in 1413. In 1421 the church that gave Nijkerk its name burnt down and was replaced; this happened several times, until a new church, the Grote-of-Sint-Catharinakerk; was built in the 18th century. It still stands today. The organ in this church was built in 1756 by Mathijs van Deventer.

In the 18th century Nijkerk was a flourishing merchant city. Several inhabitants traveled to the New World, including Arent van Curler and Kiliaen van Rensselaer and founded new cities.

Since World War II, Nijkerk has grown rapidly. It is situated on the (former) shore of the IJsselmeer, which allows for transportation of goods via ships, and in the proximity of two major motorways, the E30 (A1) and E232 (A28). This allowed local industries to grow, and also encouraged people who work in the nearby Randstad to move to the more rural and peaceful town of Nijkerk.

Politics

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In 2000, the municipalities of Nijkerk and Hoevelaken merged to form the new municipality of Nijkerk. On August 24, 2011, the municipality announced that Nijkerk had passed the mark of 40,000 inhabitants. The city council was consequently expanded to 27 seats from the 2014 election.[5]

After the 2022 municipal elections the seats divided as follows:[6]

Party Number of seats
CDA 7
Christian Union and SGP 6
Progressief 21 5
Lokale Partij 5
VVD 4

Progressief 21 is a local party combining the local branches of Democrats 66, GroenLinks and the Labour Party. The Lokale Partij has no national connection.

Geography

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Climate

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Climate data for Nijkerk
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 14.9
(58.8) 		18.9
(66.0) 		25.4
(77.7) 		29.2
(84.6) 		31.5
(88.7) 		33.9
(93.0) 		37.5
(99.5) 		36.1
(97.0) 		29.6
(85.3) 		26.9
(80.4) 		19.0
(66.2) 		15.3
(59.5) 		37.5
(99.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 5.5
(41.9) 		6.0
(42.8) 		9.5
(49.1) 		13.5
(56.3) 		18.0
(64.4) 		20.0
(68.0) 		22.5
(72.5) 		22.5
(72.5) 		19.0
(66.2) 		14.5
(58.1) 		9.5
(49.1) 		6.0
(42.8) 		13.9
(57.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 0.0
(32.0) 		0.0
(32.0) 		2.0
(35.6) 		4.0
(39.2) 		8.0
(46.4) 		10.5
(50.9) 		13.0
(55.4) 		12.5
(54.5) 		10.0
(50.0) 		7.0
(44.6) 		3.5
(38.3) 		1.0
(33.8) 		6.0
(42.7)
Record low °C (°F) −20.3
(−4.5) 		−21.9
(−7.4) 		−16.9
(1.6) 		−8.4
(16.9) 		−2.9
(26.8) 		−0.4
(31.3) 		2.5
(36.5) 		2.9
(37.2) 		−2.2
(28.0) 		−7.4
(18.7) 		−11.2
(11.8) 		−15.5
(4.1) 		−21.9
(−7.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 75
(3.0) 		55
(2.2) 		75
(3.0) 		45
(1.8) 		65
(2.6) 		70
(2.8) 		80
(3.1) 		80
(3.1) 		75
(3.0) 		80
(3.1) 		85
(3.3) 		85
(3.3) 		870
(34.3)
Mean monthly sunshine hours 60 85 125 175 210 195 205 190 140 110 60 50 1,605
Source 1: [7]
Source 2: [8]

Notable residents

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Christiaan Eijkman, 1929

Sport

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Twin town

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Nijkerk is twinned with

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  •  
    The Grote Kerk (Nijkerk) [nl]
  •  
    Arkervaart (canal)
  •  
    Driedorp NH-kerk
  •  
    Nijkerk Trading farmers with cows
  •  
    Nijkerk museum Oud Nijkerk
  •  
    Canal in Nijkerk
  •  
    Nijkerk-westkadijk
  •  
    Hoevelaken Park Weldam
  •  
    Sluice Nijkerkernau

References

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  1. ^ "Burgemeester Gerard Renkema" [Mayor Gerard Renkema] (in Dutch). Gemeente Nijkerk. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 11 July 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 3861AK". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  5. ^ [1] [permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "Nijkerk municipal election 2022". verkiezingsuitslagen.nl (in Dutch). 16 March 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  7. ^ "Klimaatatlas". knmi.nl. Retrieved 2015-03-08.
  8. ^ "Extremen KNMI-station Soesterberg (until 2008 - after 2008, extremes have been recorded at nearby De Bilt weather station)". weergegevens.nl. Retrieved 2015-03-09.
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