ABOUT FRIESLAND

Friesland (Fryslân in the Frisian language) is one of the eleven provinces of the Netherlands, located in northwestern Europe. Although it occupies 10% of the Netherlands' 750,000 acres, it is home to only 4% of the population. The province's 550,000 residents rely primarily on agriculture. Over 90% of the land consists of permanent pastures where the renowned black-and-white Frisian cattle are raised. Key exports include cheese, condensed milk, and butter, while the prized Frisian seed potatoes, grown in fertile fields, are mainly sold to Mediterranean countries.

Friesland boasts a rich history. More than 500 years BCE, the Frisians settled along the shores of what is now the North Sea. Frisian horsemen served in the Roman legions, including the Equites Singulares of Emperor Nero (54–68 CE), and were stationed in Britain near Hadrian's Wall, built around 120 CE. In Cirencester, England, archaeologists discovered the gravestone of a Frisian soldier who served in the Roman army. During the early Common Era, Frisian territory extended from Belgium’s Swin River to the Weser River in western Germany, along the coastline of the so-called "Frisian Sea," now known as the North Sea. Over time, this area expanded to reach Denmark's borders. The name "Frisian Islands" (Friesische Inseln in German) still commemorates this period.

The Frisians were skilled sailors, traders, horse breeders, and farmers. Before the Viking era (800–1000 CE), they dominated maritime trade, navigating the Frisian Sea, bordering rivers, and nearby oceans. In York, England, they maintained a permanent trading post for centuries. Dorestad was one of their key commercial hubs, with cloth being a major trade commodity.

As sea levels gradually rose due to polar ice melting and land subsidence, the Frisians adapted by building mounds (terpen or wierden) to protect their homes from flooding. Approximately 1,000 of these mounds have been identified, many of which became the foundation for coastal towns and villages. By the time Frisian territory was limited to northern Netherlands and neighboring Germany, sea dikes were constructed to guard against rising tides.

Over the centuries, these dikes have undergone continuous reconstruction and improvement. Today’s dikes are nearly four times taller than those of 400 years ago. For example, in Harlingen, dikes measured 2.60 meters above N.A.P. (Normaal Amsterdams Peil, the Dutch reference for average water height in Amsterdam’s IJ Lake) in 1570. By 1977, following the latest engineering efforts, their height reached 9.70 meters above N.A.P.

Currently, the territory of the "Westerlauwers Frisians," as they are now called, is confined to Friesland province in the northwest Netherlands. Four of the five inhabited Frisian Islands are part of this province. The Frisian language, spoken by 80% of the population, is more closely related to English than Dutch.

Friesland’s flat landscape is marked by gabled towers, large farms with saddleback roofs, and stelpen—traditional homes combining livestock sheds with hay or grain storage under a single expansive roof. The region transitions from clay soil in the west to peat and sandy soils in the east, each occupying roughly a third of the territory. The northern and western parts feature open plains, while the southwestern and central areas host Friesland's famous lakes. The sandy soils of the east and south are more wooded.

Frieslanders are known for their pride, attachment to tradition, sensitivity, and passion. They enjoy gathering for sports and recreational activities and have preserved the Frisian horse as a vital part of their cultural heritage.