Staphorst (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈstɑpɦɔrst] ) is a municipality and a town in the eastern Netherlands.

Staphorst
Staphorst city hall
Staphorst city hall
Flag of Staphorst
Coat of arms of Staphorst
Highlighted position of Staphorst in a municipal map of Overijssel
Location in Overijssel
Staphorst is located in Overijssel
Staphorst
Staphorst
Staphorst is located in Netherlands
Staphorst
Staphorst
Coordinates: 52°39′N 6°13′E / 52.650°N 6.217°E / 52.650; 6.217
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceOverijssel
Government
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • Mayor[Lenard Horstede] (CU)
Area
 • Total
135.69 km2 (52.39 sq mi)
 • Land133.99 km2 (51.73 sq mi)
 • Water1.70 km2 (0.66 sq mi)
Elevation1 m (3 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)[4]
 • Total
17,261
 • Density129/km2 (330/sq mi)
Demonym(s)Staphorstenaar, Staphorster
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
7715, 7950–7955
Area code0522
Websitewww.staphorst.nl
Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Staphorst, June 2015

History

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The villages of Staphorst and its southern neighbour Rouveen came into existence as in the 13th century monks started to bring the bogs and swamps into culture.

All the farms were built along the long road through the bog area. Thus a lengthy row of farms was built, becoming the 11 km (7 mi) long village of Staphorst-Rouveen. This phenomenon is called in Dutch: lintbebouwing (ribbon urbanization). In many parts of the Netherlands this type of village is quite common, e.g. Vriezenveen, the villages along river dykes in the Netherlands, the so-called moor-colonies in the provinces Drenthe and Groningen, as well as the German regions opposite the border.

Staphorst was a Dutch municipality, created through a decree by French emperor Napoleon who merged four smaller entities into a much larger one. The 1811 decree merged the villages of Rouveen, Staphorst and IJhorst along with nearby sparsely populated Hasselter schoutambt (a judicial entity) into a municipality, known since 1818 as Staphorst. Except for a few minor changes, Staphorst's borders have remained unchanged, making it an anomaly in Dutch municipal history.[5]

A specialty for Staphorst is, that after a farmer's death, his land was often divided between his sons. The son who did not inherit his father's farm built a farm-house for his own behind the other. Therefore, many pieces of farmland are very lengthy, yet narrow (e.g. 1500 x 40 metres). Originally, each piece of land was 125 metres wide.[6]

The farms are of the traditional Low Saxon type. They have green doors and window shutters. Most farms existing now were built between 1850 and 1910.

Society

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Staphorst is still a largely orthodox Calvinist village and has one of the highest church attendancy rates of the Netherlands. In 1971, Staphorst became world news due to an outbreak of polio. 39 people (mostly children) became infected with polio.[7] Of these, five died and a number of others became disabled. 20% of residents remain unvaccinated[7] for religious reasons. As a result, Staphorst and other similar areas in the Netherlands are classified as risk areas by the WHO[7] – the only such area in Europe.

 
Staphorster farmhouse in authentic colors
 
Restored Reformed Church Dorpskerk (2300 seats)

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in Staphorst at 2.76 was 4th highest in all of Netherlands in 2003.[8] That makes Staphorst a place with one of the highest birth rates in all of Europe.[dubiousdiscuss]

Population centres

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Demographics

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Staphorst had a sustainable birth rate until the beginning of 21st century. But during the 2000–2007 period, the birth rate dropped considerably.

  • Birth Rate: 15.79 per 1000 (down from 18.96 in 2000).
  • Death Rate: 6.98 per 1000.
  • NGR: +0.88%[9]

The birth rate of Staphorst declined further to 14,9‰ in 2016, while the total fertility rate declined to 2,65 children per woman.

Notable people

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Gretha Smit, 2002

Sport

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References

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  1. ^ "College van B&W" [Board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Staphorst. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 1 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 7951DE". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 1 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. ^ http://www.godutch.com/newspaper/index.php?id=1976&search=Staphorst
  6. ^ (in Dutch) Over Staphorst, "Staphorst vroeger," Archived 28 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine Gemeente Staphorst.
  7. ^ a b c (in Dutch) "Polio in Staphorst," Andere Tijden, VPRO (1 November 2007).
  8. ^ "Largest families in Urk," CBS (Statistics Netherlands), Web magazine (1 September 2003 10:00).
  9. ^ CBS/nl
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