Slochteren

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Slochteren
Location of Slochteren
Country Netherlands
Province Groningen
Area (2006)
 - Total 158.84 km² (61.3 sq mi)
 - Land 152.28 km² (58.8 sq mi)
 - Water 6.56 km² (2.5 sq mi)
Population (1 January 2007)
 - Total 15,188
 - Density 100/km² (259/sq mi)
  Source: CBS, Statline.
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 - Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)

Slochteren (pronunciation ) is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands.

The municipality can be characterized as a chain of small villages dividing a mostly agricultural landscape. Having an agricultural background for at least a thousand years, the community houses for the most part commuters to nearby towns like Hoogezand, Groningen and Delfzijl. The municipality presents itself as destination for tourists and has indeed attractions for those seeking rest, nature, watersports, the odd museum and the beautifully situated mansion Fraeylemaborg (a small 'castle', the oldest parts of which are dated in the middle ages).

Slochteren is in the center of a very large natural gas field, discovered in 1959, ensuring the position of the Netherlands as a major energy exporting country. The gas reserve on December 31, 2002 was estimated at 1.5 × 1012 m³.

[edit] Population centers

Denemarken, Froombosch, Harkstede, Hellum, Kolham, Lageland, Luddeweer, Overschild, Schaaphok, Scharmer, Schildwolde, Siddeburen, Slochteren, Steendam, Tjuchem, Woudbloem.

[edit] External links

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Coordinates: 53°13′N, 6°48′E