Slochteren

Slochteren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈslɔxtərə(n)] ^ⓘ) is a village and former municipality with a population of 15,546 in the province of Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands. On 1 January 2018, Slochteren merged with Hoogezand-Sappemeer and Menterwolde, forming the municipality Midden-Groningen.

Slochteren
Village and former municipality
Fraeylemaborg in Slochteren
Flag Coat of arms
Location in Groningen
Coordinates: 53°13′N 6°48′E
Country	Netherlands
Province	Groningen
Municipality	Midden-Groningen
Area [1]
• Total	16.86 km2 (6.51 sq mi)
Elevation [2]	−1 m (−3.3 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	2,140
• Density	127/km2 (329/sq mi)
Demonym	Slochtenaar
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode	9621[1]
Area code	0598

The former municipality can be characterized as a chain of small villages dividing a mostly agricultural polder landscape, and a connected string of mostly artficial wetlands and lakes called the 'Roegwold'. An area reclaimed from farmland not too long ago in an effort to bring back a piece of local landscape mimicing a time prior to human intervention, and in doing so also providing a resting place and breeding ground for bird populations. Having an agricultural background for at least a thousand years, besides farmers and farm workers, the community houses for the most part commuters to nearby towns like Hoogezand, Groningen and Delfzijl. The mansion, or 'borg', the Fraeylemaborg (A stronghold of the local land holding Groninger nobility) is also located in Slochteren, the oldest parts of which date back to the middle ages, and so does it's distinctly long and narrow, once privately owned, forest, 'Slochterbos', housing some of the provinces oldest trees, after most had been cut down by anchient settlers.

Geography

The population centres in the former municipality are:

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

Topographic map of the municipality of Slochteren, June 2015

Natural gas field

Slochteren is in the center of the giant Groningen gas field, discovered in 1959, ensuring the position of the Netherlands as a major energy exporting country. The estimated gas reserves in 2009 were 2,700 km³ (650 cu mi).^[3]

Gallery

• 
  Protestant Church
• 
  Former courthouse of Slochteren
• 
  Town hall
• 
  Former post office