Groningen's inner city is its charm, but certainly not all it has to offer.
Both the university and the city
have a unique character, largely due to their situation in the north of the
Netherlands.
Groningen is the capital of this most northern province,
called
Groningen as well.
Unlike the western part of the country with its densely populated urban areas, the province of Groningen is predominantly rural and quite unspoiled. As is the case in many parts of Holland, a large area of the province lies below sea level, and land was reclaimed here until well into the 19th century. As a result, the coastal area (towards the "Wadden-Sea") offers a limitless view in all directions, well worth a visit by bicycle. Groningen also offers you very accessible transportation to one of the Dutch ‘Wadden’-islands called Schiermonnikoog, where beach, sea, nature and typical Wadden-island life awaits you, only one and a half hour from the city. The area is also a special subject of interest for biologists and environmentalists both at the university and nationally.
In terms of industry, Groningen has the largest natural gas field in Western Europe and one of the largest worldwide. It also has one of the Netherlands’ largest shipbuilding centres. Groningen is also an international centre for the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries.
