Sittard-Geleen
Sittard-Geleen is a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It was formed in 2001 from the former municipalities Sittard, Geleen and Born.
The combined municipality has approximately 92,650 inhabitants and is thus the third most populated municipality in Limburg. Since February 2020, it has been governed by a coalition of CDA, GroenLinks and the local parties GOB and Stadspartij.
The highway connecting the centres of Sittard and Geleen, the Rijkswegboulevard, has been rebuilt to be a main route for cycling and walking. The provision for cyclists and pedestrians is generous and continuous. Side road junctions, or crossroads, are made 'subordinate'. The carriageways have been narrowed to one 3m lane in each direction. Parking places have been made, in small groups, at the side of the carriageways. These are made to be "not easy to use for larger vehicles," so the road centre is marked as a place for delivery vehicles to stop.
To the west, Sittard-Geleen borders on Belgium, while to the east, it borders on Germany.
Population centres
Abshoven, Born, Broeksittard, Buchten, Einighausen, Geleen, Graetheide, Grevenbicht, Guttecoven, Holtum, Limbricht, Munstergeleen, Windraak, Obbicht, Papenhoven, Schipperskerk and Sittard.Topography
''Dutch topographic map of the municipality''Notable people
- Saint Charles of Mount Argus a canonized Dutch Passionist priest
- Frederic Adolph Hoefer a Dutch lieutenant-general, militaria collector and archivist
- Godfrid Storms a Dutch professor of Old and Middle English Literature
- Willy Dols a Dutch linguist, dialectologist and phonologist
- Toon Hermans a Dutch comedian, singer and writer
- Settela Steinbach a Dutch girl who was gassed in Auschwitz-Birkenau
- Thea Fleming a Dutch film actress
- Rein Willems President of Royal Dutch Shell 2003–2007
- Paul Derrez a visual artist, a jewelry designer, gallery owner and collector
- Jan Cremers a former Dutch politician and sociologist
- Wim Heldens a Dutch realist painter
- Francine Houben a Dutch architect
- Mike van Diem a Dutch film director
- Rineke Dijkstra a Dutch portrait photographer
- Laurence Stassen an independent politician and a former freelance TV presenter
- Caspar Poyck a Dutch-American actor, public speaker and chef
- Myrthe Hilkens a Dutch journalist, non-fiction writer and politician
- Mo'Jones is a funk, soul and pop band
Sport
- Leo Horn an international football referee, newspaper columnist, and textile manufacturer
- Jan Krekels a retired cyclist, 1968 Olympic champion in the 100 km team time trial
- Huub Stevens a football manager and former defender with 397 club caps
- Wilbert Suvrijn a retired Dutch footballer with 341 club caps
- Lambert Schuurs a retired handball player and ultra-long-distance runner
- Arnold Vanderlyde a former Dutch boxer, who participated in three Summer Olympics and won three bronze medals
- Wil Boessen a Dutch retired football player with 397 club caps and manager
- Ton Caanen a Dutch football manager.
- Rens Blom a Dutch pole vaulter, competed in the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics
- Maartje Paumen a former Dutch field hockey player, twice gold medallist at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, silver medallist at the 2016 Summer Olympics
- Benjamin van den Broek a New Zealand international footballer with 275 club caps
- Rob Bontje a volleyball player, competed at the 2004 Olympic Games
- Sjoerd Winkens a former professional footballer with over 300 club caps
- Dominick Muermans a Dutch racing driver
- Perr Schuurs a Dutch football player