Vlagtwedde
# Vlagtwedde

Vlagtwedde (Dutch pronunciation: (listen)) is a village in the very southeast of Groningen province in the northeastern Netherlands. It lies on the Dutch border with the German state of Lower Saxony to the east.

## History

The municipality of Vlagtwedde was created in December 1811.

On 1 January 2018, the municipality of Vlagtwedde was merged with Bellingwedde to form the new municipality of Westerwolde.

## Geography

The population centres in the municipality of Vlagtwedde were:

Abeltjeshuis, Bakovensmee, Barnflair, Borgertange, Borgerveld, Bourtange, Burgemeester Beinsdorp, De Bruil, Ellersinghuizen, Hanetange, Harpel, Hasseberg, Hebrecht, 't Heem, Jipsingboermussel, Jipsingboertange, Jipsinghuizen, Lammerweg, Laude, Lauderbeetse, Laudermarke, Lauderzwarteveen, Leemdobben, Maten, Munnekemoer, Over de Dijk, Overdiep, Pallert, Plaggenborg, Poldert, Renneborg, Rhederveld, Rijsdam, Roelage, 't Schot, Sellingen, Sellingerbeetse, Sellingerzwarteveen, Slegge, Stakenborg, Stobben, Ter Apel, Ter Apelkanaal, Ter Borg, Ter Haar, Ter Walslage, Ter Wisch, Veele, Veerste Veldhuis, Vlagtwedde, Vlagtwedder-Barlage, Vlagtwedder-Veldhuis, Weende, Weenderveld, Weite, Wessingtange, Wollingboermarke, Wollinghuizen, Zandberg and Zuidveld.

Because of the large number of official centres, the municipality had five postal codes:

* 9541 Vlagtwedde
* 9545 Bourtange
* 9551 Sellingen
* 9561 Ter Apel
* 9563 Ter Apelkanaal

All 60 villages and hamlets in the municipality received their own town sign in 2008.

## Politics

The city council of Vlagtwedde had 17 seats. The table below gives political party and seat counts since 1998.

City council seats :

| Party | 1998 | 2002 | 2006 | 2010 |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| PvdA | 5 | 4 | 6 | 4 |
| CDA | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Local municipal interests | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| VVD | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| GreenLeft | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| ChristianUnion | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Totaal | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |

## Public transport

Vlagtwedde is served by several bus lines:

* line 14: Stadskanaal-Alteveer-Vlagtwedde-Veele-Blijham-Winschoten
* line 42: Emmen-Emmer Compascuum-Ter Apel-Sellingen-Vlagtwedde
* line 72: Vlagtwedde-Bourtange
* line 73: Emmen-Nieuw Weerdinge-Ter Apel-Ter Apelkanaal-Zandberg-Musselkanaal-Stadskanaal-Hoogezand-Groningen
* buurtbus (community volunteer-driven bus) 92: Stadskanaal-Mussel-Jipsingbourtange-Jipsinghuizen-Sellingen

## International relations

Vlagtwedde is twinned with:

* Międzyrzecz, Poland
