Breda

Breda (population 160,000) is a city in the southern part of the Netherlands, in the province of Noord-Brabant. The rivers Mark[?] and Aa come together here.

The municipality also comprises the following towns, villages and townships: Bavel, De Rith, Effen, Eikberg, Haagse Beemden, Hoeveneind, Kerkeind, Lies, Prinsenbeek, Roosberg, Strikberg, Teteringen, Ulvenhout.

The city itself has the following suburban neighbourhoods: Princenhage (former village), Ginneken (former village), de Haagse Beemden (newly built neigbourhood) and de Hoge Vucht (newly built neigbourhood)

The Dutch Royal Military Academy, Koninklijke Militaire Academie[?], is located here.

Economic activities are mainly industrial. Breda traditionally was (and still is) a center of the candy industry. Breda also has a sugar factory. Breda also has a city center with beautiful old buildings and singels (moats). The shops and a shopping mall are located here.

Breda has train stations Breda and Breda-Prinsenbeek, providing connections with Holland (Dordrecht - Rotterdam - Den Haag) and Tilburg - Eindhoven/Den Bosch, and from station Breda also to Roosendaal with connection to Vlissingen.

Until 1795 Breda was (part of) the barony Breda; the baron was also count of Nassau, Germany; Prince of Orange and stadtholders of the Dutch Republic (from 1572-1650, 1672-1702, 1747-1795).