During the first world war the Netherlands chose to stay neutral and strived to be as economically independent of other states as possible. Since an autarky should be able to provide it's own food supply, additional farmland was needed. This is why Cornelis Lely started planning of the Zuyderzee werken. As part of this plan (which also involved creating several other polders and closing off the Zuyderzee with the afsluitdijk) the Noordoostpolder was drained.

The Noordoostpolder is the oldest polder of Flevoland, the Netherlands and mainly consists of farmland. When drained in 1942 during the Second world war it swallowed the former islands of Schokland and Urk. In the second world war it served as a refuge for many jews and downed english pilots. Right now over 40000 people live in the Noordoostpolder and it's The Netherlands's largest gemeente (county).

The main town of the Noordoostpolder is Emmeloord, which has facilities like high schools and a hospital. Emmeloord is surrounded by 9 villages : Bant, Marknesse, Kraggenburg, Ens, Nagele, Tollebeek, Creil, Rutten and Luttelgeest. These villages were primary meant for the farmworkers and all are pretty small. Because at the time of planning for farmworkers bicycles (they're everywhere in dutch history) were the main means of transport the towns were oriented so they alle were within a bicycle ride's reach of Emmeloord.

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