# Staphorst > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Staphorst > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Staphorst.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphorst > Source revision: 1346137628 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Municipality in Overijssel, Netherlands Staphorst Municipality Staphorst city hall Flag Coat of arms Location in Overijssel Staphorst Show map of Overijssel Staphorst Show map of Netherlands Coordinates: 52°39′N 6°13′E / 52.650°N 6.217°E / 52.650; 6.217 Country Netherlands Province Overijssel Government [1] • Body Municipal council • Mayor Jan ten Kate (Ind.) Area [2] • Total 135.69 km2 (52.39 sq mi) • Land 133.99 km2 (51.73 sq mi) • Water 1.70 km2 (0.66 sq mi) Elevation [3] 1 m (3.3 ft) Population (2026)[4] • Total 18,220 • Density 129/km2 (330/sq mi) • Town/Urban Center[5] 6,710 Demonym(s) Staphorstenaar, Staphorster Time zone UTC+1 (CET) • Summer (DST) UTC+2 (CEST) Postcode 7715, 7950–7955 Area code 0522 Website www.staphorst.nl *Dutch Topographic map of the municipality of Staphorst, June 2015* **Staphorst** (Dutch pronunciation: [\[ˈstɑpɦɔrst\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/Dutch) [ⓘ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Nl-Staphorst.ogg)) is a municipality and a town in the eastern [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands). ## History This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (July 2012) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The villages of Staphorst and its southern neighbour Rouveen came into existence in the 13th century, when [monks](/source/Monk) started to bring the [bogs](/source/Bog) and [swamps](/source/Swamp) into culture. All the farms were built along the long road through the bog area. Thus a lengthy row of farms was built, becoming the 11 km (7 mi) long village of Staphorst-Rouveen. This phenomenon is called in Dutch: *lintbebouwing* ([ribbon urbanization](/source/Ribbon_development)). In many parts of the Netherlands this type of village is quite common, e.g. [Vriezenveen](/source/Vriezenveen), the villages along river [dykes](/source/Dike_(construction)) in the Netherlands, the so-called moor-colonies in the provinces [Drenthe](/source/Drenthe) and [Groningen](/source/Groningen_(province)), as well as the German regions opposite the border. Staphorst was a Dutch municipality, created through a decree by French emperor Napoleon who merged four smaller entities into a much larger one. The 1811 decree merged the villages of Rouveen, Staphorst and IJhorst along with nearby sparsely populated Hasselter schoutambt (a judicial entity) into a municipality, known since 1818 as Staphorst. Except for a few minor changes, Staphorst's borders have remained unchanged, making it an anomaly in Dutch municipal history.[6] A specialty for Staphorst is, that after a farmer's death, his land was often divided between his sons. The son who did not inherit his father's farm built a farm-house for his own behind the other. Therefore, many pieces of farmland are very lengthy, yet narrow (e.g. 1500 x 40 metres). Originally, each piece of land was 125 metres wide.[7] The farms are of the traditional Low Saxon type. They have green doors and window shutters. Most farms existing now were built between 1850 and 1910. ## Society Staphorst is still a largely orthodox [Calvinist](/source/Calvinism) village and has one of the highest [church attendancy](/source/Church_attendance) rates of the Netherlands. In 1971, Staphorst became world news due to an outbreak of [polio](/source/Polio). 39 people (mostly children) became infected with polio.[8] Of these, five died and a number of others became disabled. 20% of residents remain unvaccinated[8] for religious reasons. As a result, Staphorst and other similar areas in the Netherlands are classified as risk areas by the [WHO](/source/WHO)[8] – the only such area in Europe. Staphorster farmhouse in authentic colors [Restored Reformed Church](/source/Restored_Reformed_Church) Dorpskerk (2300 seats) The [Total Fertility Rate (TFR)](/source/Total_fertility_rate) in Staphorst at 2.76 was 4th highest in all of Netherlands in 2003.[9] That makes Staphorst a place with one of the highest [birth rates](/source/Birth_rate) in all of Europe.[*[dubious](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Accuracy_dispute#Disputed_statement) – [discuss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Staphorst#Dubious)*] ## Population centres - Halfweg - Hamingen - [IJhorst](/source/IJhorst) - Lankhorst - [De Leijen](/source/Leijen) - [Punthorst](/source/Punthorst) - [Rouveen](/source/Rouveen) - Slingenberg - Staphorst ## Demographics Staphorst had a sustainable birth rate until the beginning of 21st century. But during the 2000–2007 period, the birth rate dropped considerably. - Birth Rate: 15.79 per 1000 (down from 18.96 in 2000). - Death Rate: 6.98 per 1000. - NGR: +0.88%[10] The [birth rate](/source/Birth_rate) of Staphorst declined further to 14,9‰ in 2016, while the [total fertility rate](/source/Total_fertility_rate) declined to 2,65 children per woman. ## Notable people Gretha Smit, 2002 - [Lambertus Johannes Hansen](/source/Lambertus_Johannes_Hansen) (1803 in Staphorst – 1859) Dutch painter - [Tjerk Vermaning](/source/Tjerk_Vermaning) (1929 in Staphorst – 1986) a controversial Dutch amateur archaeologist - [Roelof Bisschop](/source/Roelof_Bisschop) (born 1956 in Staphorst) a Dutch historian and politician ### Sport - [Marc Houtzager](/source/Marc_Houtzager) (born 1971 in Rouveen) a Dutch show jumping equestrian, silver medallist at the [2012 Summer Olympics](/source/2012_Summer_Olympics) - [Bert Konterman](/source/Bert_Konterman) (born 1971 in Rouveen) former professional footballer with 470 appearances for clubs in the Netherlands and Scotland. - [Gretha Smit](/source/Gretha_Smit) (born 1976 in Rouveen) a Dutch former speed skater, silver medallist in the [2002 Winter Olympics](/source/2002_Winter_Olympics) ## Gallery - Rouveen - Oud Gereformeerde Kerk - Rouveen, hotel - Forest Service Staphorst, Recreational pond 'de Zwarte Dennen' - Molen De Leijen, Staphorst ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Vincent_Bisschop_1-0)** ["College van B&W"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140416070830/http://www.staphorst.nl/internet/college-van-bw_289/) [Board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Staphorst. Archived from [the original](http://www.staphorst.nl/internet/college-van-bw_289/) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 1 April 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2020"](https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/84799NED/table?dl=41062) [Key figures for neighbourhoods 2020]. *StatLine* (in Dutch). [CBS](/source/Statistics_Netherlands). 24 July 2020. Retrieved 19 September 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-AHN_3-0)** ["Postcodetool for 7951DE"](http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool). *Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland* (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 1 April 2014. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-t408_4-0)** ["Staphorst (Municipality, Overijssel, Netherlands)"](https://citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/admin/overijssel/0180__staphorst/). *Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location*. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 7 February 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-h006_5-0)** ["Staphorst (Staphorst, Overijssel, Netherlands)"](https://citypopulation.de/en/netherlands/overijssel/staphorst/BK00589__staphorst/). *Population Statistics, Charts, Map, Location, Weather and Web Information*. 1 January 2021. Retrieved 7 February 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [http://www.godutch.com/newspaper/index.php?id=1976&search=Staphorst](http://www.godutch.com/newspaper/index.php?id=1976&search=Staphorst) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Over-Staphorst_7-0)** (in Dutch) Over Staphorst, ["Staphorst vroeger,"](http://www.staphorst.nl/internet/over-staphorst_228/item/staphorst-vroeger_295.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120728002044/http://www.staphorst.nl/internet/over-staphorst_228/item/staphorst-vroeger_295.html) 28 July 2012 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) Gemeente Staphorst. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-VPRO-01-11-2007_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-VPRO-01-11-2007_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-VPRO-01-11-2007_8-2) (in Dutch) ["Polio in Staphorst,"](http://www.npogeschiedenis.nl/andere-tijden/afleveringen/2007-2008/Polio-in-Staphorst.html) *[Andere Tijden](/source/Andere_Tijden)*, [VPRO](/source/VPRO) (1 November 2007). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-CBS-01-09-2003_9-0)** ["Largest families in Urk,"](http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/themas/bevolking/publicaties/artikelen/archief/2003/2003-1269-wm.htm) CBS (Statistics Netherlands), Web magazine (1 September 2003 10:00). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [CBS/nl](http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/publication/?DM=SLEN&PA=37259ENG&D1=1-2&D2=0,20,24,33,38,154,262,325,818,1143-1146&D3=a&D4=a,!0-39&LA=EN&VW=T) ## External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Staphorst](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Staphorst). - [Official website](http://www.staphorst.nl) - [Tourist Office of Staphorst](http://www.vvvstaphorst.nl) Places adjacent to Staphorst Steenwijkerland Meppel (DR) De Wolden (DR) Zwartewaterland Staphorst Hardenberg Zwolle Dalfsen v t e Overijssel province Municipalities Almelo Borne Dalfsen Deventer Dinkelland Enschede Haaksbergen Hardenberg Hellendoorn Hengelo Hof van Twente Kampen Losser Oldenzaal Olst-Wijhe Ommen Raalte Rijssen-Holten Staphorst Steenwijkerland Tubbergen Twenterand Wierden Zwartewaterland Zwolle Regions Kop van Overijssel Salland Twente See also Netherlands Provinces Municipalities Regions and subregions Authority control databases International VIAF Geographic MusicBrainz area People ISIL: NL-SthGE Other Yale LUX --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Staphorst](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphorst) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphorst?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.