Meppel (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈmɛpəl]ⓘ; Drents: Möppelt) is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It constitutes the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe. Meppel is the smallest municipality in Drenthe, with a total area of about 57 km2 (22 sq mi). As of 1 July 2021, it had a population of 34,506 with over 30,000 inhabitants within city limits.
People born in Meppel are occasionally referred to as Meppeler Muggen in Dutch;[5] this translates as 'mosquitoes from Meppel'. The nickname comes from a traditional folk tale. The people of Meppel thought the church tower was on fire, but after closer inspection, they realised it was only a swarm of mosquitoes.[6]
History
Meppel developed in the 16th century as an inland harbour for peat transport and distribution.[citation needed] There used to be a lot of waterways in the town, but now only one remains. Meppel received city rights in 1644. On 1 October 1867, Meppel railway station opened to service, drastically improving connectivity in the region. On 1 January 1998, the municipality of Nijeveen, northwest of Meppel, was merged with that of Meppel, retaining the latter name.
Meppel is served by national and regional train connections with Zwolle to the southwest, which leads to the rest of the country, as well as Leeuwarden and Groningen to the northwest and northeast respectively. The city's station is located on both the Arnhem–Leeuwarden railway (Staatslijn A) and Meppel–Groningen railway (Staatslijn C).
^"Postcodetool for 7941BJ". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 9 October 2013.