Beveland, North, and South Beveland

Beveland, North, and South Beveland (bā`vəlänt), peninsula developed from the above former islands, Zeeland prov., SW Netherlands, in the Scheldt estuary. As a result of Dutch plans for a delta to shut off most of Zeeland from the North Sea, South Beveland became a peninsula of the mainland; North Beveland was linked to the peninsula by way of Walcheren island. A shipping canal connecting the Belgian port of Antwerp with the Rhine River traverses South Beveland. Agriculture and livestock breeding are the economic mainstays. Dairying and the cultivation of sugar beets, are the principal activities on North Beveland, which also has factories for sugar extraction. South Beveland specializes in the growing of wheat, potatoes, sugar beets, and fruits and is also known for its fisheries and oyster culture. Wissenkerke, whose name derives from a beautiful 17th-century church, is the chief town of North Beveland; Goes, which has a 15th-century Gothic church, is South Beveland's principal urban center. Heavy fighting occurred in both areas during World War II.