The people of Noord-
Brabant
are strongly organised on the social level: the clubs and societies for sports, leisure and common interest count over 600,000 members.
They spend their spare time meeting each other in community centres, on street benches in village squares on terraces and, of course, in pubs and bars.
Where do they
live?
The residential density of Noord-
Brabant
matches the national average
. Two-thirds of the population live in cities and towns. These cities often have old, nicely restaured medieval centres with later extensions. The other 35% of the population live in villages from where they commute to a nearby city for work.
Noord-Brabant
has its share of modern society’s problems and the regional government has a focuss on improving living conditions and public safety. Especially the older and rundown residential neighbourhoods are given a makeover and new facilities are created.
Where do they
work?
The people of Noord-Brabant
are among the most productive of the
Netherlands
. Figures prove this: the share of the gross national product, employment levels, the number of companies, the number of patents in relation to inventions. The province can boast to be the third top technological region on the
European level
with
Eindhoven
at the centre.
Traditional agriculture has transformed into high-tech food industry around Veghel/Uden/Oss. The pharmaceutical sector and biomedical technology, that is, the new ‘human health’ sector, developed mainly around Oss.
The European military aviation maintenance is organised in the triangle between Vlissingen,Venlo and Woensdrecht. Industrial and chemical companies add value to the goods that find their way to over 300 million consumers in Western and Central Europe. Most of these goods are shipped from the nearby ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.
The province has around 1000 international companies with foreign or Dutch managers fronting them. Apparently, the approach practised in Noord-Brabant more than suits what the international business world is attempting to achieve.