South Limburg (Dutch: Zuid-Limburg, Limburgish: Zui-Limburg or Zuud-Limburg) is both a COROP (statistical) region as well as a landstreek (area) of The Netherlands located in the province of Limburg. By the Dutch term landstreek, literally "land area/region" is meant that the area is not an administrative region but an area that displays cohesion with regards to culture and landscape. With regards to South Limburg this deals with its hilly landscape, especially in the Heuvelland region, sunken lanes, an abundance of castles and the regional language Limburgish spoken by a significant part of the population alongside Dutch. The region also contains the highest point above sea level in the Netherlands namely the Vaalserberg being 322,5 m. above sea level; although within the larger Kingdom of the Netherlands the highest point is Mount Scenery, Saba being 877 m. above sea level.

The region South Limburg in addition, although extended a little further north to Roermond, forms a constituent part of the Euroregion Meuse-Rhine.

[edit] Municipalities

The South Limburg contains these administrative municipalities (gemeentes):

Beek Brunssum Eijsden Gulpen-Wittem Heerlen Kerkrade Landgraaf Maastricht (capital of the entire Limburg province) Margraten Meerssen

Nuth Onderbanken Schinnen Simpelveld Sittard-Geleen Stein Vaals Valkenburg aan de Geul Voerendaal

[edit] Cities

Name	Population	Notes
Maastricht	118.355
Heerlen	89.347	Does not have historical city rights
Kerkrade	48.054	Does not have historical city rights
Sittard	36.960
Geleen	33.960
Valkenburg aan de Geul	6020

[edit] Impressions

The Bemelerberg in Bemelen	A sunken lane near Cadier en Keer	Chapel near Cadier en Keer	Town of Eys
"Rock house" near Geulhem	Town of Gulpen	Hilly landscape between Gulpen and Slenaken	Onze-Lieve-Vrouwe-Enbankment, Maastricht
Vaeshartelt Castle, Meerssen	Timber framed house in Noorbeek	't Sibberhuuske, Sibbe	Town of Wijlre