Aa en Hunze

Aa en Hunze
Reformed church in Gieten
Location in Drenthe
Coordinates: 53°0′N 6°46′E / 53.000°N 6.767°E / 53.000; 6.767
CountryNetherlands
ProvinceDrenthe
Established1 January 1998
Government
 • BodyMunicipal council
 • MayorAnno Wietze Hiemstra (CDA)
Area
 • Total
278.87 km2 (107.67 sq mi)
 • Land276.09 km2 (106.60 sq mi)
 • Water2.78 km2 (1.07 sq mi)
Elevation
20 m (66 ft)
Population
 (January 2021)
 • Total
25,399
 • Density92/km2 (240/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postcode
9443–9469, 9510–9519, 9654–9659
Area code050, 0592, 0598, 0599
Websitewww.aaenhunze.nl

Aa en Hunze (Dutch pronunciation: [ˌaː ʔɛn ˈɦʏnzə] ) is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands. The municipality has 26,089 inhabitants. The town hall is located in Gieten. The municipality of Aa en Hunze was created on 1 January 1998 by merging the municipalities of Rolde, Gasselte, Gieten, and Anloo.

The names 'Aa' (more precisely the 'Drentsche Aa') and 'Hunze' refer to two small rivers through the municipality. The municipality consists of two distinct parts, each with a different history. The two parts are separated by the Hondsrug, which itself belongs to the western part. This sandy area is among the oldest inhabited regions in the Netherlands. The eastern part of the municipality has a much shorter history of habitation.