Economy shrinks in all provinces

• North Brabant hit hardest
• Smaller decrease in four largest cities

Figures released today by Statistics Netherlands show that the economy shrank in all twelve provinces in 2009. The decrease was largest in North Brabant. In Limburg and Overijssel, too, the decrease was larger than the national average of 4 percent.

The economy shrank by just over 5 percent in North Brabant. This decrease is connected with the relatively large presence of manufacturing industry in this province. The manufacturing sector was hit hard in 2009.

In the four large cities, too, the economy was down. The decrease was smaller than the national average, however. The Hague, with a decrease of 2.3 percent, was least affected by the recession because of the large presence of government in this city. The public sector is traditionally less affected by economic ups and downs. The government was one of the few sectors where the economy grew in 2009.