Groene Hart

Location of the Groene Hart in the Netherlands
Landscape in the municipality of Vlist, in the Groene Hart

The Groene Hart (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɣrunə ˈɦɑrt]; "Green Heart") is a relatively thinly populated area of the Netherlands covering much of the middle portion of the Randstad megalopolis. The major Dutch cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, Amsterdam, and Utrecht surround this area. Cities inside the Groene Hart include Zoetermeer, Alphen aan den Rijn, Gouda, Woerden, and the smaller cities of Schoonhoven, Oudewater, Haastrecht, Nieuwkoop, Montfoort, Waddinxveen, Bodegraven, and Boskoop.