gemeente (municipality), central Netherlands. Chartered in 1231, Harderwijk was an important port on the former Zuiderzee and was a member of the Hanseatic League. It now lies opposite Flevoland Oost, one of the polders created by the Dutch in their 20th-century project to drain part of the Zuiderzee (now called the IJsselmeer). Although Harderwijk's port functions have greatly diminished, tourism has been a successful substitute. Pop. (2007 est.) 42,079.