Achtkarspelen () is a municipality in the province of Friesland in the Northern Netherlands. In 2021, it had a population of 27,900.
History
The name Achtkarspelen, literally meaning "eight parishes", is derived from the original eight parishes within the grietenij, namely: Augustinusga, Buitenpost (the capital), Drogeham, De Kooten, Kortwoude, Lutkepost, Surhuizum and Twijzel. Achtkarspelen held a separate status within Friesland for many years. In the Middle Ages Achtkarspelen fell under the Bishopric of Münster, meanwhile the rest of Friesland was a part of the Bishopric of Utrecht.
The grietenij Achtkarspelen became a municipality in 1851 as a result of the Municipality Act of Minister of the Interior Johan Rudolph Thorbecke.
Population centres
270px|thumb|Topographic map of Achtkarspelen, June 2015
The administrative centre in the municipality is Buitenpost.
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! Dutch name
! West Frisian name
! Population
|-
| Augustinusga
| Stynsgea
| 1332
|-
| Boelenslaan
| Boelensloane
| 1145
|-
| Buitenpost
| Bûtenpost
| 5785
|-
| Drogeham
| Droegeham
| 1751
|-
| Gerkesklooster-Stroobos
| Gerkeskleaster-Strobos
| 1140
|-
| Harkema
| De Harkema
| 4235
|-
| Kootstertille
| Koatstertille
| 2595
|-
| Surhuisterveen
| Surhústerfean
| 5810
|-
| Surhuizum
| Surhuzem
| 1371
|-
| Twijzel
| Twizel
| 1093
|-
| Twijzelerheide
| Twizelerheide
| 1889
|}
Notable people
- Derk Holman (1916 in Buitenpost – 1982 in Groningen) sculptor and ceramist
- Louw de Graaf (1930 in Kootstertille – 2020) politician and trade union leader.
- Gerriet Postma (1932 in Twijzelerheide – 2009) painter
- Johannes Lützen Bouma (1934 in Twijzelerheide – 2025) economist and academic
- David Porcelijn (born 1947 in Achtkarspelen) composer and conductor
- Joop Atsma (born 1956 in Surhuisterveen) politician and sport administrator.
- Meindert Talma (born 1968 in Surhuisterveen) lo-fi singer and keyboardist
- Oedo Kuipers (born 1989 in Stroobos) singer and actor in musical theatre
Gallery
<gallery mode=packed>
File:Augustinusga Dwarsreed.JPG|Augustinusga Dwarsreed
File:Boelenslaan Oranje gekte.JPG|Boelenslaan Oranje gekte
File:Begin van de Kolk. Surhuisterveen.JPG|Begin van de Kolk, Surhuisterveen
File:Stroobos - Hoendiep - Sikma - Barkmeijer (winter).jpg|The Hoendiep near Stroobos
</gallery>