Beerta means "place with houses" (English: neighboorhood; Frisian: buorren)[3] The name was sometimes explained as relating to the 12th century monastery Barthe [de] which was lost in a flood,[4] however the monastery has been excavated in Hesel, East Frisia, Germany, in 1988.

[4] The expanding Dollart implied that parts of Beerta were moved to higher ground.

[8] The poldering of the Dollart resulted in a large areas of cultivated land, and in the mid-19th century, Beerta became a prosperous village with an elite of rich farmers.

[12] Beerta would continue to be ruled by a coalition which excluded the CPN until 1966 when the communist party won the elections with an absolute majority.

[14] In 1989, the CPN abandoned its Marxist–Leninist roots and merged into GroenLinks, however Jagersma did not join the new party.

To the southwest of Beerta is Winschoten, to the west is Blauwestad, to the north is Finsterwolde, to the east is Bad Nieuweschans, to the southeast is Bellingwolde, and to the south is Blijham.