It is a part of the municipality of Altena, and is located about 12 km south of Gorinchem.

The village was first mentioned in 1156 as Iacobus de Dussan, and has been named after a distributary of the Meuse.

It was severely damaged by Spanish troops during Eighty Years' War, and restored in 1608.

[5] The Dutch Reformed church was not rebuilt after World War II.

The Catholic church was rebuilt in 1953 in pre-fab steel and concrete which was unusual at the time.