Two thousand years ago Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, mentioned a complex of lakes at the current location of the IJsselmeer.

From 1929 till 1967, over half the IJsselmeer was drained, creating 1,979 km2 (764 sq mi) of polders:[4] Wieringermeerpolder, Noordoostpolder, East and South Flevoland.

The proposed polderisation of the Markerwaard was abandoned after many of the Dutch population did not want the loss of the traditional seaside (now lakeside) environment and vistas.

The change has been beneficial for Dutch boats, many of which are steel, as the freshwater significantly reduces rusting of the hulls, and there is far less build-up of marine growth (such as algae and barnacles below the barges' waterlines).

This has the knock-on benefit that barges and yachts in the IJsselmeer need far less antifouling, a coating which is inevitably somewhat toxic to wildlife.

Due to the shallowness of the IJsselmeer, the Markermeer, and the bordering lakes, its cities and fishing villages remained mostly unspoilt and have many historic buildings.