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Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between
Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 41,532 sq km
land: 33,889 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of
New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders);
some hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 25%
permanent crops: 3%
permanent pastures: 25%
forests and woodland: 8%
other: 39% (1996 est.)
Irrigated land: 6,000 sq km (1996 est.)
Natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams
protects nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded
Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form
of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates
and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities;
acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine
Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber
94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic
Pollutants, Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: located at mouths of three major European
rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
Geography
Netherlands, also known unofficially as Holland, constitutional
monarchy of northwestern Europe, bordered on the north and west
by the North Sea, on the east by Germany, and on the south by Belgium.
With Belgium and Luxembourg, the Netherlands forms the Low, or Benelux,
Countries. The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, islands in the Caribbean,
are part of the Netherlands.
The European portion of the Netherlands has a total area of 41,526
sq km (16,033 sq mi), of which 33,939 sq km (13,104 sq mi) is land
surface. The country's capital and largest city is Amsterdam.
The Netherlands, as its name suggests, is a low-lying country.
About half of the country's landmass lies below sea level. This
amount would increase should the polar ice caps melt and slowly
raise the level of the sea due to global warming.
Much of the western part, situated below sea level, is covered with
clay and peat soils interspersed with canals, rivers, and arms of
the sea. Farther to the east the land lies slightly above sea level
and is flat to gently rolling. The elevation rarely exceeds 50 m
(160 ft). Most of the land is devoted to agriculture; only small
areas of forest and heath remain.
Climate
The Netherlands shares the temperate maritime climate common to
much of northern and western Europe. The average temperature range
in Vlissingen in the coastal region is 1° to 5° C (34° to 41° F)
in January and 14° to 21° C (57° to 69° F) in July.
In De Bilt, in the densely populated central region of the country,
the average range is -1° to 4° C (31° to 40° F) in January and 13°
to 22° C (55° to 72° F) in July.
Annual precipitation averages 690 mm (27 in) in Vlissingen and
770 mm (30 in) in De Bilt. Cloudless days are uncommon, as is prolonged
frost. Because the Netherlands has few natural barriers, such as
high mountains, the climate varies little from region to region.
Background:
The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium
seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained
neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal invasion and occupation
by Germany in World War II.
A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large
exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member
of NATO and the EC, and participated in the introduction of the
euro in 1999.
Netherlands is a small country on the North Sea in northwestern
Europe. It is bordered by Belgium and Germany.
The Netherlands is often called Holland, but this name officially
refers only to the western part of the country.
The people of the Netherlands call themselves Nederlanders. They
are also known as the Dutch.
Netherlands is a small country on the North Sea in northwestern
Europe. It is bordered by Belgium and Germany. The Netherlands is
often called Holland, but this name officially refers only to the
western part of the country.
The people of the Netherlands call themselves Nederlanders. They
are also known as the Dutch.
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