Netherlands

The Netherlands is a small country in northwestern Europe. It is also known as Holland. The people of The Netherlands are called the Dutch. The country’s capital is Amsterdam. However, the government meets in the city of The Hague.

Geography

The Netherlands shares borders with Germany and Belgium. The North Sea lies to the west and north. The country includes the Caribbean islands of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles. The Netherlands is low-lying and mostly flat. Rivers and canals connect many of the cities. The climate is cool and rainy.

Much of the land near the coast used to be underwater. Beginning in the Middle Ages the Dutch drained the land using windmills and, later, pumps. They built barriers such as dikes and dams to keep the water out. The lands taken from the sea are called polders.

Plants and Animals

Forests cover only about 10 percent of the land. Animals include hedgehogs, moles, badgers, otters, and mice. Many sea and land birds also live in the country.

People

Dutch people make up most of the population. There are small groups of Turks, Indonesians, Moroccans, and others. About half of the people are Christians. Many people follow no religion. Dutch is the main language. About 90 percent of the people live in cities.

Economy

International trade and services are important parts of the economy. Many goods pass through The Netherlands on their way to and from other countries of western Europe. The Netherlands’ major services include banking, insurance, communications, and tourism.

Factories make food products, metals, chemicals, electrical machinery, transportation equipment, and petroleum (oil) products. The Netherlands also has large fields of natural gas.

Farmers grow vegetables, grains, potatoes, and sugar beets. They also raise pigs, cattle, poultry, and sheep. The Dutch produce many flowers, especially tulips.

See Also :Washington ,D.C.

History

Early History

The Roman Empire conquered the region more than 2,000 years ago. The area later divided into many small states. The lands that are now The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg became known as the Low Countries. In the 1400s the Low Countries came under the control of the Hapsburg family of Austria.

The Low Countries passed to the Hapsburg rulers of Spain in the 1500s. The Dutch began fighting Spain in 1568. In 1579 the Dutch set up the United Provinces of the Netherlands. The war continued until Spain accepted Dutch independence in 1648.

In the 1600s the Dutch built a large empire around the world. They set up colonies in North America, South America, Asia, and Africa. The Dutch fought many wars with England during this time.

Kingdom of The Netherlands

In 1795 the French invaded the Low Countries. After the French were defeated in 1815, the Kingdom of The Netherlands was created. Belgium and Luxembourg soon broke away to form separate countries.

Nazi Germany ruled The Netherlands during World War II (1939–45). The Germans sent away and killed most of the country’s Jews.

After the war The Netherlands granted independence to its remaining colonies.

They became the countries of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and Suriname. The Netherlands also joined the European Economic Community (now the European Union).