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.
