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Chapter One THE NETHERLANDS’ GEOGRAPHY & LANDSCAPE

T he Netherlands, like the name suggests, is a low-lying country. About half of the country’s territory lies no more than three feet (1 meter) above sea level, and one-fourth of the country is below sea level. Dikes , canals, dams , sluices, and windmills are distinctive features of the Dutch landscape. They are a critical part of the extensive water-drainage system that has enabled the

Dutch to expand their country’s land by almost one-fifth. More importantly, without this constant drainage and the protection of dunes along the nation’s coast, almost half of the Netherlands would be flooded— mainly by the sea, but also by the many rivers that cross it. Canals, rivers, and coastal inlets cut through much of the low- lying western part of the country. Farther to the east, the land lies slightly higher and is flat or gently rolling. The elevation rarely exceeds 160 feet (50 meters). Most of the land is devoted to agriculture. The total area of the Netherlands is slightly larger than the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island combined. At its widest point from east to west the Netherlands extends 120 miles (193 kilometers), and from north to south the greatest distance is 190 miles (306 kilometers).

ABOVE: Rotterdam is a major European port that handles millions of shipping containers each year. 11