Netherlands

Often referred to as one of the most colourful cities in the world. The Netherlands is small in size, but big in events, attractions and activities. Away from the cities, the picturesque land of windmills and tulips still exists, as do a number of stunning medieval towns and beach resorts on its wide stretch of coastline, however, The Netherlands in not just a land of clogs and windmills. The cosmopolitan capital, Amsterdam is one of Europe’s great cities.

Understanding the Geography

The Netherlands is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, located in north-western Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east.

The Netherlands is a densely populated and geographically low-lying country (its name literally means "low countries" or "low lands")

A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country. Hilly landscapes can be found only in the central part, the south-eastern tip of the country and on the edge of the Ice age, where the glaciers pushed up several hilly ridges such as the Hondsrug in Drenthe, the Stuwwallen near Nijmegen and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.

About half of its surface area is less than 1 metre (3.3 ft) above sea level, and much of it is actually below sea level. An extensive range of dykes and dunes protects these areas from flooding. Numerous massive pumping stations keep the ground water level in check. The highest point, the Vaalserberg, in the southeastern most point of the country, is 321 metres (1,053 ft) above sea level. The Vaalserberg is a foothill of the Ardennes Mountains. A substantial part of the Netherlands, for example, all of the province of Flevoland (contains the largest man-made island in the world) and large parts of Holland, has been reclaimed from the sea. These areas are known as polders. This has led to the saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands."

Cities in The Netherlands

The Netherlands has many cities and towns of interest to travelers. Below is a list of the most notable.

• Amsterdam - capital and main tourist destination.
• Alkmaar - historic city north of Amsterdam.
• Groningen - capital of the province of Groningen.
• Haarlem - historic city and capital of the province of North-Holland.
• The Hague- seat of the national government, seat of the International Court of Justice and capital of the province of South-Holland.
• Maastricht - historic city, capital of the province of Limburg.
• Rotterdam - Port city, second largest in the world, after Shanghai. Utrecht - historic city, capital of the province of Utrecht
• Zutphen - ancient medieval city in the central-eastern part of the country, very well preserved centre.
• Breda - historic city, with beautiful historic buildings but also pretty modern architecture.

Understanding the Culture

The Netherlands is popularly known for its windmills, cheese, clogs, dikes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its policies are liberal towards drugs, prostitution, same-sex marriage, abortion and euthanasia. The country is host to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court at The Hague.