Netherlands

A kingdom of Western Europe, bounded to the north and west by the North Sea, to the south by Belgium, and to the east by Germany. The Netherlands (also known as Holland), with Belgium and Luxembourg, make up what are known as the Low Countries. Strictly speaking, however, the name Holland belongs only to the two coastal provinces of North and South Holland. The plural Netherlands, used in English, is a legacy of the past, since the Dutch themselves refer to their country as Nederland. The landscape is famously flat: much of it is reclaimed land (polder) lying well below sea level. Dykes have been constructed to prevent flooding and keep the sea at bay. The Netherlands is a highly populous and prosperous country, and benefits from close ties with the rest of Europe. It is highly industrialized, the main areas of activity being petroleum, aircraft, food processing, chemicals, electronics, and machinery. Agriculture is highly intensive and dairy farming is especially important. The European Countries Today series provides information on the 15 of the most important countries in Europe. Each book in the series describes the history, geography, economy, culture, and relationship each country has with its neighbors. There is also a separate title, European Union Facts & Figures, which provides statistical and factual information about the European Union. Each title in this series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front

Un regat al Europei de Vest, delimitat la nord si vest de Marea Nordului, la sud de Belgia si la est de Germania. Olanda (cunoscuta si sub numele de Olanda), impreuna cu Belgia si Luxemburg, alcatuiesc ceea ce sunt cunoscute sub numele de Tarile joase.