Caleb's Geography Blog: The Netherlands

I know several Dutch people and along with the British I do not think you could find a finer people as a whole. The geography of The Netherlands is very interesting. Of all the countries on earth, few if any have been more affected by humans than The Netherlands. Netherlands means low countries and 25 percent of Holland is below sea level. The Dutch have used dikes, canals, dams and windmills (kidding) to reclaim land from the sea. Flooding is a constant threat, however. Amsterdam actually has more canals than Venice (though St. Petersburg or as some call it Leningrad, has more than Amsterdam). Incredibly, almost 17 million people call the modest sized Nederlands home and according to many studies they are the tallest people on earth. The capital of Holland is Amsterdam and it is also the largest city. Rotterdam is second largest, Den Haag the third and Utrecht, Eindhoven and Tilburg are other large cities. The Rhine river flows through Holland to its' final destination the North Sea. I find the Netherlands to be a beautiful and charming country.

Hofvijfer in The Hahue 2006. Photo: Prasenberg

Oostvaardersplassen, a nature reserve in Netherlands, 2004. Photo: GerardM

Panorama Heuvelland, Limburg. Photo: Maurice van Bruggen

Hangende Keukens in Appingedam 2007. Photo: Thijs nl.

Part of the open landscape in Dutch national park "De Hoge Veluwe" 2009. Photo: Stefan Kruithof

Jachthuis Sint-Hubertus (St. Hubertus Hunting Lodge) at National Park De Hoge Veluwe, The Netherlands. Designed by H.P. Berlage in 1914. 2007. Photo: China_Crisis