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Look beyond the clogs and the cheese, the tulip fields and gabled houses, and you will find a Netherlands of great economic strength that belies its size. The Netherlands is truly the home of extraordinary variety with a wealth of art in its museums and the world famous Red Light District on its streets. This low-lying nation offers a blend of idyllic country beauty on the one hand and the pacy atmosphere and amenities of the 21st century on the other.

The modern Dutch landscape will take you on a dizzying journey through the metropolitan excitement of Amsterdam along the canal lined streets of Delft to the busy ultra modern port of Rotterdam and into the windmill dotted countryside.

When you land at the Schipol Airport in Amsterdam you’re actually 4 meters below sea level!

Historically Speaking

Historical accounts of this country can be traced back to the 1st century BC when Julius Caeser ruled the region. Under Roman rule peace and prosperity prevailed for about 300 years until the powerful Franks moved in and started conversion of the people to Christianity. After the death of Charlemange the empire disintegrated and was ruled over by the local lords and gradually over the centuries the whole region including Belgium came to be called the low lying countries or Netherlands as it is known today.

In the 9th and 10th centuries the Vikings started invading this area as they came in search of fresh booty. To guard against them the local lords and vassals came together and started forming townships from where trade flourished and defences were improved. By the 14th century important commercial townships were formed on the basis of trade and commerce and it was at this period that the counties of Flanders, Holland and Utrecht were established with the Frisian still not willing to submit to the local rulers.

By the mid 16th century Charles V of the Hapsburg Empire and also King of Spain at that time passed

on this northern state to his son Philip who being Spanish had little love for this country and passed very strict laws to which the people objected and revolted. What followed was the wars of independence and by 1648 the sovereignty of the Dutch Republic of the United Provinces was recognized and it became a powerful republic surrounded by monarchies. In the 17th century in the midst of great commercial prosperity, the Golden age of art flourished under the aegis of painters like Rembrandt and Jan Vermeer. At this time the colonization process took place and the Dutch established control over colonies in Indonesia, Brazil, the West Indies and North America.

In the following years there was a considerable decline of the Netherlands as the British emerged as a great maritime power and after a series of wars in 1810 Napolean incorporated the Kingdom of Holland into the French empire. At this time Netherlands was also merged with Belgium against the peoples wishes and this situation lasted till 1839.

A parliamentary form of democracy was developed and by World War 1 the Dutch economy was again hard hit and aggravated by the depression of 1930. During World War 1 the Netherlands went through an economic crisis and slowly over the years all it’s colonies became separate states. In 1940 Netherlands joined NATO and Queen Beatrix succeeded the throne in 1980.

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Habitat

About half of Netherland’s mainland lies below sea level.

The North Sea coastline is made up mainly of dunes. Most of the eastern section of the country again consists of low-lying land with sandy soil. Slight hills are to be found only in the southern region. The three major rivers of the Netherlands are the Rhine, flowing from Germany and the Maas and the Schelde, flowing from Belgium. The reclamation of the Zuider Zee area of the sea has created many freshwater lakes, the most famous being Ijsselmeer.

Due to extensive human activity within the landscape, much of the larger wildlife has dwindled and can now be found only in parks.