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Small and denSely populated, the low
Countries are highly developed industrial nations
with thriving economies. nearly one-third of the
netherlands lies below sea level. Over the last four
centuries, dutch engineers have reclaimed land
by pushing back the north Sea with a network of
barriers, or dikes. In northern Belgium, the land
is also flat and low-lying, although to the south it
rises toward the forested uplands of the ardennes.
Belgium only became independent in the
19th century. It is divided by language; dutch
(Flemish) is spoken in the north, while French
is spoken in the south. Farming is important
throughout the region. The fertile land and cool,
rainy climate is ideally suited to dairy and crop
farming. major industries produce iron and steel,
natural gas, clothing, textiles, and electrical
goods. The tiny country of luxembourg has
the highest living standards in europe, and
is known as a major banking center.BulB FIeldS
The dutch have been famous for
their flower bulbs since the 16th
century, when tulips first arrived
in europe from the middle east.
In the spring, fields of spring flowers
are a spectacular sight. Fresh-cut
flowers are flown all over the world.The low Countries lie in northwest
europe, with Germany to the east
and France to the south. To the
west lies the north Sea.Low Countries 324-
amSTerdam
a city of 90 islands connected by 1,300
bridges, amsterdam is linked by canal to
the north Sea. The city became important
in the middle ages, and many of the
churches, towers, and gabled merchants’
houses of the old city still stand today.
In the 17th century, amsterdam was the
financial capital of the world. Since 1945,
new suburbs have been built on polders
(reclaimed land), tripling the size of the city.luxemBOurG
The capital of luxembourg stands
on a sandstone plateau, cut into
deep ravines by the alzette river.
The Old Town centers on the
Grand ducal Palace (1572), the
Cathedral, and the Town Hall.
luxembourg is a thriving
industrial and banking center.CHeeSe
much of the cheese
produced in the
netherlands is made
from the milk of cows,
which graze on areas
of reclaimed land. The
country’s most famous
cheeses are Gouda, and
edam, which has a red wax rind.Porters carry trays
of cheese at the
famous market
in Alkmaar.Windmills tap the
energy of the wind
by means of sails
mounted on a
rotating shaft.land reClamaTIOn
Over the centuries, low-lying land has been
reclaimed from the sea. engineers built dikes
to enclose areas of shallow water, which were
then drained. From the 14th century,
windmills were used to drain water
and pump it into canals. On the
windswept lowlands, windpower was
very effective, although it has now
been replaced by steam and electric
pumps. However, storms and high
tides are still a major threat to the
people of the netherlands.europe
european union
Flowers and herbs
Ports and waterways
World war iFind out more
US_324_Low_Countries_1.indd 324 22/01/16 11:10 am