Childrens Illustrated Encyclopedia

325

W

a

dd

en

zee

North

Sea

Texel

Vlieland

Terschelling Ameland

Schiermonnikoog

Goeree

Overakkee

Schouwen

Noord-Beveland Tholen

Zuid-Beveland

W

es

t^

Fr

isi

an^

Islands^

IJsselmeer

IJs

se

l

Lek

Ijzer

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M

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Ou

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De

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Sc

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pel

Bergse^ Maas

Meu

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M

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Sam

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Leie

Neder^ Rijn

Sc

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Al

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tte

Waa

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G

E

R

M

A

N

Y F R A N C E

NETHERLANDS

LUXEMBOURG

BELGIUM

Botrange

694m

Ard

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n

e

s

Fagne^

Flan

de

rs^

Fam

en

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Hau

tes^

Fa

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Assen

Den Helder

Alkmaar

Lelystad Zwolle

Almelo

Roosendaal

’s-Hertogenbosch

Helmond

Venlo

Ostend

(Oostende)

Tournai

Mons

Aalst Leuven

Genk

Hasselt

Kerkrade

Klazienaveen

Zierikzee

Terneuzen

Ieper

Weiswampach

Bastogne

Recogne

Neufchâteau

Diekirch

Grevenmacher

Virton

Leeuwarden

Mechelen

Middelburg

Kortrijk

Roeselare

Arlon

Esch-sur-Alzette

Groningen

Zaanstad

Haarlem

Apeldoorn Enschede

Arnhem

Amersfoort

Leiden

Utrecht

Dordrecht

Nijmegen

Breda

Tilburg

Eindhoven

Bruges Antwerp

(Brugge)

Ghent

(Gent)

Maastricht

Charleroi

Namur

Liège

Rotterdam

AMSTERDAM

BRUSSELS

(BRUSSEL/BRUXELLES)

LUXEMBOURG

THE HAGUE

('S-GRAVENHAGE)

N

S

W E

Volcano Mountain Capital

city

Large

city/

town

Small

city/

town

Ancient

monument

EU HEadqUartErs

In 1957, all three low countries were

founding members of the European

Economic Community (EEC). Brussels

is now the administrative headquarters

of the European Union (EU), while

Luxembourg is the headquarters of

the European Investment Bank and

the Court of Justice.

BELgIUm

Area: 11,787 sq miles

(30,528 sq km)

Population: 11,324,000

Capital: Brussels

Languages: Flemish,

French, german, dutch

Religions: roman Catholic,

muslim

Currency: Euro

LUxEmBoUrg

Area: 998 sq miles

(2,586 sq km)

Population: 570,000

Capital: Luxembourg

Languages: Letzeburgish,

german, French

Religions: roman Catholic,

Protestant, greek

orthodox, Jewish

Currency: Euro

NEtHErLaNds

Area: 16,040 sq miles

(41,543 sq km)

Population: 16,948,000

Capital: amsterdam,

the Hague (’s-gravenhage)

Languages: dutch, Frisian

Religions: roman Catholic,

Protestant, muslim

Currency: Euro

War CEmEtEry

the Flanders region of southwest Belgium

is imprinted with memories of World War

I. one of the costliest battles of the four-

year war was Passchendaele, in 1917, in which

an estimated 800,000 allied and german troops

were killed. Vast war cemeteries, such as tyne

Cot, near Ieper, also known as ypres (left), attract

many visitors.

BrUssELs

Brussels, the capital of Belgium, is an

international economic and financial

center. the city expanded rapidly in the

19th century, and became the center of

Belgium’s growing steel, chemical, and

textile industries. the grand Place

(above) is the heart of the old town.

Brussels is now a major financial center,

with its own stock exchange.

BELgIaN BEEr

Belgium is famous for its beer, which is

produced in many local breweries and

exported worldwide. another important

export is fine Belgian chocolate; Belgium

is the world’s second-largest exporter.

low countries

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US_325_Low_Countries_2.indd 325 08/03/16 5:16 pm