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T
he netherlands, belgium, and luxembourg
are known as the
Low Countries because the land is so flat and low-lying. In the case of
the Netherlands, much of the land is below sea level—Netherlands
is Dutch
for
“under lands.” The three countries are among the richest in Europe and,
while farming still plays an important part, they all have strong, modern economies based on manufacturing and trade. Luxembourg in particular is known as a tax haven and is a major center for international finance. Their
location at the mouth of the River Rhine and other major
European rivers places the three countries at the heart of
western European trade and politics—all three were
founder members of the European Economic
Community (now the European Union, or EU),
established in 1957.
RECLAIMING THE LANDOver the centuries, the Dutch have reclaimed land from the
sea. They did this by building huge dykes, or dams, to keep out
the sea, and then draining the surface water into canals. Windmills originally pumped out the water, but electric pumps are now used.
ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDSEvery year, around 30,000 sea-going ships and 110,000 barges call at the port of Rotterdam. Lying at the mouth of the River Rhine, this port is the largest in the world and is where vast container ships from all over the world load or unload their cargoes. The smaller barges help to transport goods farther inland. With the port’s advanced Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) it’s possible to track ships on a radar screen up to 37 miles (60 km) off the coast and 25 miles (40 km) inland.
Tulips were introduced
to the Netherlands fromTurkey in 1562. Black
tulips were the most valuable.
DUTCH PEOPLE
The Dutch once ruled a vast empire
in Indonesia, the Caribbean, and
South America. As a result, many
nationalities now live here. Ethnic minorities make up
about 15 percent of the people and in some cities, the majority of primary school children have a non-Dutch background.
Land below sea level on main map
Dutch tulipsCROPSFertile soil and good irrigation have helped the Netherlands become a major exporter of agricultural products, with vegetables and tomatoes forming important crops. It is also famous for its bulbs and cut flowers, notably tulips.
The Low Countries
Europe
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