The Netherlands

The kingdom of the Netherlands is a small, densely populated western European country bordering Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. The country is mostly flat and is crossed by some major rivers in the south. Some parts of the country lie below sea level and are protected by the sea with dikes. The Netherlands emerged as an independent country towards the end of the 16th century, when they gained independence from Spain. In the following centuries the Netherlands built a colonial empire with territories spread around the globe. The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam, while the seat of the government is in Den Haag. The Netherlands have a developed and diversified economy, ranking 17th in the world. The port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe.