Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Map references: Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 37,330 sq km
land area: 33,920 sq km
comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: total 1,027 km, Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims:
continental shelf: not specified
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: none

Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil

Land use:
arable land: 26%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 32%
forest and woodland: 9%
other: 32%

Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams, protects nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded
international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

Note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, Schelde)

NOTE: The information regarding Netherlands on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Netherlands Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Netherlands Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.