Total area: 41,500 km2
land area: 33,940 km2

Comparative area: slightly more than twice the size of New Jersey

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

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: @m5Contiguous zone: 12 nm
@m5Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
@m5Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

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

Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, fertile soil

Land use: 25% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 34% meadows and pastures; 9% forest and woodland; 31% other; includes 15% irrigated

Environment: 30% of the land area is below sea level and protected from the North Sea by dikes

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 1989 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Netherlands Geography 1989 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Netherlands Geography 1989 should be addressed to the CIA.