Page last updated on February 28, 2018

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

Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,543 sq km
[see also: Area - total country ranks ]
land: 33,893 sq km
[see also: Area - land country ranks ]
water: 7,650 sq km
[see also: Area - water country ranks ]
country comparison to the world: 135

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,053 km
[see also: Land boundaries - total country ranks ]
border countries (2): Belgium 478 km, Germany 575 km

Coastline:
451 km
[see also: Coastline country ranks ]

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - territorial sea country ranks ]
contiguous zone: 24 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - contiguous zone country ranks ]
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
[see also: Maritime claims - exclusive fishing zone country ranks ]

Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
More Climate Details

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

Elevation:
mean elevation: 30 m
[see also: Elevation - mean elevation country ranks ]
elevation extremes: lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m (on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles)
note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Land use:
agricultural land: 55.1% arable land 29.8%; permanent crops 1.1%; permanent pasture 24.2%
[see also: Land use - agricultural land country ranks ]
forest: 10.8%
[see also: Land use - forest country ranks ]
other: 34.1% (2011 est.)
[see also: Land use - other country ranks ]

Irrigated land:
4,860 sq km (2012)
[see also: Irrigated land country ranks ]

Population - distribution:
an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

Natural hazards:
flooding
volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada

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

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde); about a quarter of the country lies below sea level and only about half of the land exceeds one meter above sea level