Editing Geography of the Netherlands

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
{{About|the portion of the Netherlands located in Europe|the geography of the special municipalities of the Netherlands in the Caribbean|Bonaire#Geography{{!}}Bonaire{{))!}}, {{!((}}Saba (island)#Geography and ecology{{!}}Saba|and|Sint Eustatius#Geography{{!}}Sint Eustatius| the geography of the rest of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]]|Aruba#Geography{{!}}Aruba{{))!}}, {{!((}}Curaçao#Geography{{!}}Curaçao|and|Sint Maarten#Geography{{!}}Sint Maarten}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Country geography
| name= the Netherlands
| map = Satellite image of the Netherlands in May 2000.jpg
| continent = [[Europe]]
| region =[[Western Europe]]
| coordinates = {{coord|52|22|N|4|53|E|type:country}}
| area ranking = 131st
| km area = 41545
| percent land= 80.59
| km coastline = 451
| borders = [[Land borders|Total land borders]]:<br/> {{convert|1,027|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| highest point =  [[Vaalserberg]] <br/> {{convert|322.7|m|feet|abbr=on}} 
| lowest point = Zuidplaspolder ([[Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel]]) <br /> {{convert|-7|m|feet|abbr=on}}  
| longest river = [[Rhine]] <br />  {{convert|764|km|mi|abbr=on}}
| largest lake = [[IJsselmeer]] <br /> {{convert|1,100|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
| exclusive economic zone = {{convert|154,011|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}
}}
[[File:Netherlands pol87.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Map of the Netherlands in Europe]]
[[File:2012-NL-prov-relief-3000.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Relief map of the Netherlands in Europe]]
The '''geography of the European Netherlands''' is unusual in that much of its land has been reclaimed from the sea and is below [[sea level]], protected by [[dike (construction)|dikes]]. It is a [[List of countries and dependencies by area|small country]] with a total area of {{convert|41545|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.waarstaatjeprovincie.nl/Paginas/Ruimtelijke%20ordening/Oppervlakte.aspx|title=Error|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113200643/http://www.waarstaatjeprovincie.nl/Paginas/Ruimtelijke%20ordening/Oppervlakte.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> and ranked [[List of countries and dependencies by area|131st]]. With a population of 17.4 million<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/37230ned/table?fromstatweb|title = CBS Statline}}</ref> and density of {{convert|521|/km2|/sqmi|abbr=on}} makes it the second most densely populated member of the [[European Union]] after [[Malta]], and the [[List of sovereign states and dependent territories by population density|12th]]<!--excluding dependent territories, but including Aruba and Sint Maarten which have the same status ("country") as the Netherlands--> most densely populated country in the world, behind only three countries with a population over 16 million. Consequently, the Netherlands is highly urbanized.

== Statistics ==
'''Geographic coordinates''': {{coord|52|22|N|4|53|E|type:country}}

The Dutch RD coordinate system (''Rijksdriehoeksmeting'') is also in common use.<ref>[https://www.kadaster.nl/zakelijk/registraties/basisregistraties/rijksdriehoeksmeting/rijksdriehoeksstelsel RD at Kadaster.nl] (in Dutch)</ref> For transformation to and from geographical coordinates there is an official procedure RDNAPTRANS™<ref>[https://www.nsgi.nl/rdnaptrans NSGI.nl (in Dutch)]</ref> and approximate as well as precise<ref>[https://geopinie.nl/transform/rdnap_etrs89_transformation Geopinie.nl]</ref> tools available. The west–east coordinate is between 0 and 280&nbsp;km, and the south–north coordinate between 300 and 620&nbsp;km.

The central point is the ''[[Onze Lieve Vrouwetoren|Onze-Lieve-Vrouwentoren]]'' (Our Lady's Tower) in [[Amersfoort]], with RD coordinates (155,000.00, 463,000.00 m) and geographic coordinates approximately {{coord|52|9|N|5|23|E|}}.

'''Area:'''<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.waarstaatjeprovincie.nl/Paginas/Ruimtelijke%20ordening/Oppervlakte.aspx|title=Error|access-date=13 January 2020|archive-date=13 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200113200643/http://www.waarstaatjeprovincie.nl/Paginas/Ruimtelijke%20ordening/Oppervlakte.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<br />''total:'' {{convert|41545|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}
<br />''land:'' {{convert|33481|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}} 
<br />''water:'' {{convert|8064|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}

'''Land boundaries:'''
<br />''total:'' {{convert|1027|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} 
<br />''border countries:''

*[[Belgium]] {{convert|450|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}
*[[Germany]] {{convert|577|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}

'''Coastline:''' {{convert|451|km|mi|0|abbr=on}}

'''Maritime claims:'''
<br />''territorial sea:'' {{convert|12|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
<br />''contiguous zone:'' {{convert|24|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on}}
<br />''[[exclusive economic zone]]:'' {{convert|154,011|km2|mi2|abbr=on}} with {{convert|200|nmi|km mi|1|abbr=on|lk=in}}

'''Climate:''' [[temperate]]; marine; cool summers and mild winters (European mainland), tropical (Caribbean islands)

'''Terrain:''' mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land ([[polder]]s); some hills in southeast
[[File:Hypsometric curve of the Netherlands.svg|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Hypsometric curve]] of the Netherlands in Europe. The land is unusually low and significant portions lie below mean [[sea level]].]]
'''Elevation extremes:'''
<br />''lowest point:'' Zuidplaspolder ([[Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel]]) {{convert|-7|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}, ''below'' sea level.
<br />''highest point on European mainland:'' [[Vaalserberg]] {{convert|322.7|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.
<br />''highest point (including the Caribbean islands):'' [[Mount Scenery]] on [[Saba (island)|Saba]] {{convert|887|m|ft|abbr=on}} above sea level.

'''Natural resources:''' [[natural gas]], [[petroleum]], [[peat]], [[limestone]], [[iodised salt]], sand and gravel, [[arable land]]

'''Land use:''' (2011)
<br />''arable land:'' 25.08%
<br />''permanent crops:'' 0.88%
<br />''other:'' 74.04%

'''Irrigated land''' (2007): {{convert|4572|km2|sqmi|0|abbr=on}}

'''Total renewable water resources''' (2011): {{convert|91|km3|cumi|0|abbr=on}}

[[File:Nordholland SchoorlAnZee 2004 022a.jpg|thumb|The coastal dunes are vital to the existence of areas of the Netherlands.]]

'''Natural hazards:''' flooding by sea and rivers is a constant danger. The extensive system of dikes, dams, and sand dunes protect nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded during the heavy autumn storms from the north-west.

'''Environment – current issues:''' [[water pollution]] in the form of [[heavy metals]], organic compounds, and fertilisers such as [[nitrates]] and [[phosphates]]; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; [[acid rain]]

'''Environment – international agreements:'''
<br />''party to:''
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, [[Kyoto Protocol|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
<br />''signed, but not ratified:''
none

==Landscape==
The country can be split into two areas: the low and flat lands in the west and north, and the higher lands with minor hills in the east and south. The former, including the reclaimed [[polder]]s and [[river delta]]s, make up about half of its surface area and are less than {{convert|1|m|ft}} above sea level, much of it actually below sea level. An extensive range of [[seawall]]s and coastal [[dune]]s protect the Netherlands from the sea, and levees and dikes along the rivers protect against river flooding. A recent global remote sensing analysis suggested that there were 1,025&nbsp;km<sup>2</sup> of tidal flats in the Netherlands, making it the 31st ranked country in terms of tidal flat area.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Murray |first1=N.J. |last2=Phinn |first2=S.R. |last3=DeWitt |first3=M. |last4=Ferrari |first4=R. |last5=Johnston |first5=R. |last6=Lyons |first6=M.B. |last7=Clinton |first7=N. |last8=Thau |first8=D. |last9=Fuller |first9=R.A. |title=The global distribution and trajectory of tidal flats |journal=Nature |date=2019 |volume=565 |issue=7738 |pages=222–225 |doi=10.1038/s41586-018-0805-8 |pmid=30568300 |s2cid=56481043 |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0805-8}}</ref> The rest of the country is mostly flat; only in the extreme south of the country does the land rise to any significant extent, in the foothills of the [[Ardennes]] mountains. This is where [[Vaalserberg]] is located, the highest point on the European part of the Netherlands at {{convert|322.7|m|ft}}<!-- good reason for [[using Template:convert]] --> above sea level. The highest point of the entire country is [[Mount Scenery]] (887 metres or 2,910&nbsp;ft), which is located outside the European part of the Netherlands, on the island of [[Saba (island)|Saba]] in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]]. The Netherlands is located at mouths of three major European rivers ([[Rhine]], [[Meuse (river)|Maas]] or Meuse, and [[Scheldt]]).

In November 2016, the Netherlands and [[Belgium]] agreed to cede small, uninhabited parcels of land to reflect a change in course of the river [[Meuse]] (or Maas, in Dutch). The land swap is to take effect as of 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/29/belgium-and-the-netherlands-agree-to-swap-land-to-restore-border|title=Belgium and Netherlands agree to swap land to simplify border|agency=Reuters|date=2016-11-29|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-08-04|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>

== Urbanization ==
=== Largest cities ===
With their provinces in November 2019:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/37230ned/table?fromstatweb|title = CBS Statline}}</ref>

# [[Amsterdam]]  (North Holland) 872,680 inhabitants
# [[Rotterdam]]  (South Holland) 650,711
# [[The Hague]] ('s-Gravenhage)  (South Holland) 544,766
# [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]]  (Utrecht) 357,179
# [[Eindhoven]]  (North Brabant) 234,235
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of metropolitan areas of European Netherlands
!Metropolitan area
!Core city
!Population
|-
|[[Randstad]]
|[[Amsterdam]]
|8,366,078
|-
|{{ill|Metropolitan Region Rotterdam The Hague|nl|Metropoolregio_Rotterdam_Den_Haag}}
|[[Rotterdam]]
|2,392,289
|-
|{{ill|Amsterdam Transport Region|nl|Vervoerregio_Amsterdam}}
|Amsterdam
|1,484,893
|-
|{{ill|Utrecht10|nl|Bestuur_Regio_Utrecht}}
|[[Utrecht]] 
|650,000
|-
|{{ill|Brabant city row|nl|Brabantse_Stedenrij}}
|[[Eindhoven]]
|2,145,390
|-
|{{ill|Park city Limburg|nl|Parkstad_Limburg}}
|[[Heerlen]]
|255,000
|-
|{{ill|Green Metropolitan Region Arnhem-Nijmegen|nl|Stadsregio_Arnhem_Nijmegen}}
|[[Arnhem]]
|738,700
|-
| {{ill|Twente region|nl|Regio_Twente}}
|[[Enschede]]
|620,000
|-
|{{ill|Groningen-Assen region|nl|Regio_Groningen-Assen}}
|[[Groningen]]
|500,000
|-
| {{ill|Breda-Tilburg|nl|Breda-Tilburg}}
|[[Tilburg]]
|530,557
|-
| {{ill|Eindhoven Metropolitan Region|nl|Metropoolregio_Eindhoven}}
|[[Eindhoven]]
|784,369
|-
|{{ill|Brabant Outer Cities and Woensdrecht|nl|Brabantse_Buitensteden_en_Woensdrecht}}
|[[Roosendaal]]
|164,838
|-
|[[Amersfoort]]
|[[Amersfoort]]
|286,053
|-
|[[Apeldoorn]]
|[[Apeldoorn]]
|212,808
|-
|[[Dordrecht]]
|[[Dordrecht]]
|283,906
|-
|[[Haarlem]]
|[[Haarlem]]
|414,491
|-
|[['s-Hertogenbosch]]
|[['s-Hertogenbosch]]
|194,730
|-
|[[Leeuwarden]]
|[[Leeuwarden]]
|162,078
|-
|[[Leiden]]
|[[Leiden]]
|338,356
|-
|[[Maastricht]]
|[[Maastricht]]
|181,153
|-
|[[Sittard-Geleen]]
|[[Sittard-Geleen]]
|150,448
|-
|[[Zwolle]]
|[[Zwolle]]
|178,021
|}

==Climate==

The predominant wind direction in the European Netherlands is southwest, which causes a mild [[Oceanic climate|maritime climate]], with moderately warm summers and cool winters, and typically high humidity. This is especially true close to the Dutch coastline, where the difference in temperature between summer and winter, as well as between day and night is noticeably smaller than it is in the southeast of the country.

Ice days—maximum temperature below {{convert|0|C|F|0}}—usually occur from December until February, with the occasional rare ice day prior to or after that period. Freezing days—minimum temperature below {{convert|0|C|F|0}}—occur much more often, usually ranging from mid-November to late March, but not rarely measured as early as mid-October and as late as mid-May. If one chooses the height of measurement to be {{convert|10|cm|0|abbr=on}} above ground instead of {{convert|150|cm|0|abbr=on}}, one may even find such temperatures in the middle of the summer. On average, snow can occur from November to April but sometimes occurs in May or October too.

Warm days—maximum temperature above {{convert|20|C|F|0}}—are usually found in April to October, but in some parts of the country these warm days can also occur in March, or even sometimes in November or February (usually not in {{Not a typo|De Bilt}}, however). Summer days—maximum temperature above {{convert|25|C|F|0}}—are usually measured in {{Not a typo|De Bilt}} from May until September, tropical days—maximum temperature above {{convert|30|C|F|0}}—are rare and usually occur only in June to August.

Precipitation throughout the year is distributed relatively equally each month. Summer and autumn months tend to gather a little more precipitation than the other months, mainly because of the intensity of the rainfall rather than the frequency of rain days (this is especially the case in summer when lightning is also much more frequent).

The number of sunshine hours is affected by the fact that because of the geographical latitude, the length of the days varies between barely eight hours in December and nearly 17 hours in June.

The following table is based on mean measurements by the [[KNMI (institute)|KNMI]] weather station in [[De Bilt]] between 1991 and 2020. The highest recorded temperature was {{convert|40.7|C|F|abbr=on}}, reached on 25 July 2019 in [[Gilze-Rijen]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.knmi.nl/over-het-knmi/nieuws/temperatuur-door-historische-grens-van-40-c | title=KNMI – Temperatuur door historische grens van 40°C}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/24/summers-second-heatwave-set-to-break-records-across-europe|title = Climate crisis blamed as temperature records broken in three nations| website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date = 24 July 2019}}</ref> The lowest temperature in the Netherlands was recorded at [[Winterswijk]] on 27 January 1942, when the temperature dropped to {{convert|-27.4|C|F|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.knmi.nl/kennis-en-datacentrum/uitleg/recordkoude-februari-van-1956|title=Recordkoude februari van 1956|work=KNMI.nl}}</ref>

{{stack begin | clear=false | float=center}}
{{Weather box
| collapsed    =
|location = De Bilt (1991–2020 averages), all KNMI locations (1901–2021 extremes), snowy days: (2003-2020 averages).
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 16.5     <!-- Maastricht, jan 16 (1947)-->
|Feb record high C = 20.5     <!-- Arcen, feb 27 (2019)-->
|Mar record high C = 26.1     <!-- Arcen, mar 31 (2021)-->
|Apr record high C = 32.2     <!-- Venlo, apr 21 (1968)-->
|May record high C = 35.6     <!-- Sittard, may 25 (1922)-->
|Jun record high C = 37.2     <!-- Maastricht, jun 27 (1947)-->
|Jul record high C = 40.7     <!-- Gilze-Rijen, jul 25 (2019)--> 
|Aug record high C = 37.8     <!-- Arcen, aug 8 (2003)-->
|Sep record high C = 35.1     <!-- Gilze-Rijen, sep 15 (2020)-->
|Oct record high C = 30.1     <!-- Sittard, oct 10 (1921)-->
|Nov record high C = 22.0     <!-- Ell, nov 1 (2014)-->
|Dec record high C = 16.7     <!-- Maastricht, dec 4 (1953)-->
|year record high C = 40.7 
|Jan high C = 6.1
|Feb high C = 7.0
|Mar high C = 10.5
|Apr high C = 14.8
|May high C = 18.3
|Jun high C = 20.9
|Jul high C = 23.1
|Aug high C = 22.9
|Sep high C = 19.5
|Oct high C = 14.8
|Nov high C = 9.9
|Dec high C = 6.7
|year high C = 14.5
|Jan mean C = 3.6
|Feb mean C = 3.9
|Mar mean C = 6.5
|Apr mean C = 9.8
|May mean C = 13.4
|Jun mean C = 16.2
|Jul mean C = 18.3
|Aug mean C = 17.9
|Sep mean C = 14.7
|Oct mean C = 10.9
|Nov mean C = 7.0
|Dec mean C = 4.2
|year mean C = 10.5
|Jan low C = 0.9
|Feb low C = 0.7
|Mar low C = 2.4
|Apr low C = 4.5
|May low C = 8.0
|Jun low C = 10.8
|Jul low C = 13.0
|Aug low C = 12.5
|Sep low C = 10.0
|Oct low C = 7.1
|Nov low C = 3.9
|Dec low C = 1.6
|year low C = 6.0
|Jan record low C = -27.4
|Feb record low C = -26.8
|Mar record low C = -20.7
|Apr record low C = -9.4
|May record low C = -5.4
|Jun record low C = -1.2
|Jul record low C = 0.7
|Aug record low C = 1.3
|Sep record low C = -3.7
|Oct record low C = -8.5
|Nov record low C = -14.4
|Dec record low C = -22.3
|year record low C = -27.4
|Jan precipitation mm = 70.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 63.1
|Mar precipitation mm = 57.8
|Apr precipitation mm = 41.6
|May precipitation mm = 59.3
|Jun precipitation mm = 70.5
|Jul precipitation mm = 85.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 83.6
|Sep precipitation mm = 77.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 81.1
|Nov precipitation mm = 80.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 83.8
|year precipitation mm = 854.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan humidity= 87
|Feb humidity= 84
|Mar humidity= 79
|Apr humidity= 74
|May humidity= 74
|Jun humidity= 75
|Jul humidity= 77
|Aug humidity= 79
|Sep humidity= 83
|Oct humidity= 86
|Nov humidity= 89
|Dec humidity= 89
|year humidity= 81
|unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 18
|Feb precipitation days = 16
|Mar precipitation days = 15
|Apr precipitation days = 12
|May precipitation days = 14
|Jun precipitation days = 14
|Jul precipitation days = 15
|Aug precipitation days = 15
|Sep precipitation days = 14
|Oct precipitation days = 16
|Nov precipitation days = 19
|Dec precipitation days = 19
|year precipitation days = 186
|unit snow days = 0 cm
|Jan snow days = 5
|Feb snow days = 6
|Mar snow days = 3
|Apr snow days = 0
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = –
|Jul snow days = –
|Aug snow days = –
|Sep snow days = –
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1
|Dec snow days = 4
|year snow days = 19
|Jan sun = 66.6
|Feb sun = 89.6
|Mar sun = 139.4
|Apr sun = 189.2
|May sun = 217.5
|Jun sun = 207.1
|Jul sun = 213.9
|Aug sun = 196.3
|Sep sun = 152.8
|Oct sun = 119.3
|Nov sun = 67.4
|Dec sun = 55.5
|year sun = 1714.6
|date=March 2021
|source 1 = KNMI.nl<ref name="knmi">{{cite web| url = http://www.knmi.nl/|title = Knmi.nl| access-date =11 March 2021|language = nl}}</ref>
}}
{{stack end}}

== See also ==
* [[List of islands of the Netherlands]]
* [[List of places in the Netherlands]]
* [[List of mountains and hills in the Netherlands]]
* [[List of volcanoes in the Netherlands]]
* [[Extreme points of the Netherlands]]

== References ==
{{Refbegin}}
<references />

{{Refend}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Geography of the Netherlands}}
* [http://www.odekerken.net/portal/content/postcode.php Map showing first two digits of postal codes] (see [[List of postal codes in the Netherlands]]), [https://web.archive.org/web/20070928140857/http://www.surfusuf.nl/surfusuf/services/notepad.asp ditto]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20031001235919/http://www.zoekplaats.nl/zoekplaats/ Locate town or village; find municipality it is part of, range of postal codes, and some other basic data]
*Lists of "places" (towns, villages, and various smaller entities), with municipality: [http://home.wxs.nl/~pagklein/almanak.html alphabetical (ca. 4,800)] – [http://www.metatopos.org/ by province (extended, ca. 7,000)]

=== Maps ===
*[http://www.routenet.nl Routenet.nl] Most used website for maps and directions in the Netherlands, also gives address range for a full postal code, and shows the four-digit parts of the postal codes on the maps. 
*[http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?X=600000&Y=6800000&scale=4000000&coordsys=mercator Multimap] – shows geographic coordinates and allows a direct link to a map for a given location and with a given zoom level
*http://route.anwb.nl/zoek_plattegrond.html
*[https://archive.today/20130205212850/http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/deu/dyn/controller/mapHomePage Michelin]
*https://web.archive.org/web/20031202194742/http://www.landkaartenindex.nl/nederland/nederland.htm (In Dutch)

{{CIA World Factbook}}
{{Netherlands topics}}
{{Geography of Europe}}
{{Europe topic|Climate of}}

{{coord|52.5|N|5.5|E|type:country|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Geography Of The Netherlands}}
[[Category:Geography of the Netherlands| ]]