Netherlands

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland; IPA pronunciation: /"ne:dərlɑnt/) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The current borders were formed in 1839.

The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is, however, ambiguous as Holland is the name of a region in the western Netherlands. (For more on this and other naming issues see below under 'naming conventions'.)

The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world (its name literally means "low countries") and is popularly known for its windmills, clogs (wooden shoes), dikes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies receive international attention, such as those concerning drugs, prostitution and euthanasia. The country is host to the International Court of Justice.

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