The Netherlands

The name the Netherlands refers to the low-lying nature of the country(nether means low). The name Holland is frequently used instead of the Netherlands, but it actually refers to the two Western coastal provinces, North and South Holland, which have played an important role in the country’s history.
The capital is Amsterdam (the seat of government is in The Hague). Rotterdam is the biggest port in the world and Schiphol airport one of the most modern and biggest airports in Europe. It is flanked to the north and west by the North Sea, to the east by Germany and to the south by Belgium. The country covers 41,526 square kilometers. Belgium is a little smaller than the Netherlands, but Germany is nearly nine times its size.