Total area: 37,290 km2
land area: 33,940 km2

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

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

Coastline: 451 km

Maritime claims: Continental shelf: not specific
Territorial 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: arable land 25%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 34%; forest and woodland 9%; other 31%; includes irrigated 15%

Environment: 27% 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 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Netherlands Geography 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Netherlands Geography 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.