Europe

Netherlands
Last updated: January 2009

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GEOGRAPHY

The Netherlands is in Western Europe. It is, in line with the stereotype, a very flat country. Nearly a quarter of it lies below sea level. The country’s lowest point, at 6.7 metres below sea level, is near Rotterdam. The highest point, the Vaalserberg, is 321 metres high, and lies in the southeast, where the borders of the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany meet. Being close to the sea, the Netherlands has a moderate climate. The mean temperature is 17 degrees Celsius in the summer and 2 degrees Celsius in winter. Its average annual rainfall is 750mm, spread fairly evenly throughout the year.