Facts about the Netherlands for Children
The Netherlands is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Most of it is in Western Europe, but some parts are in the Caribbean. Over 17 million people live there. To the north and west of the European part is the North Sea. Germany is to the east and Belgium is to the south. The Netherlands helped start the European Union. People from the Netherlands are called “Dutch”. Their language is also called Dutch. The official capital is Amsterdam, but the government is in The Hague.
Geography and Landscape
The European Netherlands covers about 41,543 square kilometers, including water. The land area is about 33,481 square kilometers. The Caribbean Netherlands is much smaller, about 328 square kilometers.
The Netherlands is a very flat country. About 26% of its land and 21% of its people are below sea level. In the southeast, there are some small hills, but they are not very high. Most of the land below sea level was created by digging up peat or by reclaiming land from the water. Since the 16th century, large areas called polders have been kept dry using dikes, canals, and pumps
Nature and Wildlife
The Netherlands has 21 national parks and hundreds of other nature reserves. Most are managed by Staatsbosbeheer (the national forestry and nature group) and Natuurmonumenten (a private group). The Wadden Sea in the north has tidal flats and wetlands. It is rich in different kinds of life and is a UNESCO World Heritage Nature Site. The Eastern Scheldt became a national park in 2002. It is the largest national park in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has lost most of its original natural woods. They were cut down by 1871. Nitrogen pollution is a problem. The number of flying insects in the Netherlands has dropped by 75% since the 1990s.
People and Language
The Netherlands is a small country with many people. It is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
Most people speak Dutch. In Friesland, about 200,000 people speak Frisian. Frisian is very similar to English. Some Dutch people speak dialects. The Saxon dialects in the northeast are somewhat like Low German.
A 2006 survey showed that 25% of Dutch people are Christian. 3% follow other religions like Judaism, Islam, or Hinduism. 26% are “unbounded spiritual” (have their own beliefs). The other 44% are not religious.
Source: Kids Encyclopedia Facts
articlesforchristians 
