Netherlands

Where the name comes from

Netherlands means “low lands”, from Dutch neder, “lower”, describing the low Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt delta.

First people

Hunter-gatherers lived here after the Ice Age, and medieval counties grew through trade and reclaiming land from the sea.¹

Known for

About a quarter of the Netherlands lies below sea level, kept dry by dikes and pumps, and the country is known for windmills, tulips and bicycles.²

Outside contact

Spanish Habsburg rule began in 1555–1556.¹

The modern country

The northern provinces rejected Philip II in 1581, and Spain recognized Dutch independence in 1648.¹