Netherlands

[ neth -er-luh ndz ]
/ ˈnɛð ər ləndz /

noun

the, (used with a singular or plural verb) a kingdom in W Europe, bordering on the North Sea, Germany, and Belgium. 13,433 sq. mi. (34,790 sq. km). Capitals: Amsterdam and The Hague.
Also called Holland. Dutch Nederland.

OTHER WORDS FROM Netherlands

Neth·er·land·er [neth -er-lan-der, -luh n-] /ˈnɛð ərˌlæn dər, -lən-/, noun Neth·er·land·i·an, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for the netherlands

Netherlands
/ (ˈnɛðələndz) /

noun the Netherlands (functioning as singular or plural)

Also called: Holland a kingdom in NW Europe, on the North Sea: declared independence from Spain in 1581 as the United Provinces; became a major maritime and commercial power in the 17th century, gaining many overseas possessions; formed the Benelux customs union with Belgium and Luxembourg in 1948 and was a founder member of the Common Market, now the European Union. It is mostly flat and low-lying, with about 40 per cent of the land being below sea level, much of it on polders protected by dykes. Official language: Dutch. Religion: Christian majority, Protestant and Roman Catholic, large nonreligious minority. Currency: euro. Capital: Amsterdam, with the seat of government at The Hague. Pop: 16 805 037 (2013 est). Area: 41 526 sq km (16 033 sq miles) Dutch name: Nederland
the kingdom of the Netherlands together with the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, esp as ruled by Spain and Austria before 1581; the Low Countries

Cultural definitions for the netherlands

The Netherlands

Constitutional monarchy in northwestern Europe, bordered by the North Sea to the west and north, Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south. Amsterdam is the constitutional capital, and The Hague is the seat of the government. The Netherlands are also popularly known as Holland, after a region of the country.

notes for The Netherlands

Half of the country lies below sea level. Much of this land has been reclaimed from the North Sea and is protected by dikes and irrigated by an intricate system of canals.

notes for The Netherlands

During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, The Netherlands established a powerful commercial and colonial empire. The Dutch Empire included the settlement of New Amsterdam, which later became New York, and the conquest of the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).

notes for The Netherlands

The sixteenth and seventeenth centuries also saw a flowering of Dutch painting by masters such as Rembrandt.

notes for The Netherlands

During World War II, Germany invaded and occupied The Netherlands, exterminating most Dutch Jews (see also Jews). ( See Anne Frank.)