The Dutch landscape is flat and scarcely rises over 120 metres above sea level except where there are moraine ridges (Geestland) which rise at 270 metres above sea level in line with South Limburger a plateau area which remained unaffected by glaciation during ice ages.

Most of the Western part of the country lies below the main level and now 40% of the land is "Polder land" land either reclaimed from the sea or lakes or sand dunes.

North East - wards the land is laid with sand dunes in the Heathlands of Groningen District. Ground terminal moraine deposits cover the Drente and Brabant Districts forming low ridges with outwashed sands.

South - wards the area is dissected by two important rivers. River Rhine and River Meuse which form a large delta in south western Holland.

The Netherlands has four main physical regions, namely: the Dunes, the Polders, the Sand plains, and the Southern Upland.

The Dunes

The sand dunes rise 4.6-7.6 metres above sea level. These region curves in a line along the entire North Sea coast of the Netherlands.

In the North, the line consists of the West Frisian  islands. The line is unbroken in the centre but is broken in the south by wide river outlets. The sandy dunes region cannot support farming and few trees grow there.

The Polders

The polders lie mostly below Sea level and are protected from the sea by the sand dunes or by dikes. The Prins Alexander polder, the lowest point in the Netherlands lies 6.7 metres below sea level.

The polders region forms over two -fifths of the country. It consists of flat, fertile areas of clay soil once covered by the sea or the swamps of the lakes. It has the country's most productive farmlands and largest cities.

The Sand Plains

The Sand plains lie less than 30 metres above sea level in most places. In the South West, the region rises higher.

Low sandy ridges cross the plains and create a rolling landscape. The soil is naturally infertile but fertilizers make farming possible.

Pine forest cover much of the region. A broad valley of clay soils marks the courses of Maas (Meuse) river and of the branches of the Rhine river. These river and canals that connect them with other rivers form an important transportation network.

Map of the Netherlands showing physical regions.

 THE SOUTHERN UPLAND

The southern uplands form the highest land region. The highest point Vaalser-Berg rises 321 metres near Maastritch. The region a naturally fertile soils and much fruit is grown in orchards there.

DELTA

Much of the South Western part of Netherlands consists of islands and Peninsulars in the North Sea. These marshy areas make up a delta formed by the Maas and Schelde rivers and Branches of the Rhine river.

In 1953, a storm broke through the dikes in this region. The Sea flooded over 375,000 acres (151,800 hectares) and over 1800 people drowned.

In 1958, work began on the Delta project to prevent a similar disaster. This project was completed in 1986.

It included a series of massive dams which  connect the islands and prevent the sea from flooding the region. Enormous flood gates allow salt water and natural tides to enter the protected area. This preserves the natural environment and the fishing economy of the Delta. During storms, the flood gates can be closed.

CLIMATE:

The fact that Netherlands has a close proximity or nearness to the North sea, this gives it a mild-damp marine (oceanic) climate.

It is influenced chiefly by the moist Westerly winds. In winter, the Sea is not as cold as the land. In summer, it is not-as warm. As a result the West winds from the Sea warm the land in winter and cool it in summer. In addition winds carrying moisture from the sea make the skies over the country extremely cloudy. The clouds shield the land from the heat of the sun.

Temperatures average from 16°-18° C in summer. Her summers are relatively warm (mean maximum July Temperature - 20° to 24°C) and it is evenly distributed throughout the year. This climate is also defined as the cool temperate of the Western margin type. The temperature is a little above 1°C in winter.

The country has no mountains to block the winds, so there are no great differences in climate from area to area. The extreme South-East which is the highest part of the Netherlands is also the wettest.