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Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium
and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references: Europe
Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt,
sand and gravel, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated Land: 5,650 sq km (2003)
Natural hazards: flooding
Environment - current issues: water pollution in the form of heavy
metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air
pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air
Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life
Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography Note: located at mouths of three major European rivers
(Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
This information comes from the CIA
World Factbook January 2008.
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