A kingdom of Western Europe, bounded to the north and west by the North Sea, to the south by Belgium, and to the east by Germany. The Netherlands (also known as Holland), with Belgium and Luxembourg, make up what are known as the Low Countries. Strictly speaking, however, the name Holland belongs only to the two coastal provinces of North and South Holland. The plural "Netherlands," used in English, is a legacy of the past, since the Dutch themselves refer to their country as Nederland. The landscape is famously flat: much of it is reclaimed land (polder) lying well below sea level. Dykes have been constructed to prevent flooding and keep the sea at bay. The Netherlands is a highly populous and prosperous country, and benefits from close ties with the rest of Europe. It is highly industrialized, the main areas of activity being petroleum, aircraft, food processing, chemicals, electronics, and machinery. Agriculture is highly intensive and dairy farming is especially important. The European Countries Today series provides information on the 15 of the most important countries in Europe. Each book in the series describes the history, geography, economy, culture, and relationship each country has with its neighbors. There is also a separate title, European Union Facts & Figures, which provides statistical and factual information about the European Union. Each title in this series includes color photos throughout, and back matter including: an index and further reading lists for books and internet resources. Key Icons appear throughout the books in this series in an effort to encourage library readers to build knowledge, gain awareness, explore possibilities and expand their viewpoints through our content rich non-fiction books. Key Icons in this series are as follows: Words to Understand are shown at the front of each chapter with definitions. These words are set in boldfaced type in that chapter, so that readers are able to reference back to the definitions—building their vocabulary and enhancing their reading comprehension. Sidebars are highlighted graphics with content rich material within that allows readers to build knowledge and broaden their perspectives by weaving together additional information to provide realistic and holistic perspectives. Educational Videos are offered in chapters through the use of a QR code, that, when scanned, takes the student to an online video showing a moment in history, a speech, or an instructional video. This gives the readers additional content to supplement the text. Text-Dependent Questions are placed at the end of each chapter. They challenge the reader's comprehension of the chapter they have just read, while sending the reader back to the text for more careful attention to the evidence presented there. Research Projects are provided at the end of each chapter as well and provide readers with suggestions for projects that encourage deeper research and analysis.