The Netherlands is situated on the south-east coast of the North Sea.  To the East is Germany and to the south is Belgium.  The coastline of the North Sea is on the west and north of the Netherlands.  A string of islands, the West Frisians curves out into the North Sea towards Germany.  The Kingdom of the Netherlands once included Belgium, which became and independent country in 1830.
     Almost half of the Netherlands (the 'low countries') is below sea level , requiring dykes and pumps to keep the seawater out of the land.