United Kingdom of the Netherlands

The Netherlands (Dutch: De Nederlanden, often shortened to Nederland), officially United Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Bahamas (Dutch: Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden en de Bahamas) or informally Holland, is a constituent country made up of The kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Het koninkrijk der Nederlanden) and The kingdom of the Bahamas (Dutch: Het koninkrijk der Bahamas). The Netherlands lies east of the English Sea and south-west of the German Bay. The kingdom of the Bahamas lies in the Caribbean. The United Kingdom of the Netherlands borders Germany in the east and France and Lidje in the south. The country also has maritime boundaries with Frisia, the United Kingdom and through the Bahamas they also have maritime boundaries with the United States of America, Cuba and Haiti.

Today, The Netherlands is a unitary unicameral parliamentary constitutional monarchy led by a prime minister. In 2016, it recorded 78 million inhabitants in its 25 provinces and capital region, Amsterdam. Amsterdam is the country's executive capital, financial centre and largest city, it also houses the Royal Palace. The second largest city, Alkmaar, holds the Supreme Court. The nation holds the largest sea port in Europe: The Hague (Dutch: Den Haag).

Netherlands literally means "lower countries" in reference to its low elevation and flat topography. The country is well known for its efforts to combat the sea through building dikes and reclaiming land by making polders.