What are the Netherlands and why is it called that?
European geography is a conglomeration of countries and nations that were created between the Middle Ages and the end of the Modern Age. In this lesson from a TEACHER we will talk about what are the Netherlands and why are they called like that. A question that always draws the attention of those who approach this reality for the first time, what will this region have to be called that way? If you want to know the answer, continue reading us.
Index
- Where are the Netherlands and a brief history
- Why is the Netherlands called that?
- The 12 provinces of the Netherlands
- What was the Netherlands famous for?
Where are the Netherlands and a brief history.
We begin our lesson on what the Netherlands is and why it is called that, focusing on its geographical location. We must set our sights on Northern Europe, specifically, northeast of France, there we will find a series of provinces that serve as a buffer between France and Germany.
It is in said place where
there are the Netherlands, a nation that was formed as a kingdom in 1830 after the end of the Napoleonic wars, a military confrontation on a European scale, which meant that, after its completion, the borders of the kingdoms had to be restructured.Given that this happened in the nineteenth century, it is not surprising that nationalisms were on the surface, a very important element to understand the birth of these, since they do not consider themselves neither French nor German, although it is true that the surrounding areas have much in common with respective countries.
In this other lesson from a TEACHER we will discover the difference between Netherlands and Holland so that you understand the origin of this confusion.
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Why is the Netherlands called that?
The answer to this question is very simple: the Netherlands gets its name because the sea level is above ground levelThis means that they are flooded areas in certain periods or that formerly happened.
That makes this country charming, since we can find a large number of channels made so that the water passes through them, thus draining part of the earth, which is gained from the sea and, after drying, is suitable both for cultivation and for the construction of buildings
This technique of reclaiming land from the sea was started by the Counts of Flanders during the High Middle Ages thanks to the construction of mills of wind, which helped to drain those portions of flooded marshes, which would later be used for the construction or use of the farming.
In the same way, it was these characters who began to create the channels, which helped to contain the water, while they were led towards the Rhine or the Meuse to flow into the sea.
The 12 provinces of the Netherlands.
For its part, we must know that the Netherlands are divided into 12 provinces very well defined, which are:
- Drenthe
- North brabant
- Flevoland
- Gelderland
- Friesland
- Groningen
- North holland
- South holland
- Limburg
- Utrech
- Overijissel
- Zealand
What was the Netherlands famous for?
To conclude our lesson on what the Netherlands are and why they are called that, we think we should mention why these lands have been famous and, without a doubt, fwhat trade made him famous.
Since it was a very marshy land and with so little land, men from the first moment had to dedicate themselves to navigation and, therefore, to trade. This made the Hanseatic League, a commercial network that supplied products throughout Europe, reaching from Spain to Russia and even part of the Middle East.
This commercial nature continues to this day, so it is not surprising that it is one of the richest areas in Europe.
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