Geography & environment — Netherlands
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Netherlands: Europe
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Europe
- Geographic Coordinates
52 30 N, 5 45 E
- Total Area
16,040 Square Miles 41,543 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
13,086 Square Miles 33,893 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
2,954 Square Miles 7,650 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
638 Miles 1,027 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
- Coastline
280 Miles 451 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
- Highest Point
322 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Vaalserberg 322 m
- Lowest Point
-7 Meters
- Lowest Point Location
Zuidplaspolder -7 m
- Natural Resources
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
- Irrigated Land
1,765 Square Miles 4,572 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) time zone note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4
- Daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
Climate
- Climate
The Netherlands lies in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, and for the most part possesses a maritime climate. The summers are cool while winters are quite cold. The warmest months fall between July and September with temperatures ranging from 60-75°F. The winter months are long and dreary with strong winds and some snow. Temperatures range from 20-35°F. Due to the proximity of the sea, rain is quite common and spread pretty evenly all year round.
- Terrain
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
- Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
- Total Area
16,040 Square Miles 41,543 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Environment
- 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, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements