Netherlands

 
Pronunciation: /ˈnɛðələndz/
  • a country in western Europe, on the North Sea; population 16,716,000 (est. 2009); official language, Dutch; capital, Amsterdam; seat of government, The Hague. Dutch name Nederland; also called Holland.
  • historical the Low Countries.
  • Following a struggle against the Spanish Habsburg empire, the northern (Dutch) part of the Low Countries won full independence in 1648 and became a leading imperial power. In 1814 north and south were united under a monarchy, but the south revolted in 1830 and became an independent kingdom, Belgium, in 1839. In 1948 the Netherlands formed the Benelux Customs Union with Belgium and Luxembourg, becoming a founder member of the EEC in 1957. The name Holland strictly refers only to the western coastal provinces of the country

Derivatives

Netherlander

Pronunciation: /-ˌlandə/
noun

Netherlandish

adjective