S2, 2020 Geography Notes: Region The Rhineland: The Netherlands

S2, 2020 Geography notes: Region The Rhineland: The Netherlands
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THE NETHERLANDS.
The Netherlands has a land area of 41,562km2 and population of
The Netherlands, a small country in North-western Europe that faces the 16,570,613. The overall population density is 491 persons per sq km,
North Sea. It is the largest of the Low Countries, which also include making.
Belgium and Luxembourg.
The Netherlands one of the most densely populated countries in the
The Netherlands is often called Holland, but Holland is really the name of world. The nation is heavily urbanized, with about 67 percent of the
only the north-western part of the country i.e. the provinces of North and population living in urban areas.
South Holland, which are in the coastal Polders
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city. The seat of the government is
The Dutch have a saying that ―God created the world, but the Dutch created at Hague. Rotterdam is the major Dutch port and the country’s second
Holland.‖ About half the land in The Netherlands lies at or below largest city.
sea level.
Much of this land has been reclaimed from the sea. The Dutch built dikes Limburg (province)
around swampy or flooded land and then pumped the water out. The The Netherland’s, southern most province of the Netherlands. The capital
pumping was originally done with windmills, but today electric pumps are of the province is Maastricht. Limburg is 2,167 sq km in area. It is
used. bounded on the north and northwest by the province of Noord-Brabant
(North Brabant), on the east by Germany, and on the south and southwest
by Belgium.
The region resulted from Moraine depositions of the retreating ice sheets.
It is covered by very fertile loess (wind-deposited soil). In the northern part
Location. there are areas of sand and gravel, deposited long ago by floodwaters.
The Netherlands is a country located in the Northwest of Europe. It borders
the North Sea on the west side, Belgium to the south and Germany to the The Meuse River traverses the whole length of Limburg, and small adjacent
east and across The North Sea lies the East coast of Britain. sections of the province are covered with river clay. Much of the province
is devoted to agriculture.
The Netherlands is located in the Northern hemisphere between longitude
3°E and 8°E of Greenwich and latitude 51° N and 54° N of Equator.
Limburg became a province of the Netherlands near the end of the
Napoleonic Wars (1799-1815),
Emihen Geography Resource SJSSN @ COVID-19 Page 1 of 36
The provinces of the Netherlands
 The Netherlands also consists of twelve provinces”, each under
a Governor called a commissioner of Queen except for the province
of Limburg where a commissioner is called a Governor.
 All provinces are divided into municipalities, 430 in total.
 The country is also sub-divided in water districts governed by a
water board, each having authority in matters concerning water.
12 Provinces of the Netherlands

Province Area Population
km2
Drenthe 2,641 490,981
Flevoland 1,417 387,881
Friesland 3,341 646,305
Gelderland 4,971 1,998,936
Groningen 2,333 576,668
Limburg 2,150 1,122,701
North Brabant 4,916 2,444,158
North Holland 2,671 2,669,084
Overijssel 3,325 1,130,345
Utrecht 1,385 1,220,910
Zeeland 1,787 381,409
South Holland 2,814 3,505,611
Total 33,751 16,574,989

THE RELIEF OF THE NETHERLANDS  The coastline is composed of sand bars and dunes by the sea. This
was severe between 11th and 13th centuries when the sea was
The country is generally lowland, except for Limburg in the southern swallowing up the land.
part. The relief is composed of three zones: the Sand dunes, Rhine  In the 13th century the Dutch started to reclaim the land from the
Delta and Uplands and the lowlands. sea which they called Dyke to safeguard the land from sea waves.
 The land formed below the sea level is a home of 605 of the
a. The Coastal Lowlands. country’s population.
 Zuidplas polder is the lowest point in Holland at 7 metres above sea
It has the following characteristics: level.
 The region has polders between the Hook of Holland and Den  The polder region forms over two fifths of the country. It has the country’s
Helder. Has a group of islands and peninsulas separated by long, most productive farmlands and cities.
shallow tidal inlets of River Rhine tributaries that form at a delta.
The tributaries are Ijssel, Waal Lek, and Maas. The-Rhine-Meuse- Scheldt delta.
 A bout a half the country lives no more than 1m above sea level, ¼ It has the following characteristics:
of this land is below sea level.  This river delta is formed by confluence of the Rhine, Meuse and
 The coast has sand dunes and bars. These act as natural defences Scheldt rivers at the North Sea.
for the land below the sea against sea inversions.  It is formed by a multitude of islands, river tributaries and canals.
 The coastline has dykes/barrier walls (dams) especially in the south The delta is entrance from the North Sea to the central Europe
to protect the land against sea incursions. (polders). hinterland through the estuaries and canals.
 It has major ports such as Rotterdam, Amsterdam that are
The Interior Netherlands (45-90m). connected by the Amsterdam-Rhine canal. Antwerp (Belgium) and
It has the following characteristics: Ghent through the Ghent-Terneuzen canal. The Delta lands
 These are extensive undulating tracts of sand and gravel. It has are protected from sea floors by dykes (delta works).
alluvium deposited by floods of river Maas.
 As one moves further to the east, the land becomes slightly higher (a) Sand Dune Belt.
and flat to gently rolling hills. These hills do not exceed elevation of This was formed by wind and wave deposition. It has an average
50m. height of about 4.6m-7.6m above sea level and helps to protect the
 The lowlands have the major towns and cities of Holland which interior against flooding by the sea. In the North, the line consists
include Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Meus, Maas, Tric and of Western Frisian Islands, broken by wide river inlets in the south.
Groningen.
(b) South upland.
The land below the sea level. East and south of Holland is higher land with minor hills, the area is
It has the following Characteristics: mostly flat. It is only in the extreme south that the land rises above sea
 A large part of western Holland lies below sea level. Above 25% of level at 323m. Vaalseberg in the foot hills of Ardennes Mountains.
the area lies below sea level. There are several foothill mountains in the central parts.
 Most of the land has been reclaimed either from the sea or from the
lakes that were previously formed by moraine deposition of the
retreating655 ice sheets.
Plateau (90-180m): a) These soils are mainly used for growing scotch fir, larch and
South Limburg is a plateau that rises 90m to 180m a.s.l. the land raises Douglas spruce.
to the south to a rounded summit of Vaalseberg an altitude of 320m. b) In the low lying areas the sandy soils are used for grazing.
This is the highest point in the Netherlands. c) They support bulbs, tulips grown between Leiden and Haarlem.
d) Alluvial soils have been deposited along river banks; the marine
SOILS clays are suitable for arable farming, grazing and fruit growing.
Netherlands has a variety of soils which include; sandy marine clay e) Peat soils (soft black or brown soil) are scattered in various
soils that was deposited by the sea or was under lake or mashes. The locations in the West and North and are suitable for grassland and
sandy soils are mainly found in the East, Central and South. They vegetable growing
usually suffer water shortages.
MAP OF THE NETHERLANDS SHOWING RELIEF AREAS

Netherlands has a temperate maritime climate common to much of
Northern and Western Europe due to its proximity to the North Sea
and Atlantic Ocean. The climate is characterised by: cool summers,
and mild winters,
Factors that have influenced the climate of The Netherlands

1. The influence of proximity to the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean,
during the winters daytime temperatures differ from 0 to 6°C in
winter and 17 to 22°C in summer. Though, the weather can be
easily changed around.
2. The influence of the prevailing Easterly winds from the North Sea
gives the Netherlands leads to:
a) Mild winters and summers, cloudless days are uncommon, as is

prolonged frost because the Netherlands has a few natural
barriers like high mountains.
b) Summers become warm and dry, and winter to be cold and clear.
c) If this happens, summer temperatures can be 25+°C and winter
temperatures can go far below 0°C.
d) The average temperature is 2oc in January 19oC in July, with an
average annual temperature is 10oc, clouds generally appear every
CLIMATE day and so is fog in the winter months, rainfall occurs frequently.
e) The average annual rainfall about 765mm

 The Netherlands has a mild, damp climate due to westerly winds  Generally, precipitation is received throughout the year and is
from the sea to warm Netherlands in winter and cool it in summer. relatively equally shared by each month.
 The predominant wind direction in the Netherlands is southwest,
which causes moderate maritime climate with cool summers and
THE NETHERLANDS DRAINAGE.
mild winters.
 This is the case within direct proximity to the coastline which
The Netherlands is drained by;
sometimes is over 10oC warmer in winter or cooler in summer than
1. Rhine River, system,
places in the southwest of the Netherlands.
2. Meuse river system,
3. Influence of the ice days (period); the maximum temperature 3. the Scheldt river system and
below 0oC that usually occur from December to February with the 4. Yssel river system which drains into Lake Yssel in the
occasional rear ice days prior to or after that period. Freezing days centre of the country.
occur more often usually ranging mid-November to late March. The river systems of the Rhine and Meuse drain much of the southern
 During summer days the maximum temperature above 20oC Holland before they open up into the North Sea. The two rivers form
experienced between April and September. The maximum the extensive flood plain before opening up in the North Sea.
temperatures in summer days go up to 25oC experienced from May The central part of the Netherlands is drained by the Fresh Water Lake
to August tropical days (maximum temperature above 30oC are rear Yssel. There are several polders reclaimed around this lake.
and usually occur only from June to August. The Western and the Northern parts are drained by Atlantic Ocean
(North Sea) with the floating sand dunes underlying the coast.

MAP OF THE NETHERLANDS SHOWING DRAINAGE, CITIE AND NALS.
CA
The major towns and cities of The

Netherlands.
In the Dutch law the general consensus is a city should constitute a
population of not more than 30000 to 50000 inhabitants.
1.The Hague;
 Is the third largest city of the Netherlands and Rotterdam with a
population of 485,818 and an area of approximately 100km2.
 It is located west of the country in the province of South Holland,
of which it is also provincial capital, along with Amsterdam,
Rotterdam, Utrecht and Almere.
 The Hague is part of the Ramstad metropolitan area that totals
6,659,300 inhabitants.
 Cultural centre: The Hague is the seat of the Dutch parliament,
government and Royal Court. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
lives and works in The Hague.
 An administrative centre, Home of all foreign embassies,
government ministries as well as the Supreme court of justice,
council of state and many lobbying organisations.
 The Hague is the base of international court of justice and the
headquarters of Europol (police of European Nations).
 The Hague is an industrial centre for electronics, metal products,
chemical and food processing.
 The Hague is the de facto judicial capital of the United Nations
being the location of its primary judicial institutions.

2. Amsterdam  It is major education centre as it has made secondary, tertiary
and Universities such as Maastricht School of Management,
 Located in the North Holland. It is a seaport and the largest city in Academy for dramatic arts, Music, etc.
the Netherlands.  Historical centre with the cathedral of Saint Servatius founded in
 It is cultural and economic centre connected to the North Sea by the 16th Century, is the older church in Netherlands.
the North Sea canal.  It is a cultural centre with a music conservatory, symphony
 The canals divide the Amsterdam into 90 islands linked by 1000 orchestra, and natural history museum.
bridge.  The city gained international prominence in December 1991 as a
 Amsterdam is Europe’s most commercial centre and an individual cite of historic summit meeting where leaders of the 12 European
city. community nations agreed on a treaty to speed up their economic
 It is industrial centre with ship building, sugar refinery, publishing, and political integration (the Maastricht Treaty)
brewing, heavy machinery, paper products, textile, aircraft and
Groningen.
automobiles.  Groningen, city in the north-eastern Netherlands, capital of
 It is the second largest port after Rotterdam and residential centre, Groningen Province, on the canalized Hunze River.
in 2004, it had 1.3million people.  Groningen, the largest city in the northern region of the country,
 Amsterdam is a capital of The Netherlands and it is the largest city, has a number of canals and is an important port.
although the central government activities are located at The  Is an industrial centre with the principal industries that deal in the
Hague. production of: beet sugar, beer, flax, furniture, bicycles, pianos, and
 Amsterdam is a financial and business capital of The Netherlands. tobacco;
 Amsterdam stock exchange (AEX) is part of the Euronext and is the  It is a large trade centre mainly carried in cattle, wheat, and
world’s oldest stock exchange. oilseed.
 Amsterdam is the province of the North Holland, Rotterdam and  In addition, many goldsmith, silversmith, and book-printing shops
The Hague in the South Holland; Utrecht is the province if Utrecht are located in the city.
join up to form a metropolis called Ramstad, a largest Metropolitan  A tourist centre with the places of interest like; Saint Martin's
area in Europe. Church (13th to 16th century), the Aa Church of 13th century, and
3. Maastricht. the New Church of 17th century). In the library of the State
 The city is located in the Southern Netherlands, as capital of University of Groningen (1614) is a copy of the Latin translation of
Limburg province and the Maas River, near the border with the New Testament by the Dutch humanist Desiderius Erasmus,
Belgium. annotated by the German religious reformer Martin Luther.
 It an industrial centre, has textile, chemical, ceramics and glass
industries.
 A deep-water channel known as the New Waterway, opened in
1872, was constructed (1866-1890) to allow access by large
1. ROTTERDAM PORT. oceangoing vessels from the North Sea.
 Located in the south western Netherlands in Zuid Holland (South
 This channel, and the expansion of trade it allowed, was largely
Holland) province. It is a major port on River Maas near The
responsible for the city's economic boom in the late 19th century.
Hague.
 Europort, a large harbour area at the western end of the channel,
 Rotterdam is one of the major seaports of the world, directly linked
was built in the 1960s, chiefly for the unloading and storing of oil
with the commercially important Rhine River.
from large tankers.
 It’s is the principle centre of overseas trade for the Netherlands and
 Other extensive port facilities and major industries, including oil
heavily industrialised Ruhr region of Germany.
refineries, shipbuilding yards, and factories for the production of
 Rotterdam port once suffered destruction by bombing during world
chemicals, metal goods, and refined sugar, are on the southern
war II(1939-45). A modern planned city was built after.
bank of the Maas River at Rotterdam.
 The chief residential and commercial centre, areas are located on  Exports include coal, machinery, and dairy products; principal imports
the Northern bank of the Maas River. The west of the Hoogstraat are oil, ores, and grain.
coolsingel is the spacious shopping centre called The Lijnbaan is
open to only pedestrians and the stock exchange traverse.
 Tourist centre with the attractions like Boymans-van Beuningen
Museum, Blijdorp Zoological Garden is an outstanding European
example of such grounds, the popular ―Euromast‖ stands at 186m
tall, Europe skyline Top, New Orleans Tower, etc.
 An educational centre that has a popular Erasmus university at
Rotterdam.

Study Sketch map showing the location of Rotterdam port and
neighbouring cities and answer the questions that follow.
a) Name the:  The location of Rotterdam at the Rhine River, as an

(i) Canal marked A- Rhine Scheldt canal important waterway to the interior of Rhineland
(ii) Water body marked B- The North Sea. countries.
(iii) Rivers marked C - Maas / Meuse,  Presence of deep natural harbour that is well sheltered, for large
ocean going vessels to anchor.
 Proximity to the North Sea, one of the busiest
international sea routes has made Rotterdam a busy
port.
 Existence on relatively flat landscape has made it easy for the
construction of the port facilities to her modern status.
 Presence of deep constructed to straighten and widen
the River Maas (Meuse) i.e. the new waterway canal,
allowed large water vessels to reach Rotterdam.
 Availability of fast growth of industries in the Ruhr, The
Netherlands and Switzerland required cheap water
transport to transport bulky raw materials.
 Presence of a rich hinterland, that supplies the port
with agricultural, industrial and mineral resources like
coal and iron ore, etc for export at the port.
 Existence of ice free conditions enables the use of the port all
the year round.
 Presence of low tidal range that prevents the occurrence of
D- Rhine. accidents by water vessels.
(iv) Country marked 1- Germany  Presence of deep water canals to create ―the new Rhine
(v) Towns marked 2- Amsterdam, 3- Liege. waterway canal‖ after dredging, that allows large ocean going
vessels to sail easily.
 Availability of adequate skilled manpower to work in the
a) Explain the factors which influenced the location construction, maintenance and management of the port
of Rotterdam Port or Basel. facilities made the modernization of the port.
 Presence of high levels of technology provided by the Dutch
engineers for construction of the new waterway, canals and Outline the problems facing the Rotterdam port.
dredging canals and the port.  High rates of pollution of the environment as a result of
 Favourable Dutch government policy in relation to the development increased industrial development.
of the Rotterdam into a modern port through investment of more
 Congestion at the port since Rotterdam is a busiest port
resources into a modern port.
 Availability of adequate capital invested to modernize the port and in the whole of Western Europe.
all western Europe contributed to development of Rotterdam inform  Shortage of space / land for expansion is a great challenge
of capital and manpower to handle exports and imports. for Municipal authorities of Rotterdam
 Frequent silting of its river channels / canals e.g. River
FUNCTIONS OF ROTTERDAM PORT. Maas and New waterway leading to high costs of
 Rotterdam is a largest entre port to Europe, handling imports and dredging.
exports.
 High levels of unemployment as a result uncontrolled
 Rotterdam port is an industrial centre; with giant consumer goods
like Uniliver, Mittal steel company the world’s largest steel population migration into the port.
company.  Shortage of housing facilities is costly to Rotterdam
 Rotterdam port is a great transport and communication centre, municipality authorities.
with the Rhine waterway as an important international route.  Characterized by high costs of living which is out of reach
 Rotterdam is an educational centre with a major university, the for low income inhabitants.
Erasmus University of Rotterdam,
 Shortage of fresh water supply as the port grows and
 Rotterdam is a residential centre with the tallest residential
building in the whole of the Netherlands e.g. the Montevideo tower expands.
(160m tall)  Frequent Flooding of rivers Maas and Rhine during heavy rains
 Rotterdam is a major tourist centre for the Netherlands housing leading to destruction of property.
several tourist attractions e.g. the popular ―Euromast‖ stands at
186m tall, Europe skyline Top, New Orleans Tower, etc.
 Rotterdam is a commercial centre with well-known streets as
shopping centres like the Lijnbaan, the Hoogstraat, the coolsingel
with the city hall and the Weenie. The stock exchange traverse.

Measures being taken to solve the problems facing
Rotterdam port. Cargo port Weight of goods (000s)
 Treatment of industrial wastes before disposal and strict laws
tonnes
enforced to control this problem.
 Containerization is used in handling and transportation of exports Rotterdam 421,600
and imports to overcome congestion. Antwerp 180,400
 Vertical expansion of the port facilities is being encouraged to
Hamburg 126,000
overcome the limited space, construction of skyscrapers is in
progress. Amsterdam 97,100
 Time tabling freight to minimise delays and congestions both on Bremerhaven 53,600
water and land.
Adopted: ec Europa. Eu/Eurostat news release No 184/2016 28 september 2016.
 Construction of by-pass canals to minimise congestion and delays
of traffic. a) Draw a pie chart to show the relative importance of the Rhineland
 Encourage regional cooperation among the Rhinelands for joint maritime ports.
development of the Rotterdam port. b) (i) identify the port with the highest tonnage of goods.
 Use of strong flood lights to overcome poor visibility due to fog at (i) Describe the factors that have favoured export and import trade
the port. in the port named in (b) (i) above.
 Use of radar to detect in-coming ship when there is fog to minimise (c) Explain the problems faced by sea ports in the Rhineland region.
accidents. (d) Outline the measures being taken to improve import and export
 Dredging of canals to overcome silting to allow easy movement of trade.
ships.
 Clean air Act against emission of industrial fumes to reduce b) (i) Rotterdam port – 421,600,000 tonnes
pollution and resultant health hazards to people at the port.
(ii) Describe the factors that have favoured export and import
trade in the Rotterdam port.
Sample question. UNEB 2018  Presence of a large market due to increasing population led to more
imports and exports.
Study table below showing the weight of goods (000s) tonnes handled  Presence of a deep natural harbour to handle large ocean vessels /
by selected maritime Rhinelands ports in 2014 and answer questions
ships.
that follow.
 The widening of the harbour after 1952 provided large
accommodation for big ships.

 Existence of a strategic location of Rotterdam port facing at the  Occasional sinking of port facilities especially on reclaimed land
North sea give it an access to major international markets. thus destroying the infrastructure.
 Availability of efficient transport to connect to the rich hinterland for
goods. (d) Measures being taken to improve import and
 Presence of ice free conditions because of the North Atlantic drift export trade in the Rhineland.
helps the port to operate throughout the year.  Containerisation to ease loading and offloading of goods / Roll on
 Availability of advanced technology for the construction of the port – Roll off facilities controlled environment pollution through
facilities to encourage international trade. legislation / setting up laws / treatment of industrial wastes.
 Rotterdam port is well sheltered by the hook of Holland that prevent  Improve loading and off-loading through timetabling to avoid
it from strong winds. congestion.
 There is a low tidal range that allows docking of the vessels loading  Mechanisation of port activities through use of cranes, loaders etc.
finished goods and raw materials throughout the year.  Use of alternative means of transport like air to reduce congestion.
 Presence of large land for construction of infrastructure.  Reclaiming of more land for industrial expansion.
 Availability of skilled labour to operate port activities for easy trade.  Use of radars / flood lights to solve problem of poor visibility.
 Presence of large sums of capital invested in the construction and  Introduction of a common currency like Euro to ease trade
expansion of the port facilities. transactions.
 Availability of supportive government policy that encourages the  Regional Cooperation e.g. EU, Benelux countries to promote
construction of port. international trade.
 Intensified advertisement to widen the market base.
(c) Problem faced sea ports in the Rhineland region.  Provision of the trade (on-line trade) to speed up trade
 The area below sea level suffers from occasional flooding leading to transactions.
destruction of infrastructure.  Expansion of container terminals to accommodate more imports
 Silting due to the flat landscape thus reducing the depth of the sea and exports.
limiting area for anchoring the vessels.
 Congestion leading to delays in shipment due to fog leading poor LAND RECLAMATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
visibility hence accidents. Land reclamation is the transformation of wasteland into useful or
 Limited land for expansion due to other competing land use productive land. For many years the Dutch have been struggling
activities. against the sea which from time to time has flooded land leading to sea
 High costs of dredging due to siltation of the waterway. attacks e.g.
 High levels of pollution due to industrialisation in the hinterland. (i) in 1334 the sea broke through sand dunes to form Friesland island,
 Development of slums and associated evils like high crime rates.
(ii) In 1421 the most fertile part of the country around Dordrecht was low-lying areas, drain away the salty water in order to boost the
submerged and 72 villages were destroyed. productivity of the soils.
(iii) In 1530 the centre of the town Reimerswaal disappeared under
the sea,  Land reclamation was undertaken to provide fresh water for;
(iv) In 1953, the sea broke through Southern Netherlands in 67 agriculture, horticulture and livestock at Amsterdam, Zwolle,
places, four hundred hectors of fertile land were flooded, many Friesland, Leystad. This was done by building a barrier dam to cut
people were drowned and thousands of cattle were lost. off the North Sea and create freshwater lake- Ijssel (Yssel).
Note: Dykes begun to be built in 1000 AD to protect land from sea
attacks. Some towns have their names from towns built on rivers  There was need to shorten the Dutch coastline by 700km.
e.g. Amsterdam on river Anutel, Schredam on River Schie. this was achieved by linking Weiringermeer to Friesland using an
enclosing dam to the shallow gulf- The Zuiderzee. This was aimed
CONDITIONS WHICH LED TO LAND RECLAIMATION at improving transport and relieving pressure on older dykes
FROM THE SEA BY THE DUTCH. around the edges of the Zuiderzee.
Two major reclamation projects the Zuiderzee and Delta plan were
undertaken to work on the Land reclamation in Holland.  Sea reclamation is on-going to create more land for
expansion of the port for urbanization and
 To protect the land by the Dutch Society from sea industrialization e.g. provided land for growth of Amsterdam
invasions (frequent floods during periods of high tides) much of now a major commercial, industrial and financial centre.
the western and northern parts are below sea level of the country
from sea water / attacks. The Rhine Delta project.
The Rhine Delta Project also called Delta Works, is a flood control
 Land reclamation was aimed at creation of more land for project in southern Netherlands.
settlement of the large /dense population of The Netherlands. In 1953 the spring tide severely flooded the delta region in the
southwest and about 1,800 people died.
 There was need to create more land for cultivation around The Delta Plan, launched in 1958 and completed in 1986, was
the coastline with the polders today most intensively farmed parts implemented to prevent such flooding.
in Western Europe. E.g. Flevoland. The Delta works is a giant flood control project that closed of the
Rhine, Maas and Scheldt rivers with dykes linking the inlands of
 The desire to protect the soils from Salination by the salty Walcheren, Noord-Bevrlands, Schouwen, Goeree, and Voorne and
sea water at the coastal farmland. There was need to enclose the created what amounts to several freshwater lakes that are free of tides.

 To shorten the Dutch coastline by about 700 km distance
Table showing list of Dams constructed by the The Rhine Delta project
developed a system of dikes; and built dams, sluices, bridges, (Delta plan) between 1950 to 2010
locks, and a major canal. YEAR DAM
 The dykes created freshwater lakes and joined some islands.
1950 Brielsergatdam
 To protect a large area of land around the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt
delta from the sea. The delta works in series of construction 1958 Hollandse Ijssel storm Barrier
projects between 1950 and 1997 in South west of the 1960 Zandkreekdam
Netherlands 1961 Veersegatdam
 To reduced the length of the dyke exposed to the sea. The plan 1965 Grevelingendam
consisted blocking the estuary mouth of the Oosterschelde, the
1969 Volkerakdam
Haringvliet, and Grevelingen.
 The mouths of the Nieuwe Waterweg and the Westerschelde
1971 Haringvlietdam
were to remain open because of shipping routes of port 1971 Brouwersdam
Rotterdam and Antwerp. The dykes along this waterway had to 1983 Makiezaatskade
be heightened and strengthened. 1986 Eastern Scheldt storm Surge Barrier
 The works would be combined with road and waterway Oosterscheldekering
infrastructure to stimulate the economy of the province of
Zeeland and improve the connection between the ports of
1987 Oesterdam
Rotterdam and Antwerp. 1987 Bathse Spuisluis
1997 Hartel Barrier Hartelkering
See the table: Showing the works that are part of the Delta plan works, 1997 Maeslant Barrier Maeslantkering
listed in the order with their years of completion. 2010 Harlingen water retaining wall

A Map Showing The Delta Plan Works and Dams constructed
(1950-2010)
 Availability of a positive government policy towards land

reclamation for more land from the sea for agriculture and
settlement of large population.
 There was a need to control Salination necessitated the
development of the Delta plan.
 The success of the Zuider zee project in construction of
polders in the North encouraged opening up the Delta plan.
 Availability of skilled labour that had technical skills in land
reclamation eased the establishment of the Delta plan.
 Presence of advanced technology that eased the construction
of canals and dykes.
 Availability of large capital invested in paying of labour and
purchase of machinery.
 There was political stability in The Netherlands provided a
concussive atmosphere for Land reclamation.
Benefits of the Delta project to the Netherlands.

 It led to successful control / regulation Salination of soils through
spreading of salt water from the sea.
 Provision of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use.
 The Great dykes were used as bridge point between islands, thus
CONDITIONS THAT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT THE
improving communication.
DELTA PLAN.
 It improved navigation / transport between Rotterdam port
 Much of the area was low lying below sea level which necessitated
(Netherlands) and Antwerp port (Belgium).
protection from sea incursions.
 The project promoted tourism lead to generation of foreign
 Existence of massive floods / sea incursions of 1953 which killed
exchange.
more than 1800 people forced the Dutch government to set up The
Delta plan.
 It improved recreation facilities for leisure activities for the (a) The closure proper. This was to be accomplished by building a
Netherlands. massive dam between the shores of the provinces of North
 Generation of employment opportunities leading to improved Netherlands and Friesland.
standards of living.
(b) The reclamation of five polders in the Zuyder Zee to protect
 The project created more land for settlement and industry.
the Netherlands from the effect of by tidal movements of the
 Development of urban centres with associated advantages like
North Sea. After completion of the dam and creation of a fresh
increased trade and commerce.
 The project created more land for agriculture leading to increased water lake, mainly resulting from the outflow of Yssel River, a tributary
food production for large population. of the Rhine.
Name of polder Area in Year Year of
THE ZUYDER ZEE PROJECT sq. kms of Complet
The Zuider zee was a shallow bay of the North Sea in the Northwest of start ion.
The Netherlands, extending about 100km inland and at most 50km Amsterldiepdijk 2.5 1920 1924
wide, with an overall depth of about 4 to 5 metres and a coastline of Afsluitdijk 32 1927 1932
about 300km. It covered 5,000km2. Weiringermeer 18 1927 1929
Noordoost polder 55 1936 1940
In the 20th century, the majority of the Zuiderzee was closed off from Eastern Flevoland 90 1950 1956
the North Sea by a man-made system of Dams, land reclamation and Southern Flevoland 70 1959 1967
the salt water inlet changed into fresh water lake called Ijsselmeer Houtribdijk 28 1963 1975
(Ijssel-Lake)
The work of reclaiming the Zuider Zee, a large arm of the North Sea,
began in 1927. By 1932 a 29-km dike had been built across the
entrance to the Zuider Zee. The L. Yssel polders are;
The dyke turned the waters behind it into a freshwater lake within five (i) Markerwaad (61,000 hectares)
years. By the early 1980s about three-quarters of the area had been (ii) Weiringermeer (20,000 hectares)
drained, but the project to reclaim the last polder was cancelled by the (iii) South Flevoland (44,000 hectares)
early 1980s. (iv) North East Polder (49,000 hectares)
The freshwater lake left behind is called the Ijsselmeer. (v) Eastern Flevoland (55,000 hectares)
The work on this scheme started in 1923 after a law had been passed
authorizing the scheme. The Zuyder Zee plan was divided into two
projects:-

Site map of Lake Ijsselmeer  To shorten the distance along the Dutch sea coastline (between
North and South Holland)
 To create more land for the excess population.
 To control frequent floods from the North sea.
Describe the factors which have favoured the establishment

of the Zuider Zee polders.
 Existence of highly developed technology to construct the polders.
 Presence of low-lying areas that made it possible to block the sea from the
land.
 Availability of large capital base to invest in the construction of the
polders.
 Presence of skilled labour to work in the construction site of the dykes and
pump water out of the polders
 Availability of wind energy due to strong winds to run the wind mills for
further draining of the sea.
 Presence of supportive government policy towards land reclamation in
Netherlands.
 Existence of large population that needed land for settlement and farming
practices.
 Availability of the narrow land between Wadden Sea and L. Ijsselmeer that
was easy to connect with The Great Dyke / barrier dam.
The need to have fresh water for both domestic and industrial uses
Explain the benefits / Significance of The Zuyder Zee Project

The goals of the Zuiderzee Act of 1918 before the grand to the development of The Netherlands.
undertaking began.  The interior lowlands are now protected from sea attacks.
 To protect central Netherlands from the effects of the North Sea.  The drainage of the polder areas has been improved.
 To increase the Dutch food supply with new agricultural land.  The enclosing dam carries a first class road, thus improving
 To improve water management by creating a lake out of the former communication between North Netherlands and Friesland.
uncontrolled salt water inlet.

 Lake Yssel supplies fresh water for Northern Netherlands and How a Polder Is Made.
Friesland.  Survey / exploration to establish the nature of rocks/ soil depth are
 It has provided more land for cultivation in Netherlands. done.
 Tourism has been encouraged by the presence of fresh water for  Ring dykes are constructed / built around the area to be drained
sports. using materials such as concrete blocks, clay and sand to enclose
 The 30km barrier dam provides immediate protection against part of the sea to be reclaimed.
strong sea waves. Dykes are therefore less affected and are now  The Water from the reclaimed areas is then pumped out using
cheap to maintain since there is no direct attack by waves. pumping machines / pumps run by wind energy to a collecting
 Building dykes for future polders is easy because the water is free reservoir.
from tides.  The main trenches and ditches are constructed to drain out water
 Lake Yssel acts as a fresh water reservoir for agriculture and stock from the enclosed land.
breeding.  The second major central channel / canal is constructed to take the
 In winter Lake Yssel serves as a catchment basin for floods. water from the drained area, pumping station pumps water into a
 Lake Yssel provides water used in industries canal.
 Sub-soil Salination has been reduced i.e. the salt contents of the  The reclaimed are is divided into regular portions (5 polders) using
surrounding land has been reduced. inner dykes and ring canals.
 Desalination of the land using reeds planted to help dry out the soil
by transpire of water away and lime (alkaline) is added to lower
POLDERS salinity of the land.
A polder is land below sea level reclaimed from the sea. The word  Irrigation is done using fresh water from the nearby rivers or lake
polder is a Dutch word meaning reclaimed land. Not all polders are Ijsselmeer to further reduce the saline conditions.
protected from sea winds because it is so expensive to build concrete  Pumping out water from the polders is continuous process to
all along the coast of Netherlands. There are only short stretches of prevent water from accumulating in the reclaimed land at any stage
concrete (dykes) made of basalt blocks facing short stretches of the and treating the soil is done regularly.
sea. A dyke is a ring canal made of bush wood, stones and concrete. It  Deep ploughing / cultivation for further softening of the soil using
is constructed around the areas to be reclaimed. deep ploughing equipment.
 Pasture is then planted in the reclaimed land.
 Polders are finally used for food production and animal rearing.
Settlement, recreation and industrialisation.

STRUCTURE OF A Polder
Horticulture under glass houses (market gardening) at Hague,
Rotterdam and at Hook of Holland. Crop production at the polder
includes; cereals, wheat, roots and tubers like potatoes, and sugar
beet, vegetables, fruits and flowers.
2. Poultry rearing.
Poultry is raised throughout the Netherlands especially in areas of
infertile sandy soils. Beef and pork is important.
3. Dairy farming.
The principal dairy farming regions are in central and Northern
Holland. The animals provide manure to fertilize soils. It is done
intensively and animals are kept indoors during winter.
Dairy farming provides milk used in the making of cheese and
other products like yoghurt, ghee, condensed milk / powder, etc.
 Land for settlement has been created e.g. Utrecht and 17 cities
with population of 100,000 inhabitants are concentrated in the
western provinces of North Holland, South Holland, and Utrecht.
 The polders are used for industrial development e.g. Utrecht
has heavy chemical, aluminium rolling and zinc sheet. Refineries in
the south bank of the New waterway west of Rotterdam, mobile
refinery in the North Sea Canal near Amsterdam, Nijimegen,
Breda, Velsen and Delft.
LAND USE IN THE POLDERS.
 Land has been created for agriculture;  Polders are used for tourism e.g. tourist attractions located at
1. Arable farming; Friesland to Groningen, nature areas are having military practice
Production of cereals, fodder crops, potatoes, bulbs at Groningen zones, attractive forests of Oak, recreation has become a pillar of
and Haarlemmermeer.
the economy in North Holland, National monuments, etc to
generate foreign exchange for the country. Polders and some special uses
Polder Special use
 The Polder lands have improved transport and assigned
communication systems East Holland like roads connecting North East polder Beautification
between provinces of North Holland and Friesland has been Weiringmeer Flood barrier
considerably shortened by 320kms. A railway line links to the Eastern Flevoland Flood barrier
North Sea canal in the North to the New waterway at Rotterdam South Flevoland Flood barrier
etc. to transport goods and services to people. Horstermeer Watershed
Haarlemmermeer Urbanisation
 They have been used for agro-forestry to improve environment Zuidplas polder Landscape beauty
e.g. the Flevoland in Leystad, Almere and Tilburg Markerwaad
form the green belt of the Netherlands. Friesland has forests of oak,
birch, pine and ash. Afforestation has been done in the North Contributions of Land Reclamation / Polderization.
Brabant.  Polders have created employment opportunities to the skilled and
 Polders have been used for recreation. They serve as green semi-skilled workers in the agricultural sector, and industry at
buffer zones and provide ideal recreational oriented country-side centres like Rotterdam, Alkmaar, Hague and the Hook of Holland
for the city dwellers. to improve people’s standard of living.
 Polders encouraged the process of urbanisation.  Land reclamation in Polders has led to the creation of freshwater
Polders like Weiringermeer, Haarlemmermeer, the North East, Lake Ijsselmeer for irrigation, livestock, domestic and industrial
southern and East Flevoland; transformed from agricultural land to purposes.
areas of dense population settlements that have built the Randstad  Led to shortening the road distance between North Holland and
(Ring city) starts at Dordrecht to Rotterdam, Hague, Leiden, Haarlem, Friesland reduced the long coastline of 7000km to 320kms.
Amsterdam, Utretct.
 Led to creation of more land from the reclaimed sea to increase
farmland by 63,000km2 of polder land that is intensively farmed
reduce transportation cost of goods and service between
Weiringermeer and Friesland.
 Helped to reduce Salinity of the soils due Lake Ijsselmeer, there has
been less incidence of infiltration of salty water from the North Sea
to affect productivity of soils.

sand together to form impervious layer cause water logging on the polders
 Helped to protect the Dutch lowlands from destructive sea that lead to waterborne diseases and unhealthy conditions to the people.
incursions that were witnessed before the Delta Plan and Zuider-  Sea incursions / floods leading to seasonal floods and Salination of the
zee project of land reclamation, greater security with ½ the soils by salt water in the reclaimed land.
population of The Netherlands lays 1m a.s.l with various  Shortage of land for different uses due to increasing population e.g.
building, agriculture etc.
economic activities carried out.
 High incidence of pests and diseases as a result of damp weather
 Polders are important recreation areas serving as green buffer
conditions that favour the breeding of fungi, bacteria, nematodes which
zones; the woodlands that are grown alongside the dykes provide affect crops especially in the polder lands leading to high costs of
natural conservation zones in areas where the landscape is built maintenance using pesticides and fertilisers which are expensive
up as settlements, Hotels, industries and crop production. worldwide.
 Provision of plenty of hydroelectricity power generated from  Siltation of canals leading to constant flooding that need regular dredging
dammed rivers, canals and bridges to run factories and domestic that is costly.
uses in the polder lands and Delta region.  Pollution of air and available water sources due to application of nitrate
 Promoted Dairy farming in the polder lands with the Dutch cattle agro-chemicals, fertilisers, herbicides, huge amounts of manures from the
that have the highest yield per cow in the world mainly practiced livestock industry, etc. has led to shortage of freshwater for use.
 Unstable sinking of the polder land making it unsuitable for settlement
in Friesland, Flevoland Weiringermeer, Markerwaad, and milk is
and agriculture.
produced into products such as the famous Alkmaar Cheese.
 Winter frost sometimes affects the crops and limits time for crop
Problems facing Land Use in the polder Lands
production.
 Continued Salination of the Subsoil as a result of underground seepage of
 High costs of maintaining dykes and soils from Salination by continuous
salty water under the dykes which reduces the soil productivity in terms of
pumping of excess water to trenches.
quality of crops and grass produced.
 Soil exhaustion due to over use of soils for intensive farming.
 Fast growths of weeds which affect arable farming compete with crops and
pastures and lead to stunted growth of crops.
Steps being taken to solve the problems facing land use in the
 High population density with its associated evils such as slums,
polders.
congestion, unemployment, etc.
1. Constant by pumping out excess water from the polders to the canals
 Excessive water logging conditions that occur when sandy subsoil forms
using engines powered by windmills.
its iron pan the iron salts which are deposited by rain, behind humus and
2. Erecting of stronger and higher dykes to minimise sea breakages by
strong sea waves to reclaimed lands.

3. Specialization in agriculture by regionalising the country e.g.
horticulture, arable and dairy farming zones.
4. Application of fertilizers and manures to minimize Salination and
improve soil productivity for high yields e.g. planting reeds.
5. Spraying of crops and animals using chemicals like pesticides and
insecticides to control pests and diseases.
6. Encourage mixed farming practices to improve soil fertility.
AGRICULTURE IN NETHERLANDS.
Despite the small size and dense population of The Netherlands, agriculture
is highly productive and a major source of exports. Cultivated fields
cover 27 percent of the land.
Most farms are small—less than 10 hectares (25 acres)—but every

hectare is utilized to the utmost. The Dutch rely heavily on machinery
and fertilizers, allowing Dutch farms to achieve some of the highest
yields per hectare in the world.
Most Dutch farmers are members of cooperatives through which they

purchase equipment and supplies. Dutch farmers also market much of
their produce through cooperatives.
Dutch agriculture is divided into 3 broad areas:
(i) crop production, The main food crops are; barley, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, and
(ii) dairy farming wheat.
Despite its wheat and barley production, the nation is a major
(iii) livestock production, and
importer of wheat for animal fodder and cereal production.
(iv) Horticulture. Dairy and livestock production is highly specialized and
technologically sophisticated.
The nation's agricultural land is also divided into 3 broad types:
Characteristics of agriculture in Netherlands
grasslands, farmlands, and horticultural lands.
- 2,000,000 ha of land in The Netherlands are used for agriculture

 Presence of favourable maritime climate with cool summers, mild
- There are 108,000 farms in total of which 1.5% cover more than winters and reliable rainfall received throughout the year that
100 ha. enables the proper growth of the crops.
- The average size of a Dutch is 19 ha.  The presence of ready market for the agricultural produce both
- 28% of agricultural land used is devoted to tenant farming. within and outside Netherlands.
- Agriculture produces 3% of the country’s Wealth and employs 5%  Accessibility of Netherlands from its position on the North Sea and
of the workforce (210,000 workers 27% of whom are salaried the Rhine River which facilitated the easy transportation of
employees). agricultural produce.
- Horticulture accounts for 42% of the total value of the total value of  The formation of cooperative societies and credit banks which
the Netherlands agricultural production. provided loan facilities for buying agricultural inputs and help in
- Exports of cut flowers are of particular significance (16% of total marketing the farmers produce.
agricultural production value).  Presence of water from lakes for irrigation farming and stock
- It is highly intensive due to the high value of land. breeding especially in periods of prolonged drought.
- Emphasis is on dairy farming because it is more profitable than
crop growing. Problems faced by the agricultural sector in
- Many crops are grown e.g. Oats, Rye, hay, Barley etc. Netherlands
- Specialization in one line of production e.g. Cattle, Pigs, Sheep and  Shortage of land due to loss of agricultural land to other forms of
Poultry. land uses e.g. expansion of land under woodland.
 High costs of farming due to high costs of inputs and it is highly
Factors influencing the development of Agriculture in intensive that require large sums of resources to manage the farm.
Netherlands  High costs of maintenance of the polders from any form of sea
 Existence of a generally flat landscape that encourages the incursions by dredging canals and maintaining dykes from breaking.
application of agricultural mechanization easy. E.g. Yssel polder  Periodic flooding due to the sea breaking dykes lead to flat areas
region. getting flooded.
 Availability of large supply of skilled manpower to reclaim land and  Soil deterioration (exhaustion) in reclaimed areas due to intensive
to work on the farm lands. farm techniques lead to over use of soils.
 Existence of large capital base that was used to create the polders  Salination of the soils due to by the sea incursions contaminate the
and to train labour force employed to work on the polders. soils.
 Presence of fertile alluvial soils along the river banks which  Stiff competition for market with from other countries e.g. china,
supported the growth of crops. USA etc. producing similar agricultural products lead to low profit
margins and demoralise farmers.

 Severe cold winter conditions reduce on the growing period for
crops and other farmers activities. Types of farming in Netherlands
 High incidence of pests such as arthropods, nematodes, and
Arable farming:
diseases like fungi, the bacteria affect root crops, swine fever, bird
 This is the cultivation of only field crops to yield food, feeds, or
flu caused by H5NI avian influenza virus and mad cow disease
fibre.
especially in the damp humid climate conditions in the polders or
 Holland has 820,000 hectares of arable land mostly in
Zeeland, increase the rate of breeding, destroys the crops.
Noordbrabant, Ginderland and Overijssel.
 Over production of dairy products has led to fluctuation of price for
 The Netherlands is among the world’s three largest exporters of
the products.
agricultural products next to United Kingdom and France.
 Shortage of fresh water especially during drought seasons for
 The Netherlands accounts for nearly a quarter of European
irrigation, industrial and domestic purposes.
Vegetable exports.
 High levels pollution from heavy use of fertilisers results into nitrate
 Germany, France and the United Kingdom are the largest buyers
pollution of water, pigs and other animals reared produce huge
of Dutch produce.
amounts of manure and ammonia gas which pollute underground
 A variety of crops are grown in The Netherlands under arable
resources and degrade vegetation, kill useful insects.
farming.
Solutions to problems facing Dutch farmers. The following crops are grown under arable farming;
 Dutch farmers are organised in cooperative societies such as the (a)Cereals. 60% of the arable land in Netherlands is under cereals
Marker gardener to access credit to acquire necessary farm inputs. mainly wheat, rye, oats and barley.
 Farmers emphasise intensive production since the land is limited  Cereals are grown for both human and animal consumption,
to grow high yielding crops which can mature fast. with 60% is turned into animal feeds.
 Organic farming is being emphasised by using farming techniques  The fodder crops include; sugar beet, table potatoes and
that do not harm the natural environment e.g. use of composed legumes.
manure, crop rotation, etc.  Rye and oats are mainly grown in the East Holland and South
 Dutch farmers are legally required to keep some cattle to ensure Holland on reclaimed land because the two crops need fertile
supply of organic manure. soils.
 In pastoral areas farmers produce hay from their farms to be used (b) Potatoes.
in e.g. fodder and feedstuff are acquired before winters. Cereals  These are grown all over the country for human consumption
such as oats, barley, fodder sugar, beet, are grown to cut down the  Potatoes and fodder crops are grown in the south (Zealand),
costs of milk and other animal products. Groningen and Haarlemmermeer.
 Intensive research in disease and pest control is being emphasised  Potatoes are grown for both human consumption and to feed
to reduce pest and diseases outbreak on animals and plants. livestock.
 Special potatoes are grown for their high starch content in Far The Netherlands is a home to all aspects of horticulture from the
district, to manufacture starch and chocolate. laboratory where new crops varieties are manufactured and
 Some potatoes are exported as seed potatoes. engineered for planting. Over 3000 companies are engaged in
horticulture.
(c) Sugar beet. There is greenhouse system where these crops are grown under
 Is grown and processed into white sugar at cooperative factories. glasshouses and the fields full of mushrooms, street trees, full-soil
 Much of the white sugar is exported. to Germany, France and vegetables, cut flowers and bulbs.
United Kingdom Netherlands has over a half of all Green houses in Europe. A total of
 Used as livestock feed; the crop is crushed and is made into cattle over 44,000 acres of flowers are under cultivation.
cakes and the leaves are used for silage as stock food.
 These crops are grown in rotation basis. Characteristics of horticulture farms:
 This is the growing of fruits, flowers and vegetables mainly under
(d) Flax. greenhouse technology.
 Flax is grown in the districts of Zeeland and Groningen.  It requires large capital to invest in the farm inputs like fertilizers,
 Some of the flax is exported to Belgium for the textile industries. chemicals, packaging and marketing etc.
(e) Food crops.  It is highly intensive farming practices in The Netherlands.
 Food crops grown are barley, corn, potatoes, sugar beets, and  It is scientifically controlled under glass house technology where
wheat. conditions are carefully managed to ensure maximum yields
 Despite its wheat and barley production, the nation is a major  Requires very high scientific methods of research e.g. from the
importer of wheat for cereal production and animal fodder. laboratory where new crops are manufactured and engineered,
flowers and grown in glass house under controlled conditions.
HORTICULTURE:  Requires very quick transport e.g. air transport, electrified trains etc
Horticulture is the industry and science of plant cultivation and the with modern refrigerated storage facility to deliver to the market
process of preparing the soil for the planting of seeds, tubers, or when still fresh.
cuttings.  It is market oriented.
The work basically involves growing of fruits, berries, nuts, vegetables,
flowers, trees, shrubs and turf. Netherlands has 59% of the glass houses in Europe. Horticulture
accounts for 20% of the agricultural exports of Netherlands.
Horticulturalists work to improve crop yields, quality, nutritional
value and resistance to pests and diseases and environmental stresses.

Crops grown under horticulture;  The development via plant breeding, new varieties is a major
(a)Vegetable growing. occupation of floriculturists.
 The most important vegetables are tomatoes, cucumbers,  About 1900 hectors of land are set aside for the growing of flowers
Lettuce, Cauliflowers, carrots and spinach 70% of each of this in Netherlands.
crop is exported.  Floriculture crops include bedding plants, flowering plants foliage
 The most important region for vegetable growing is the delta plants or house plants, cut cultivated greens and cut flowers.
region in the south west and north Netherlands on the polders.  Horticultural crops are generally herbaceous, bedding and garden
plants consist of young flowering plants and vegetable plants.
(b) Fruit growing: These are grown in cell packs (in flats or trays) in pots, or in
 The main region is Gelderland. hanging baskets usually inside controlled environment and sold
 Fruit growing is concentrated in Limburg and Utrecht. largely for gardens and landscaping.
 The important fruits are apples, pears, plums, cherries, crocuses,  Flowers are sold in pots, for indoor use in offices, hotels and
daffodils etc. restaurants interiors.
 Cut flowers are usually sold in bunches or as bouquets wit cut
(c) Bulb growing: foliage. The production of cut flowers is specifically known as
 This is mainly carried out between Leiden and Haarlem, Hague the cut flower industry.
and Rotterdam in the light sandy soils.  Farming flowers and foliage employs special aspects of floriculture
 The coastline has warm conditions ideal for growing bulbous such as spacing, training and pruning, plants for optional flower
flowers, hyacinth and daffodils. harvest and post-harvest treatment such as chemical treatment,
 Flowers are grown in glass houses under controlled conditions. storage, preservation and packaging.
 During winter, heating is required, and black plastic heat  Flowers are mainly grown in big cities especially around
absorbing bags are exposed to light to control the growth rate of Amsterdam. Examples of flowers are roses, lilies and daisies.
the flowers.  Medicinal and Aromatic herbs grown for production of medicine
 Large quantities of fertilizers and irrigation are required to boost and cosmetics.
the soil fertility.
 The cut flowers are sold in cities, exposed to the Ruhr, Norway, (e) Horticulture seed production for flowers and vegetables for export.
and Sweden Southern Germany via Amsterdam. (f) Arboriculture; the production of small trees for decoration of
compounds.
(d) Floriculture:
 This is a discipline of horticulture that involves the growing of
flowering and ornamental plants for gardens and fro floristry,
comprising of the floral industry.
 Horticulture is capital intensive which is sometimes limited for easy
Describe the Conditions that have favoured the Dutch maintenance.
horticulture farming.  Shortage of land for expansion of the farms which restrict
 Existence of a mild maritime climate with relatively warm production on small plots.
temperatures to support the growth and ripening of the horticulture  Stiff competition from other horticultural producers limits the
products. markets and profit margins of the farmers.
 Availability of fertile alluvial soil from the polders and delta regions  Price fluctuations of horticulture products affect the farmers’
support the growth of luxuriant growth of horticulture plants for income.
high yields.  Horticulture products are highly perishable leading to post harvest
 Presence of highly trained skilled farmers to work in the growing losses to farmers.
horticultural fields.  Cold winter conditions and freezing affect the horticulture crops and
 Existence of credit facilities extended to the farmers through the limit the period for growing.
cooperatives to boost their capital requirements.  Sometimes there are marshy and water logged conditions disturb
 Availability of advanced research and advisory boards for farmers to the horticulture farmers.
consult and provide assistance on management of horticulture fields  Flooding of the polders affect output.
and marketing.  Overdependence on foreign markets like E.E.C countries exposes
 Dutch farmer’s posses along experience in farming provide extra farmers to high risks of stiff competition and costs like taxation.
skills in horticulture practice.  Soil exhaustion due to intensive farming lead to high costs of
 Availability of a ready market for horticulture products both in The application of fertilisers to improve yields
Netherlands and abroad in the neighbouring countries.  High Salinity of soils due to sea incursions and excessive application
 Existence of developed transport and communication systems to of fertilizers.
transport horticultural products to market centres by the Rhine  High incidence of pests and diseases lead to high costs of continuous
waterways, air transport, and roads. spraying of chemicals to maintain quality.
 Existence of high levels of advertisements used through various  Sinking of land under polders.
media platforms like journals, magazines, televisions, documentary,  High costs of land rent fee limit increase costs of production.
etc.
Measures being taken to solve problems faced by
Problems faced by horticulture farmers in the Netherlands. horticulture farmers.
 Frequent frost which restrict the growing periods of horticulture  Practice of intensive farming to minimise shortage of land for
crops in glass houses is expensive. production.

 Building of strong embankments to minimise flooding from river pork bacon and lard. Most of these are exported but some is
Rhine, Meuse and canals. consumed at home.
 Diversification of crops is being taken seriously to get crops
suitable to climate conditions e.g. cucumber; tomatoes, water (c) Poultry farming. This is the keeping of birds. The birds kept are
melon etc are introduced. chicken, ducks and turkeys. Poultry farming in some areas is
 Spray crops using chemicals to kill pests and diseases. organised on a cooperative basis. In some other parts of the country,
 Application of manures and fertilisers to improve soil fertility for poultry farming is a family affair which is advantageous in that
high yields. labour costs are reduced. Netherlands exports eggs to neighbouring
 Intensive research is being carried out to improve glass house countries and the Middle East.
technology and crop maintenance.
 Containerisation in refrigerated trucks and railway wagons or (d) DAIRY FARMING.
airplanes for easy transport of horticulture products.  Type of farming concerned with production and use of milk usually
 Refrigeration of transport trucks for perishable horticulture from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep and milk products.
products to address post-harvest losses.  Dairy farming involves the management of dairy cows, the
 Glass houses are introduced for growing horticulture crops during cultivation of crops for feed, the production of milk and cream, and
long cool winter periods. the manufacture of butter, cheese, and ice cream.
 Importation of improved seeds by the cooperatives for farmers to  60% of agricultural land is under grass in Holland, mainly in the
buy at subsidised costs. North East and South west of Friesland in the Green heart.
Livestock farming  There are 4 million hybrid cattle in Netherlands. About ¾ are
This is the keeping of animals. It consists of the following: Black and white Friesian Holland breed, ¼ are Red and white
(a)Sheep rearing. This is declining because of shortage of space in Meuse –Rhine Yssel breed.
Netherlands. Most of this activity takes place on the coastal dunes,  About 1/3 of the dairy products in Netherlands are exported.
South Holland and North Holland. Sheep can survive on relatively  The dairy industry exports in Netherlands had built a reputation
low quality pasture growing on sandy infertile coastal soils. The abroad by the 16th century.
products from sheep are mutton which is consumed at home and  The introduction of milk processing factories led to the further
exported. Wool is rather little. expansion of the industry. Netherlands is the leading cheese
exporter in the world. It is the fourth largest butter exporter in the
(b) Pig/ swine rearing. This is concentrated in the following
world.
districts, Utrecht, Gelderland, Overijssel and North Brabant. Pig
 Dairy product whey is used for feeding livestock and is converted
rearing is organised on a cooperative basis. The products include: -
into whey powder in considerable quantities.

 The farms are mechanised and the output is high with milking is done using milking machines.
Characteristics of Dairy farms in the Netherlands.  Drenthe.

 Farming is carried out on commercial basis.
 Dairy species are mainly kept by farmers are; Friesian cow, Jersey Types of cattle kept
cow, etc  Black and white Friesian ¾ called the Holland breed.
 High scientific methods are used by the farmers in maintenance  Red and white Meuse ¼ called Rhine Yssel breed.
and management of their farms e.g. record keeping, use of  Danish red – Jersey cow.
veterinary doctors and trained personnel, etc.  Ayrshire cow.
 Cattle breeds are hybrid and have high milk yields output.
 Animals are fed on fodder crops grown in fields during winter and A Sketch map of Netherlands showing Dairy farming
extra are used to supplement the hay districts
 Cattle farms are small in average not larger than 50 hectares and
hybrid animals with more attention given to quality of animals and
their products.
 Dairy farms are highly mechanised with Milking machines, food
stores, cattle sheds
 and milk parlours e.g. milking of cows is done using machines and
processing of milk to products like cheese, butter, milk powder,
condensed milk and chocolate.
 Cattle are grazed in-door during winter using pans controlled
automatically.
Major dairy farming districts/ provinces in The Netherlands.

 Friesland
 North Holland.
 South Holland.
 Over Yssel

Describe the Conditions that have favoured the development  Source of valuable animal protein through the production of beef
of dairy farming in The Netherlands. and milk related products.
 Availability of fresh water from lakes Yssel and rivers like Ijsselmeer  Provision of employment opportunities to thousands of the Dutch
/ canals for animals. people thereby improving their standards of living.
 Presence of highly productive varieties of animal feeds e.g. Friesian  Generation of foreign exchange earned through export of animal
leading to high quality and quantity of dairy products. products to government for provision of services to people.
 Existence of ready market to sell dairy products like cheese, milk etc  Generation of revenue Government through taxes imposed on dairy
both from the Netherland, the BENELUX countries and the activities for provision of social services.
European Union.  Led to development of socio-economic infrastructure like roads,
 Availability of large supply of skilled labour to work in maintenance schools and hospitals to provide services nearer to the people.
of animals in the farms.  Dairy farming is a means of economic diversification thus reduce
 Presence of plenty of pasture and folder crops for feeding animals to overdependence on one economic sector.
produce high quality yields and quantity.  Has led to improved international relations / regional cooperation
 Availability of a large capital base with adequate capital resources through trade on exports and imports with other countries on dairy
invested in dairy farming and related industries. products.
 Existence of efficient and well developed transport of roads, water  Led to improved income earned through farming for the households
and air with refrigerated containerised trucks, railway wagons etc. to improve their standards of living.
for the easy transportation and marketing of dairy products.  Led to development of urban centres in the rich agro-processing
 Presence of high levels of technology used in processing of dairy zones e.g. Rotterdam, Utrecht, Amsterdam, etc. to extend social
farming e.g. use of electric milking machines, use of wind mills to services to people like administrative, commercial, banking, etc.
pump water etc. to simplify work on the farms.  Led to development of industries involved in making; cheese,
 Development of cooperative societies which help in buying and condensed milk, butter, yogurt, powdered milk, etc. thus provide
selling dairy products from the farmers. market for animal products.
 High levels of research in cattle breads leading to high milk and beef Products from dairy farming.
production. 1. Cheese / Ghee
 Increased specialisation in dairy farming encouraged by the 2. Butter
European Union Policies. 3. Yogurt
4. Powdered/ condensed milk.
5. Whole milk.
Explain the contributions of Dairy Farming to the
6. Etc.
development of The Netherlands.

Countries where The Netherlands export her dairy products; (x) Tobacco processing.
1. Belgium
2. Any African countries. Netherlands Major industrial areas
3. U.S.A
4. United Kingdom.
5. Any Asian countries.
Mixed Farming.
This involves the growing of crops and the rearing of animals. It is mainly
practised in east and south Netherlands.
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN
NETHERLANDS.
The Dutch manufacturing sector is dominated by the following;

Types of industries.
(i) Agro-based industries,
(ii) Metal and engineering products,
(iii) Electrical machinery and equipment,
(iv) Chemical industries
(v) Petroleum industries,
(vi) Construction industry
(vii) Micro- electronics manufacturing.
(viii) Pharmaceuticals industries.
(ix) Food processing industries.

e.g. nylon and natural fibres like cotton textiles are found in the
Electronics manufacturing in the Netherlands is dominated by the east mainly in Hengelo while the Isool industry is located around
multinational corporation Philips. The company makes lighting, Limburg
consumer electronics, appliances, semiconductors, and communications
systems. Philips is the ninth-largest manufacturer of semiconductors in the 3. Food processing industry: This is an important industry
world. because Netherlands is mainly an agricultural country. The food
processing industry has existed for a very long time. Both tropical
Many of the manufacturing industries are based on the processing of raw
and temperate foods are processed e.g. coffee, cocoa, tea, wheat,
materials or semi-finished materials into finished products.
oats, and fruit canning distillation and brewing alcohol.
Ccompanies in the Netherlands import materials such as metal or chemicals
4. Electrical engineering industry: This is widespread all over
and turn these items into products that consumers can use such as car parts the country. The products from this industry include radio, TV Sets,
or cleaning chemicals. house appliances etc.
The Dutch chemical industry produces a variety of goods including synthetic 5. Chemical industry: This industry contributes approximately 17%
rubber, plastic consumer goods, and polyester yarns for industrial purposes. of the total Dutch exports. The chemical industry is distributed
Major Dutch chemical companies include Shell, where raw materials are available. The towns for the chemical
industry are Delfzijl which has a raw material of salt and natural
Ship building and repair continue to be significant factors in the Dutch gas, Geleen which has a raw material of coal from Limburg,
economy. However, competition from countries where workers are Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Velsen which has raw materials of oil.
paid less has caused drastic setbacks in the field which is only about The products from the chemical industry include acids, fertilizers,
one-half the size it was previously. perfumes, cosmetics and laboratory chemicals.
Ship building and repair employ about 10,000 workers and are 6. Diamond cutting and polishing: This is found in Amsterdam
concentrated in the large ports on the western coast. and specializes in the making of different ornaments.
7. Pottery. This is found in Delft and Goude, the products are
ceramic articles.
Other Industries in Netherlands
1. Iron and steel industry: This employs 20% of the working Major Industrial Regions.
population and is important in the cities of Nynegen, The Hague, 1. West Netherlands: North of the Rhine delta and south of the
Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The industry produces raw materials Zuyder zee. This area has all the major ports of Netherlands i.e.
for the ship building and car industries. Rotterdam and Amsterdam. This region became industrialised
because of being near the North Sea which transport raw materials
2. Textile industry: This employs 9% of the working population. and manufactured goods.
This industry specialises in different materials like synthetic fibres

2. Limburg Region: This region became industrialised because of  Availability of supportive government policy of encouraging
availability of coal. It is situated in an agricultural region. industrialization through offering loans and industrial
protectionism.
3. East Netherlands: The region became industrialised because of  Presence of advanced technology through the adoption of
the presence of salt and natural gas. The most important industry automated operations for fast, efficient and effective industrial
in this region is the chemical industry. production.
Explain the factors which have favoured the development of Explain the Problems facing manufacturing
the industrial sector in Netherlands.
 Amalgamation of small companies into one big company e.g. textile
industries in Netherlands.
industries led to specialisation and high production of quality  Shortage of basic raw materials for industrial development e.g.
products for export market. coal, iron ore and oil lead to high costs of production from import
 Availability of a variety of energy sources like coal, hydro - of raw materials abroad.
electricity, nuclear power, and natural gas to run the industrial  Pollution of air water and noise caused by industrial wastes
machinery. dumping and toxic fumes inform of smoke.
 Presence of a variety of raw materials both agricultural and mineral  Competition from other industrialised countries e.g. Japan and
resources to feed the industrial machinery for high quality products Germany lead to limited market for products.
to the consumers.  Flooding of the canals and Rhine delta cause accidents to
 Existence of developed transport and communication system of industrialists.
roads, railway, air, and canals to transport industrial raw materials  Congestion leading at the port terminals causing delays at entre
and finished products to different market destinations. port of Rotterdam for raw materials.
 Availability of abundant supply of both semi- skilled and skilled  Shortage of land for expansion of industries due to high costs for
labour provided by high population in The Netherlands to work in land.
the industrial sector.  Limited home market which requires exportation of most
 Existence of ready market for industrial products both locally in The industrial goods.
Netherlands and abroad.
 Availability of high level of specialization in the production of heavy
and light goods for export markets.
 Availability of adequate capital resources to invest in the industrial
sector.
 Presence of abundant supply / plenty of water from the North sea,
rivers Maas, Rhine, Waal and Ijssel, Rhine River, Meuse etc for
industrial operations like cooling machines among others.
 Existence of large land for establishment of industries and related
industrial infrastructure.
Mining and mineral extraction in The Netherlands.
Although there was once a vibrant coal mining industry in the
Netherlands, the discovery of oil and natural gas led to the demise of
the coal companies during the 1970s.
By the 1990s, the only mining operations left were small companies
that extracted salt, peat, and some sand and gravel for construction
uses.
The Dutch do produce a limited amount of oil.
However, oil production peaked in 1986 at 66,500 barrels of oil per

day. Since that time, production has declined to an average of about
60,000 barrels per day.
Netherlands is Western Europe's number-one supplier of natural gas

extracted from the North Sea.
This region contains the main reserves of natural gas and is actually
larger than the country itself. The main company in the sector is the
Netherlands Natural Gas Company which is owned by Dutch and
American energy firms and by the Dutch government.
About half the natural gas produced is used within the country, with
the rest exported to the European Union. The main export destinations
are Germany, Belgium, France, Switzerland, and Italy.
Factors that led to the development of mining in the
Netherlands.
 Availability of easy accessibility to the mines which is well served by
developed network of; Rivers, canals, railways and roads to ease
transport for imports and exports of the region.

 Unemployment due to closing of some mines after exhaustion of the
 Presence of large skilled labour supply from the Dutch and mineral.
neighbouring migrants from Holland, Belgium etc. to work in the  Stiff competition from cheap imported coal from other coal producers
mines. whose production costs are relatively low e.g. USA.
 Availability of alternative sources of energy, e.g. nuclear, thermal  Environmental degradation due to large pits and holes from digging
etc. which supplemented coal and hydroelectric power was the mineral lead to destruction of scenic beauty and breeding places
introduced to run machinery in the mines. for dangerous pests and diseases.
 The presence of large market for coal as raw material and source of  Pollution from burning Coal with much gas carbons to environment.
fuel for industries from both within and outside Belgium.  Development of slums and high rates of crime.
 Availability of large sums of capital to invest in purchasing of  Traffic congestion due to busy mining and trade around the coal
mining equipment, development of related infrastructure, payment fields.
of labour force among other things.
 Presence of advanced technology employed in the mining and Outline the Steps being taken to solve the problems.
processing of natural gas, petroleum, coal, etc e.g. the introduction
 Recycling of industrial wastes to minimise costs of importation of
of automated operations which eased work and ensured raw materials.
effectiveness and efficiency.  Strict legislation on waste management has been under taken.
 Availability of plenty of water supply from R. Rhine and R, Meuse /
 Under taking massive re – forestation programmes / Green belts
Maas for cooling machines, processing coal and transport provided creation.
by the navigable R. Meuse to transport coal market centres.  Encouraging raw material and labour saving technology.
 Presence of favourable government policy which encourages the  Importation of raw materials like iron ore from France and
mining for self-reliance in energy for industrial development. Sweden.
 Diversification of the economy to reduce over dependence on
Explain the Problems faced by mining industry in the industries.
Netherlands.  Treatment of industrial wastes before disposal.
 Exhaustion of coal in the mines which has left behind collapsing  Use of alternative sources of energy especially oil and natural gas
buildings. which have less pollution effects on environment.
 Vertical expansion / building sky scrapers to solve the problem of
 Increasing costs of mining with increased depth of the mines.
limited land.
 Increasing competition with other forms of energy like oil,
 Construction of sub ways / underground tunnels to reduce
hydroelectricity power, solar, nuclear energy, etc.
congestion.
 Refilling of old mines / pits.


S2, 2020 Geography Notes: Region The Rhineland: The Netherlands

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S2, 2020 Geography Notes: Region The Rhineland: The Netherlands

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S2, 2020 Geography notes: Region The Rhineland: The Netherlands

12 Provinces of the Netherlands

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MAP OF THE NETHERLANDS SHOWING RELIEF AREAS

Factors that have influenced the climate of The Netherlands

a) Mild winters and summers, cloudless days are uncommon, as is

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The major towns and cities of The

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a) Name the:  The location of Rotterdam at the Rhine River, as an

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 Availability of a positive government policy towards land

Benefits of the Delta project to the Netherlands.

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Describe the factors which have favoured the establishment

Explain the benefits / Significance of The Zuyder Zee Project

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Most farms are small—less than 10 hectares (25 acres)—but every

Most Dutch farmers are members of cooperatives through which they

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Characteristics of Dairy farms in the Netherlands.  Drenthe.

Major dairy farming districts/ provinces in The Netherlands.

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The Dutch manufacturing sector is dominated by the following;

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The Dutch do produce a limited amount of oil.

However, oil production peaked in 1986 at 66,500 barrels of oil per

Netherlands is Western Europe's number-one supplier of natural gas

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