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Dutch windmills, Netherlands

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Netherlands weather, climate and geography

Weather & climate

Mild, maritime climate. Summers are generally warm with changeable periods, but excessively hot weather is rare. Pack a light jacket or sweater even in mid-summer. Winters can be fairly cold with the possibility of some snow. Rainfall is ever a possibility, and rainwear is advisable year-round.

Geography

The Netherlands shares borders to the south with Belgium and to the east with Germany, while the North Sea lies to the north and west. Large areas of The Netherlands have been reclaimed from the sea and consequently one-fifth of the country lies below sea level. The country is flat and level and is criss-crossed by rivers and canals. Areas reclaimed from the sea, known as polders, are extremely fertile. The landscape is broken by the forest of Arnhem, the bulb fields in the west, the lakes of the central and northern areas, and coastal dunes that are among the most impressive in Europe.

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