where are the netherlands located on a map
The Netherlands (/ ˈnɛðərləndz / (listen); Dutch: Nederland (ˈneːdərˌlɑnt) (listen); Frisian: Nederlân), also known informally as Holland, is a country in Western Europe with a population of seventeen million. It is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, alongside with three island territories in the Caribbean (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba). The European portion of the Netherlands exists out of twelve provinces and borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, sharing maritime borders in the North Sea with Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The five largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht (forming the Randstad megalopolis) and Eindhoven (leading the Brabantse Stedenrij). Amsterdam is the country's capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament and government. The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe and the world's largest outside East Asia. Utrecht is a central node for road and railway communications, commerce and cultural events, while Eindhoven is an innovative city known for its economic attractiveness.