The Netherlands is located in northwestern Europe, on the east coast of the North Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, with an area of about 41,500 square kilometers, of which about 6,000 square kilometers come from land reclamation. The Netherlands has a population of about 17.94 million (2023) and the official language is Dutch.
With an average elevation of about 2 meters above sea level, 24% of the coastline of the Netherlands is 1,075 km above sea level, and one-third of the area is only 1 meter above sea level. The Dutch built dams to block the inflow of seawater and at the same time pump out the water from the inland rivers. If there is no water for three months, the water level in the Netherlands will rise by 1.5 meters.
The Dutch overseas territories, all in the Caribbean, have a total area of about 1,000 square kilometers and a population of more than 300,000.
The Dutch Overseas Territory consists of two groups of small islands in the north and south about 900 kilometers apart. To the north, there are the islands of Saint martin (dutch), Saba and Sint Eustatius, which are the leeward islands of the Lesser Antilles, collectively known as the "SSU Islands", and in the south, Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, which are located off the northern coast of Venezuela and are collectively known as the "ABC Islands".
Aruba, Curaçao, and Saint martin (dutch) are autonomous states on an equal footing with the Netherlands mainland, while Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba are overseas public entities, collectively known as the "BES islands", which are directly under the Netherlands mainland.
【Sint Maarten】
Sint Maarten is located in the northeastern corner of the Caribbean Sea, about 300 kilometers from the American island of Puerto Rico. With an area of about 88 square kilometers, Sint Maarten Island ranks 15th among the mainland islands, smaller than Xiamen Island and larger than Hong Kong Island.
Sint Maarten is hilly, with an average altitude of about 350 meters above sea level and a peak of about 424 meters above sea level, and has a pleasant climate, with temperatures ranging from 20 to 34 degrees Celsius throughout the year.
France occupies the northern part of Sint Maarten with an area of about 54 square kilometers, while the Netherlands occupies the southern part of Sint Maarten with an area of about 34 square kilometers.
Saint martin (dutch), an overseas self-governing state of the Netherlands, is located in the south of the island of Saint Martin, with an area of about 34 square kilometers.
Sint Maarten has a population of about 41,000 (2023), mostly black, Catholic, and the official languages are Dutch, English, and Papimento.
Phillipsburg, capital of St. Martin, 18°01′27".
【Sint Eustatius】
Sint Eustatius, a Dutch public body abroad, is saddle-shaped, about 26 km from Saba. The island of Sint Eustatius is 10 km long, 5 km wide and covers an area of about 21 square kilometres.
The island of Sint Eustatius is a volcanic island, with the highest peak being Mount Güell, which is about 601 meters above sea level. The island of Sint Eustatius has a population of about 3,200 (2022), mostly black, Catholic, and the official languages are Dutch and English.
The capital of Sint Eustatius is Oranjestad at 17°29′N.
【Saba Island】
Saba, the Dutch public body abroad, is a circular island with a diameter of about 4 kilometers, about 26 kilometers from the island of Sint Eustatius, and an area of about 13 square kilometers.
Saba Island is a volcanic island with a cliffgy coast and no harbor, with a maximum elevation of about 887 meters. Saba Island has a population of about 2,000 (2022), mostly black, Catholic, and the official languages are Dutch, English, and Papimento.
The capital of Saba Island is Botom at latitude 17°37′57′N".
【Aruba】
Aruba, an overseas self-governing state of the Netherlands, is located about 25 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela, 32 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. Aruba Island covers an area of about 178.91 square kilometers, ranking 10th among the mainland islands and slightly larger than Dongshan Island in Fujian.
The northern part of Aruba is low-lying and lacks fresh water, with a maximum altitude of about 1. Aruba has a population of about 107,000 (2022), mostly European, Native American, and black mixed-race, and believes in Catholicism, a branch of Christianity.
The capital of Aruba is Oranjestad, the latitude is 12°31′7" N, and the official language is Dutch.
【Curacao】
Curaçao, an overseas self-governing state of the Netherlands, is located about 65 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela, with a long, narrow, northwest-southeast trend, 60 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. Curacao covers an area of about 444 square kilometers, ranking fifth among the mainland islands, second only to Zhoushan Island in Zhejiang.
Curaçao is predominantly low hills, with a maximum elevation of about 372 meters. Curaçao has a population of about 150,000 (2022), mostly of black slave descent and a branch of Christianity, Catholicism.
The capital of Curaçao is Willemstad, the latitude is 12°7′ north, and the official languages are Dutch, English and Papimento.
【Bonaire】
Bonaire is a Dutch public body located about 80 kilometers off the coast of Venezuela, 35 kilometers long, 10 kilometers wide, and covers an area of about 288 square kilometers.
The northern part of Bonaire is low and hilly, while the southern part is flat, with a maximum altitude of about 240 meters. Bonaire has a population of about 24,000 (2022), mostly of black slave descent, a branch of Catholicism and the official languages are Dutch, English, and Papimento.
The capital of Bonaire is Clarendijk at 12°9′ N.