The Netherlands is a very flat country with almost 25% of its land at, or below sea level. The country covers a total area of 41,865 sq. km. Low rolling hills cover some of the central areas, and in the far south, the land rises into the foothills of the Ardennes Mountains. Vaalserberg, the country's highest point is located there, rising to 322 m (1,053 ft).
The Netherlands is crossed by hundreds of miles of navigable waterways. One of the most important is the North Sea Canal, as it enables ocean-going ships to reach the port of Amsterdam. Water, water everywhere, as the central and southern Netherlands are positioned at the delta of four major rivers, including the Rijn, Mass, Scheldt and Waal.| City | Population |
|---|---|
| Amsterdam | 1,148,900 |
| Rotterdam | 1,010,026 |
| The Hague | 697,564 |
| Utrecht | 544,389 |
| Tilburg | 199,613 |
The Netherlands has been a constitutional monarchy since 1815, and due to the efforts of Johan Rudolph Thorbecke became a parliamentary democracy in 1848. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by an effort to achieve broad consensus on important issues, within both the political community and society as a whole.
In 2017, The Economist ranked the Netherlands as the 11th most democratic country in the world. The monarch is the head of state, at present King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Constitutionally, the position is equipped with limited powers. By law, the King has the right to be periodically briefed and consulted on government affairs.