WESTERN EUROPE

BENELUX COUNTRIESBelgium, The Netherlands and Luxombourg

THE NETHERLANDS

“God made the world but the Dutch made the Netherlands”– Descartes

Human Environment interaction is very important to this region

The North is bordered by the North Sea.

LAND RECLAMATION

Started over two thousand year ago

Build low mounds surrounded by stone walls to damn off the sea

Romans conquered built more sophisticated dikes

LAND RECLAMATION

The reclaimed land was a called a polder

About 1/3 of the land is below sea level

Many times people will be looking up at ships as they pass by their land on the polder

Dikes and Polders

8 Year Process

Year 1-2 Earth dikes are built around an area of wate rand the water is drained away

Year 3-6 A mat of woven twigs is laid across the land. Planes sow seeds of reeds that grow through the mat.

Year 7 Reeds are burned, and ashes are plowed into the soil.

Year 8 Polder is used for farming and settlement.

Belgium

Belgium is a product of cultural convergence

30 % of people speak French (Walloons)

55% speak Flemish (Dutch or Flemings)

Gained independence from the Netherlands in 1830

Belgium

French was the official language after independence was gained

All government and universities used the official language

Tensions grew between the Walloons and the Flemish

A Plan for Peace

1898 Flemish also became an official language

In Recent years the Belgian Parliament passed new laws to decentralize the government

Power is now held in the 3 regions: Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels

Luxembourg

Luxembourg 990 square miles (smaller than Rhode Island)

1000 years of history Close ties with Germany, France and

Belgium 3 major languages: French, German and

Luxembourgish Has one of the highest standards of living

in Europe Steel and High tech industries drive the

economy