The Netherlands, whose official name is the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also called Holland, is a state located in Western Europe and includes several islands in the Caribbean known as the Caribbean Netherlands. In Western Europe, the Netherlands is washed by the North Sea (their coastline is 451 kilometers long) and has land borders with Germany (577 kilometers) and Belgium (450 kilometers).
The Kingdom of the Netherlands also includes special state entities such as Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, each of which has its own autonomy. Relations between these members of the kingdom are governed by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which was adopted in 1954.
The national flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolor stripe of red, white and blue. The coat of arms of the country is a blue shield topped with a golden crown, with two heraldic lions on the sides. The shield depicts a crowned lion holding a sword. Under the shield is the royal motto: “Je maintiendrai” (“I will stand”). The country’s anthem is called “Vilhelmus” (“Song of William”), and the national holiday is celebrated on April 27 as King’s Day.
