The Netherlands, a small country that is connected to the sea. The major part of the
country is below sea level.
Dikes and dunes protect our country against flooding. There is more than 250 kilometers of dune, some wide, some narrow, some as high as 50 meters, some just 20 meters high. The dunes where created by the sea some 7000 years ago, but the sea takes away a part each year too. Therefore the government brings up new sand each year for as much as 5 million m3.
Our country depends on the sea water for transportation and providing food.
Recreation on the beach and in the dunes is very popular to the Dutch people and our
tourists.
The sea has been a good and friendly host for the Netherlands, but sometimes the water of
the sea endangered the existence of the population.
In February 1953 the sea reached a level the dunes and dikes couldn't cope, the dunes and
dikes where destroyed and the sea flooded a large part of the lower parts of The
Netherlands. People and animals where killed and lots of houses where destroyed.
After this event the government decided that this shouldn't happen again. They ordered
that all dunes and dikes had to be strong and high enough to cope with this waterlevel.
There where the dikes couldn't be adjusted, there should be taken different measures.
Two of the things they took care of are; the Oosterscheldedam and
the Maeslantkering
Index The sea Oosterscheldedam Maeslantkering Slavery VOC