The Netherlands is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The current borders were formed in 1839.
The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is, however, fallacious. The provinces of North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are two of the country's twelve provinces.
The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world and is popularly known for its windmills, clogs, dikes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies receive international attention, such as those concerning drugs, prostitution and euthanasia. The country is host to the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court at The Hague.