Low Countries

This page is about the region in Western Europe. For the economic union, see Benelux.

The Low Countries as seen from space

The Low Countries is a term used to refer to a geographical region, especially during the Middle Ages. This region is around the deltas of the Rhine, the Scheldt and the Meuse (Maas). Today, the Low Countries consists of the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the parts of Lower-Saxony (in Germany) that are in the region. Sometimes, the French Netherlands (Nord-Pas-de-Calais) are included as well.

The Dutch name of the Netherlands is Nederland, which literally means low country. The region was usually referred to as de Nederlanden.

Low Countries Media

• 

  Satellite photo of Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands from NASA

• 

  The Low Countries from 1556 to 1648

• 

  Southern part of the Low Countries with bishopry towns and abbeys ca. 7th century.

• 

  Jan van Eyck, The Arnolfini Portrait, 1434, National Gallery, London

• 

  Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer defending the walls during the Siege of Haarlem (1572–1573)

• 

  Map of Ostend during the siege in 1601