| The Netherlands |
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The Netherlands is a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is situated in Western Europe, bound by the North Sea, Germany and Belgium. Climate The Netherlands has a temperate sea climate, with mild winters and cool summers. Temperatures in the north are slightly lower than in the south. Average annual rainfall is about 790 mm. Language The official national language is Dutch. In the province of Friesland, Friesian is also an official language, alongside Dutch. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages recognises Gronings, Drents, Stellingwerfs, Sallands, Twents, Veluws and Achterhoeks as Low Saxon dialects. Limburgs, spoken in the province of Limburg, enjoys similar recognition. |