The Netherlands is a place.
The Netherlands , ( [ ˈnɛðərləndz ] Nederland [ ˈneːdərˌlɑnt ] ; Nederlân ) also known informally as Holland , is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east , Belgium to the south , and the North Sea to the northwest , sharing maritime borders with Belgium , the United Kingdom , and Germany . The four largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam , Rotterdam , The Hague and Utrecht ( collectively known as G4 ) .