The Netherlands is famous for turning water into land. For centuries, much of the country faced constant flooding from the sea and rivers, so the Dutch learned to work with water rather than fight it. Through land reclamation, they created new land where water once stood. Early reclamation relied on windmills to pump water out of low-lying areas called polders. Dikes were built to keep water out, and canals carried excess water away. Once drained, the land could be used for farming, towns, and r

Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (UNESCO/NHK)