The Lower Rhine (german: Niederrhein; kilometres 660 to 1,033 of the river
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
) flows from
Bonn,
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
, to the
North Sea
The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian ...
at
Hook of Holland,
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
(including the
Nederrijn or "Nether Rhine" within the
Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta); alternatively, ''Lower Rhine'' may refer to the part upstream of
Pannerdens Kop, excluding the Nederrijn.
Almost immediately after entering the Netherlands, the Rhine splits into numerous branches. The main branch is called the
Waal which flows from
Nijmegen to meet the
Meuse; after which it is called
Merwede. Near
Rotterdam
Rotterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Rotte (river), Rotte'') is the second largest List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the Netherlands. It is in the Prov ...
the river is known as
Nieuwe Maas, and becomes the
Nieuwe Waterweg flowing into the North Sea at Hook of Holland.
The downstream Lower Rhine is a low lying land. Up to the beginning of
industrialization roughly one fifth of the land area could only be used as pasture: an endless meadow, which could not be farmed because of flooding and a high ground-water level. However, the remaining soils of the Lower Rhine were always very fertile. That can also be seen in the farmsteads. The houses are relatively large, with the intention of accommodating a plentiful harvest and many cattle. The Nederrijn refers to the more northern former main branch of the Rhine, which flows past
Arnhem; splits off the
IJssel which flows into the
IJsselmeer and then splits into the
Lek and the
Kromme Rijn at
Wijk bij Duurstede. The Lek flows into the Merwede. The Kromme Rijn continues past
Utrecht, becomes the
Leidse Rijn, then
Oude Rijn and flows into the North Sea at
Katwijk.
There are other minor branches such as the
Vecht,
Hollandse IJssel and the
Noord.
The German term ''Niederrhein'' refers both to the German section of the Lower Rhine as well as to parts of the surrounding
Lower Rhine region
The Lower Rhine region or Niederrhein is a region around the Lower Rhine section of the river Rhine in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany between approximately Oberhausen and Krefeld in the East and the Dutch border around Kleve in the We ...
.
See also
*
Rhineland
*
Nederrijn
*
Low Rhenish
*
Lower Rhine, a
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
department bordering the
Upper Rhine
*
Lower Rhine, a
Prussian province (1815 to 1822) bordering the
Middle Rhine
*Other sections of the Rhine:
**
Middle Rhine
**
Upper Rhine
**
High Rhine
**
Alpine Rhine
{{coord, 51, 58, N, 5, 21, E, display=title, region:NL_type:river_source:GNS-enwiki
Rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia
Rhine, Lower
Rhine
Rivers of Gelderland
Rivers of Utrecht (province)
Rivers of South Holland
Rivers of Overijssel
Rivers of Germany