h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I really liked your project on the Netherlands. But there are a few remarks I would like to make.

First of all the creation of polders and dikes did not start in the 19th century but way before that. Somewhere around the year 1000 the Dutch started to use dikes to prevent the sea from flooding the farmland at high tide. Amsterdam was built on stakes called 'heipalen' after the locals had made a dam in the river Amstel. Also the windmills where used to make polders around 1200.

There real breakthrough for the windmills was during the 16th century. The first lake in Noord-Holland to be pumped dry was the Zijpe in 1597 by using a 'molengang', a row of windmills each pumping up the water a few meters to the 'Ringvaart', an invention of a man called 'Leeghwater', a very appropriate name meaning something like 'empty water'. This pumping dry of parts of rivers and lakes was even used during the siege of some cities during the 80 years war against Spain.

The dikes had another purpose in wartime. To stop the enemy from advancing some dikes were 'doorgeprikt' meaning the dikes were partly destroyed. The land in front of the enemy became a lake they couldn't easily cross. This was called the 'Waterlinie'. It was still in use at the start of World War 2 to stop the Germans. It didn't work though as the Germans flew over the water.

With the start of the steam age the windmills were replaced with steam engines. Finally the 'Haarlemmermeer' was pumped dry. It hadn't been possible to do that before the beginning of 1900 because the lake was too big to use windmills.

Second of all, the Dutch won't be offended by people calling the Netherlands Holland. Most don't even know the difference or could care less. They aren't the nationalists this article portrays them to be. Just don't comment on the drugs policy and other typical Dutch things as the political 'Poldermodel'.

Lastly about the three rivers you mentioned as important for the transport sector. The Schelde isn't that important as it runs only through a small part of the country where there is not a lot of industry. It is more important for the Belgians as there biggest harbour, the harbour of Antwerp, lies next to it. For the Dutch it isn't that important, we have even blocked it a few times throughout history to bugger the Spaniards, French or any other country that was occupying Belgium. The third main river is a combination of smaller rivers meandering in the same area as the Rijn/Rhine and Maas.

After all my comments, I would like to say you portrayed the Dutch really well. Especially about the houses and the toilet stuff