NETHERLANDS, anciently called Belgia, but since denominated Low-Countries or Netherlands from their low situation, are situated between 2° and 7° of east longitude, and between 50° and 53° 30' of north latitude; and are bounded by the German sea on the north, Germany on the east, by Lorraine and France on the south, and by another part of France and the British seas on the west; extending near three hundred
miles in length from north to south, and two hundred miles in breadth from east to west. They consist of seventeen provinces; ten of which are called the Austrian and French Netherlands, and the other seven the United Provinces.