Seven Wonders of the Modern World

By Matt Rosenberg, About.com Guide

Nearly one-third of the Netherlands lies below sea level. Despite being a coastal nation, the Netherlands has created new land from the North Sea through the use of dikes and other barriers to the ocean. From 1927 to 1932, a 19 mile-long dike called Afsluitdijk (the Closing Dike) was built, turning the Zuiderzee sea into the IJsselmeer, a freshwater lake. Further protective dikes and works were built, reclaiming the land of the IJsselmeer. The new land led to the creation of a the new province of Flevoland from what had been sea and water for centuries. Collectively this incredible project is known as the Netherlands North Sea Protection Works.

For more information, see the article about the Netherlands North Sea Protection Works here on my Geography GuideSite.

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• Seven Wonders of the Modern World - Channel Tunnel
• CN Tower
• Empire State Building
• Golden Gate Bridge
• Itaipu Dam
• Netherlands North Sea Protection Works
• The Panama Canal

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