My country

The Netherlands is a country located in Northwestern Europe Together with three island territories in the Caribbean it forms the Kingdom the Netherlands The European portion of the Netherlands consists of twelve provinces and borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest. Amsterdam is the country's capital while The Hague holds the seat of the States General, Cabinet and Supreme Court. The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe.

'Netherlands' literally means 'lower countries' referring to its low land and flat geography, with only about 50% of its land exceeding 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) above sea level. With a population of 17.25 million living within a total area of roughly 41,500 square kilometres (16,000 sq mi), of which the land area is 33,700 square kilometres (13,000 sq mi), the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in the world Nevertheless, it is the world's second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products after the United States, owing to its fertile soil, mild climate, and intensive agriculture.

My city

Geldermalsen is a small village in the middle of the Netherlands. It is situated in the middle of the Betuwe, which is the fruit region of the country. In spring the lovely apple, pear and cherry blossom draws a lot of tourist to the region.

The municipality of Geldermalsen has a population of around 10.500. People live in the village or surrounding hamlets.

The town centre of Geldermalsen contains a two-aisled Gothic church dating from the 15th century, with a Romanesque tower dating from the 13th century. The town contains two windmills: De Watermolen, which was built in 1772, and De Bouwing, which was built in 1848.

The idyllic river the Linge runs past the village. Visitors like to take canoe trips on the river.

My school

The Jan Harmenshof is a primary school in the middle of Geldermalsen. The school was founded in 1899. At the moment we have a population of 250 children from 4 to 12.

Because everyone is unique we give personal attention to every child. In our school nobody is left behind. Apart from the regular primary school subjects we also teach our pupils English from the age of four. This enables them to communicate with others without the limitation of a language barrier.