Abstract
Main coastal characteristics The Netherlands occupy a small low lying country (35000 km) in the Delta of main European rivers, Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt. This has put coastal management always high on the national policy agenda. The coast (ca 330 km long) consists mainly of sandy beaches and dunes and estuaries. There are a few hard parts, where dikes, storm surge barriers and sluices are found (Fig. 1). In the past 6000 years sea level has been rising and flooding and erosion ware prevalent. Dunes were also formed. The present prominent, so called Younger Dunes, date between 1000-1600 AD. Since 1900 to 2000 average sea level rise, based on measurements, measures appr. 18 cm/100 yr. Due to climate change the sea level rise is expected to increase again. Predictions differ from 30-80 cm for the coming 100 year. The coast fulfills a number of important functions for the population of the Netherlands. They are: coastal defense, recreation, nature conservation and drinking water production. Coastal defense has always been primary, but in the course of time other functions gained importance.
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