The State of the Delta : Engineering, urban development and nation building

To what extent can the Dutch experience serve as a model for other urbanised delta areas? Since the 11th century, an inaccessible marshy delta in the lower reaches of the River Rhine and the River Maas has developed into one of the most urbanised parts of Europe. Dykes, dams canals and pumps have protected an united but also divided, the Dutch people - right up to the present day. In the Netherlands, there is an inextricable link between hydraulic engineering, urban design and nation building.