How many islands does the Netherlands have?

There are approximately 4,850 islands in the Netherlands. This includes the Wadden Islands, the Frisian Islands, the Zeeland Islands, and the smaller islands of the Meuse-Rhine-Scheldt Delta. The Netherlands is a low-lying country, with much of its land below sea level. As a result, the country has had to construct many dikes and dams to protect its land from the sea. The islands of the Netherlands are often formed by the accumulation of sediment around these dikes and dams.