What is "low countries"

Low \Low\ (l[=o]), a. [Compar. Lower (l[=o]"[~e]r); superl. Lowest.] [OE. low, louh, lah, Icel. l[=a]gr; akin to Sw. l[*a]g, Dan. lav, D. laag, and E. lie. See Lie to be prostrate.]

1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as, low ground; a low flight.

2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature; a low fence.

3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in winter, and six in summer.

4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide.

5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of corn; low wages.

6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.

7. (Mus.) Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low pitch; a low note.

8. (Phon.) Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate; as, [a^] ([a^]m), 5, 10, 11.

9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the low northern latitudes.

10. Numerically small; as, a low number.

11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as, low spirits; low in spirits.

12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low condition; the lower classes.

    Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ?
    --Milton.

13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low mind; a low trick or stratagem.

14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted in thought or diction; as, a low comparison.

    In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull.
    --Felton.

15. Submissive; humble. ``Low reverence.''
    --Milton.

16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse; made low by sickness.

17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a low temperature; a low fever.

18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate.

19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a low diet. Note: Low is often used in the formation of compounds which require no special explanation; as, low-arched, low-browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like. Low Church. See High Church, under High. Low Countries, the Netherlands. Low German, Low Latin, etc. See under German, Latin, etc. Low life, humble life. Low milling, a process of making flour from grain by a single grinding and by siftings. Low relief. See Bas-relief. Low side window (Arch.), a peculiar form of window common in medi[ae]val churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line of the windows, and in many different situations in the building. Low spirits, despondency. Low steam, steam having a low pressure. Low steel, steel which contains only a small proportion of carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling. Low Sunday, the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so called. Low tide, the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its lowest point; low water. Low water.

    1. The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the in a river, lake, etc.

    2. (Steam Boiler) The condition of an insufficient quantity of water in the boiler.

       Low water alarm or Low water indicator (Steam Boiler), a contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low.

       Low water mark, that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest.
       --Bouvier.

       Low wine, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; -- often in the plural.

The Low Countries (, ) is a coastal region in western Europe, consisting especially of the Netherlands and Belgium, and the low-lying delta of the Rhine, Meuse, Scheldt, and Ems rivers where much of the land is at or below sea level. This wide area of Western Europe roughly stretches from French Gravelines and Dunkirk at its southwestern point, to the area of Dutch Delfzijl and German Eastern Frisia at its northeastern point, and to Luxembourg and French Thionville in the southeast.

Most of the Low Countries are coastal regions bounded by the North Sea or the English Channel. The countries without access to the sea have linked themselves politically and economically to those with access to form one union of port and hinterland.

The Low Countries were the scene of the early northern towns, newly built rather than developed from ancient centres, that marked the reawakening of Europe in the 12th century. In that period, they rivaled northern Italy for the most densely populated region of Europe. Most of the cities were governed by guilds and councils along with a figurehead ruler; interaction with their ruler was regulated by a strict set of rules describing what the latter could and could not expect from them. All of the regions mainly depended on trade, manufacturing and the encouragement of the free flow of goods and craftsmen.

Germanic languages such as Dutch and Luxembourgish were the predominant languages, although Romance languages also played an important role. Secondary languages included French ( Luxembourg, Brabant around Nivelles), Romance-speaking Belgium (cf. the Bishopric of Liège), the Romance Flanders (i.e. Cambrai, Lille, Tournai), and Namur ( Walloon).