Rhine Estuary

Before reaching the North Sea, the Rhine divides into branches that cross the lowlands of the Netherlands and mingle with the waterways of the Maas. Islands, tidal channels and river mouths make this delta a complex entrance to the interior. In the later Middle Ages, Dordrecht used its staple rights and control over the Maas to become a leading centre of trade in the estuary. Goods also passed through other river towns, among them Rotterdam and Gouda, on their way between the sea and markets farther inland.