The Netherlands is the country that Holland is a region of. Holland is a former province on the western coast of the Netherlands, and it is located in the west of the Netherlands. The name Holland has frequently been used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands, but this usage is not preferred by some Dutch people, particularly those from regions outside Holland or the west. The Netherlands is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it consists of twelve provinces. The Netherlands borders Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south, with a North Sea coastline to the north and west. It also has a border with France on the split island of Saint Martin in the Caribbean.