When people think of the Netherlands, a low lying country with numerous dams, tulips and clogs come to mind. At the upcoming Wold Expo in Shanghai, the country will demonstrate that it has far more to offer.

 

The Dutch pavilion is called "Happy Street". It's an entire street in the shape of the number eight - an auspicious number in Chinese culture. 26 small houses will be elevated along the the 400-meter long main pedestrian strip. The houses will present exhibitions exploring themes such as energy, water, city space and many other urban issues.

Construction of the "happy street" will be completed by February.

In the meantime, the Dutch port city of Rotterdam will be represented at the Urban Best Practices Area, with a focus on water and delta technology. The Netherlands is world famous for building on pile foundations.

Around 40 percent of the country lies below sea level. The country hopes visitors can get a personal experience of what its like living below sea level. It also wants to share its experience in the management of water resources.

It's estimated that 55 percent of the world's population will be living in cities this year. With the theme "better city, better life," expo organizers have challenged participants to generate ideas for liveable cities for the 21st century. The Netherlands has much to offer in this regard. The Dutch pavilion promotes sustainability, the environment, and corporate social responsibility. Its pavilion will highlight the innovative ways in which Holland deals with urban space, energy and water.

Dutch organizers hope their pavilion will be one of the top 10 at the Expo site, and are aiming to attract 5 to 10 percent of the 70 million visitors expected to visit the Expo. That works out to a goal of about 24 hundred visitors walking down Happy Street per hour.