The marshy, inaccessible delta region at the lower reaches of the Rhine and Meuse grew from the 11th century to become one of the most highly urbanized areas of Europe. Dikes, dams, pumps and canals protected, united and divided the population - even today. Hydraulic engineering, urban planning and nation-building are inextricably linked in the Netherlands. In The State of the Delta Han Meyer examines the origins and success of this connection. A central role is played by the major hydraulic and urban planning projects of the twentieth century that permanently changed the Netherlands. From there, Meyer looks for possibilities for the future. The national government no longer has a monopoly on the spatial planning of the country, while climate change and the growing concentration of population and capital in the West necessitate a radical update of the water safety system. What will these changes mean for city, state and delta?