east of the country, and also to its flattish landscape with mostly fertile soils. The highest point is less than 130m above sea level, so it is a county of gentle slopes and slow flowing rivers - and all the land is cultivatable, even though not all the soils are equally fertile
(see Land Use ).
Facing Europe is good for trade, of course, but it has been a problem for defence at times. Felixstowe, the country's largest container port, is the first European landing point for many inter-continental cargo ships, and sometimes the only one. Containers are forwarded to other destinations in mainland Europe.
Felixstowe was also, however, the site of the last landing of enemy troops in England. In 1667, a thousand Dutch soldiers and sailors had to be beaten off by the local militia, based at Landguard Fort.
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