How did the canals and navigable waterways of Netherlands and Belgium...?

Question

contributed to the countries' prosperity?

I just need an explanation from these phrases:

"The great rivers Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt, with their many tributaries, supplemented by canals, form navigable waterways which have contributed so much to the prosperity of these countries."

"The fertile land and the great navigable rivers created and maintained a number of Medieval states and prosperous cities, dependent culturally on either France or Germany."

is it pertaining to trading, etc? I don't know exactly what it is talking about.

thanks.

I'm talking about Gothic architecture on Belgium and Netherlands.

Answer 1

Before railways, water transport by rivers and canals was a very efficient method of moving heavy cargo.

But I think the point of the passage you quote is that the canals linked rivers so that cargo could be transported in the one vessel rather than requiring transshipment and land transport between the existing rivers.