Countries that border on the North Sea are: United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Water paths that drain into the North Sea are: Kattegat (which drains the Baltic Sea), ... (at Bremerhaven), Humber? at Hull, Rhine, Meuse, Schelde?, Thames, ...
Until the First World War the sea was named the German Ocean. However widespread anti-German feelings in Britain at that time led to the adoption of its modern name.
well...someone fill in the blanks?