Netherlands

TheNetherlands,informallyHolland, is a country inNorthwestern Europe, withoverseas territoriesin theCaribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of theKingdom of the Netherlands.The Netherlands consists oftwelve provinces; it bordersGermanyto the east andBelgiumto the south, with aNorth Seacoastline to the north and west. It sharesmaritime borderswith theUnited Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium.The official language isDutch, withWest Frisianas a secondary official language in the province ofFriesland.Dutch,English, andPapiamentoare official in theCaribbean territories.
Netherlandsliterally means "lower countries" in reference to its low elevation and flat topography, with 26% belowsea level.Most of the areas below sea level, known aspolders, are the result ofland reclamation that began in the 14th century.In theRepublican period, which began in 1588, the Netherlands entered a unique era of political, economic, and cultural greatness, ranked among the most powerful and influential in Europe and the world; this period is known as theDutch Golden Age.During this time, its trading companies, theDutch East India Companyand theDutch West India Company,established colonies and trading postsall over the world.
With a population of over 18 million people, all living within a total area of 41,850 km(16,160 sq mi)—of which the land area is 33,500 km(12,900 sq mi)—the Netherlands is the33rd most densely populatedcountry, with a density of 535 people per square kilometre (1,390 people/sq mi). Nevertheless, it is the world's second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products by value, owing to itsfertile soil, mild climate,intensive agriculture, andinventiveness.The four largest cities in the Netherlands areAmsterdam,Rotterdam,The HagueandUtrecht.Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and the nominalcapital, though the primary national political institutions are located in the Hague.
The Netherlands has been a parliamentaryconstitutional monarchywith aunitary structuresince 1848. The country has a tradition ofpillarisation(separation of citizens into groups by religion and political beliefs) and a long record ofsocial tolerance, having legalisedprostitutionandeuthanasia, along with maintaininga liberal drug policy. The Netherlands allowedwomen's suffragein 1919 and was the first country to legalisesame-sex marriagein 2001.Itsmixed-marketadvanced economyhas theeleventh-highestper capita income globally. The Hague holds the seat of theStates General,Cabinet, andSupreme Court.ThePort of Rotterdamis thebusiest in Europe.Schipholis thebusiest airport in the Netherlands, and thefourth busiest in Europe. Being adeveloped country, the Netherlands is a founding member of theEuropean Union,eurozone,G10,NATO,OECD, andWTO, as well as a part of theSchengen Areaand the trilateralBeneluxUnion. It hostsintergovernmental organisationsandinternational courts, many of which are in The Hague.
The countries that comprise the region called theLow Countries(Netherlands,Belgium, andLuxembourg) all have comparatively the sametoponymy. Place names withNeder,Nieder,Nedre,Nether,Lage(r)orLow(er)(inGermanic languages) andBasorInferior(inRomance languages) are in use in low-lying places all over Europe. TheRomansmade a distinction between the Roman provinces of downstreamGermania Inferior(nowadays part of Belgium and the Netherlands) and upstreamGermania Superior. Thus, in the case of the Low Countries and the Netherlands, the geographical location of thislowerregion is more or less downstream and near the sea, compared to that of the upper region of Germania Superior. The designation 'Low' returned in the 10th-century Duchy ofLower Lorraine, which covered much of the Low Countries.
TheDukes of Burgundyused the termles pays de par deçà("the lands over here") for the Low Countries.UnderHabsburg rule, this becamepays d'embas("lands down-here").This was translated asNeder-landenin contemporary Dutch official documents.From a regional point of view,Niderlantwas also the area between theMeuseand the lowerRhinein the late Middle Ages. From the mid-sixteenth century, the "Low Countries" and the "Netherlands" lost their originaldeictic meaning.
In mostRomance languages, the term "Low Countries" is officially used as the name for the Netherlands.
The termHollandhas frequently been usedinformallytorefer to the wholeof the modern country of the Netherlands in various languages,includingDutchand English. In some languages, Holland is used as the formal name for the Netherlands. However, Holland is a region within the Netherlands that consists of the two provinces ofNorthandSouth Holland. Formerly these were a single province, and earlier theCounty of Holland, which included parts of present-dayUtrecht. The emphasis on Holland during the formation of theDutch Republic, theEighty Years' War, and theAnglo-Dutch Warsin the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, made Holland apars pro totofor the entire country.
Many Dutch people object to the country being referred to asHollandinstead ofthe Netherlands, on much the same grounds as manyWelshorScottishpeople object to the United Kingdom being referred to as England.In particular, those from regions other than Holland find it undesirable or misrepresentative to use the term Holland for the whole country,as theHollandregion only comprises two of the twelve provinces, and 38% of Dutch citizens. As of 2019, the Dutch government officially has preferredthe Netherlandsinstead ofHollandwhen talking about the country.
OftenHollandorHollandersis used by theFlemishto refer to the Dutch in the Netherlands,and by the Southern Dutch (Dutch living "below the great rivers", a natural cultural, social andreligiousboundary formed by the riversRhineandMeuse) to refer to the Northern Dutch (Dutch living North of these rivers).In the Southern province of Limburg, the term is used for the Dutch from the other 11 provinces.The use of the term in this context by the Southern Dutch is in aderogatoryfashion.
Dutchis used as the adjective for the Netherlands, as well as thedemonym. The origins of the word go back to Proto-Germanic*þiudiskaz,LatinisedintoTheodiscus, meaning "popular" or "of the people", akin toOld DutchDietschor Old Englishþeodisc, meaning "(of) the common (Germanic) people".At first, the English language usedDutchto refer to any or all speakers ofWest Germanic languages. Gradually its meaning shifted to the West Germanic people they had the most contact with.
The oldest human (Neanderthal) traces in the Netherlands, believed to be about 250,000 years old, were found nearMaastricht.At the end of theIce Age, thenomadiclateUpper PalaeolithicHamburg culture(13,000–10,000 BC) huntedreindeerin the area, using spears. The laterAhrensburg culture(11,200–9,500 BC) usedbow and arrow. FromMesolithicMaglemosian-like tribes(c. 8000 BC), the world'soldest canoewas found inDrenthe.
Indigenous late Mesolithichunter-gatherersfrom theSwifterbant culture(c. 5600 BC), related to the southern ScandinavianErtebølle culture, were strongly linked to rivers and open water.Between 4800 and 4500 BC, the Swifterbant people started to adopt from the neighbouringLinear Pottery culturethe practice ofanimal husbandry, and between 4300 and 4000 BC agriculture.TheFunnelbeaker culture(4300–2800 BC) erected thedolmens, large stone grave monuments found inDrenthe. There was a quick transition from the Funnelbeakerfarming cultureto the pan-EuropeanCorded Warepastoralistculture (c. 2950 BC). In the southwest, theSeine-Oise-Marne culture—related to theVlaardingen culture(c. 2600 BC)—survived well into theNeolithicperiod, until it too was succeeded by the Corded Ware culture.
The subsequentBell Beaker culture(2700–2100 BC)introduced metalwork in copper, gold and later bronze and opened new international trade routes, reflected incopper artefacts. Finds of rare bronze objects suggest that Drenthe was a trading centre in the Bronze Age (2000–800 BC). The Bell Beaker culture developed locally into the Barbed-Wire Beaker culture (2100–1800 BC) and later theElp culture(1800–800 BC),a Middle Bronze Age culture marked byearthenwarepottery. The southern region became dominated by the relatedHilversum culture(1800–800 BC).
From 800 BC onwards, theIron AgeCelticHallstatt culturebecame influential, replacing theHilversum culture. Iron ore brought a measure of prosperity and was available throughout the country.Smithstravelled from settlement to settlement with bronze and iron, fabricating tools on demand. TheKing's grave of Oss(700 BC) was found in a burial mound, the largest of its kind in Western Europe.
The deteriorating climate in Scandinavia from 850 BC and 650 BC might have triggered the migration ofGermanictribes from the North. By the time this migration was complete, around 250 BC, a few general cultural and linguistic groups had emerged.TheNorth Sea GermanicIngaevonesinhabited the northern part of theLow Countries. They would later develop into theFrisiiand the earlySaxons.TheWeser–Rhine Germanic(orIstvaeones) extended along the middle Rhine andWeserand inhabited the Low Countries south of the great rivers. These tribes would eventually develop into theSalian Franks.TheCelticLa Tène culture(c. 450 BC to the Roman conquest) expanded over a wide range, including the southern area of theLow Countries. Some scholars have speculated that even a third ethnic identity and language, neither Germanic nor Celtic, survived in the Netherlands until the Roman period, theNordwestblockculture.
The first author to describe the coast ofHollandandFlanderswas the geographerPytheas, who noted in c. 325 BC that in these regions, "more people died in the struggle against water than in the struggle against men."During theGallic Wars, the area south and west of theRhinewas conquered byRoman forcesunderJulius Caesarfrom 57 BC to 53 BC.Caesar describes two main Celtic tribes living in what is now the southern Netherlands: theMenapiiand theEburones. UnderAugustus, theRoman Empirewould conquer the entirety of the modern day Netherlands, incorporating it into the province ofGermania Antiquain 7 BC, but would be repelled back across the Rhine after theBattle of Teutoburg Forestin 9 AD, with the Rhine becoming fixed as Rome's permanent northern frontier around 12 AD. Notable towns would arise along theLimes Germanicus:NijmegenandVoorburg. In the first part ofGallia Belgica, the area south of the Limes became part of theRoman provinceofGermania Inferior. The area to the north of the Rhine, inhabited by the Frisii, remained outside Roman rule, while the Germanic border tribes of theBataviandCananefatesserved in theRoman cavalry.The Batavi rose against the Romans in theBatavian rebellionof 69 AD but were eventually defeated. The Batavi later merged with other tribes into the confederation of the Salian Franks, whose identity emerged in the first half of the third century.Salian Franks appear in Roman texts as both allies and enemies. They were forced by the confederation of the Saxons from the east to move over the Rhine into Roman territory in the fourth century. From their new base inWest Flandersand the Southwest Netherlands, they were raiding theEnglish Channel. Roman forces pacified the region but did not expel the Franks, who continued to be feared at least until the time ofJulian the Apostate(358) when Salian Franks were allowed to settle asfoederatiinTexandria.
After theRomangovernment in the area collapsed in roughly the year 406,the Franks expanded their territories into numerous kingdoms. By the 490s,Clovis Ihad conquered and united all these territories in the southern Netherlands in oneFrankish kingdom, and from there continued his conquests intoGaul. During this expansion, Franks migrating to the south (modern territory of France and Walloon part of Belgium) eventually adopted theVulgar Latinof the local population.A widening cultural divide grew with the Franks remaining in their original homeland in the north (i.e. the southern Netherlands and Flanders), who kept on speakingOld Frankish, which by the ninth century had evolved into Old Low Franconian or Old Dutch.A Dutch-French language boundary hence came into existence.
To the north of the Franks, climatic conditions improved, and during theMigration PeriodSaxons, the closely relatedAngles,Jutes, andFrisiisettled the coast.Many moved on to England and came to be known asAnglo-Saxons, but those who stayed would be referred to asFrisiansand their language asFrisian.Frisian was spoken along the entire southern North Sea coast. By the seventh century, aFrisian Kingdom(650–734) under KingAldegiseland KingRedbademerged withTraiectum(Utrecht) as its centre of power,whileDorestadwas a flourishing trading place.Between 600 and around 719 the cities were often fought over between the Frisians and the Franks. In 734, at theBattle of the Boarn, the Frisians were defeated after aseries of wars. With the approval of the Franks, theAnglo-SaxonmissionaryWillibrordconverted the Frisian people to Christianity and established theArchdiocese of Utrecht. However, his successorBonifacewas murdered by the Frisians in 754.
The FrankishCarolingian empirecontrolled much of Western Europe. In 843, it was divided into three parts—East,Middle, andWest Francia. Most of present-day Netherlands became part of Middle Francia, which was a weak kingdom and subject to numerous partitions and annexation attempts by its stronger neighbours. It comprised territories fromFrisiain the north to theKingdom of Italyin the south. Around 850,Lothair Iof Middle Francia acknowledged the VikingRorik of Dorestadas ruler of most of Frisia. When the kingdom of Middle Francia was partitioned in 855, the lands north of theAlpspassed toLothair IIand subsequently were namedLotharingia. After he died in 869, Lotharingia was partitioned, intoUpperandLower Lotharingia, the latter comprising the Low Countries that became part ofEast Franciain 870. Around 879, another Viking expedition led byGodfrid, Duke of Frisia, raided the Frisian lands. Resistance to the Vikings, if any, came from local nobles, who gained in stature as a result, and that laid the basis for the disintegration of Lower Lotharingia into semi-independent states. One of these local nobles wasGerolf of Holland, who assumed lordship in Frisia, and Viking rule came to an end.
TheHoly Roman Empireruled much of the Low Countries in the 10th and 11th century but was not able to maintain political unity. Powerful local nobles turned their cities, counties and duchies into private kingdoms that felt little sense of obligation to the emperor.Holland,Hainaut,Flanders,Gelre,Brabant, andUtrechtwere in a state of almost continual war or paradoxically formed personal unions. As Frankish settlement progressed from Flanders and Brabant, the area quickly became Old Low Franconian (or Old Dutch).
Around 1000 AD, due to several agricultural developments, the economy started to develop at a fast pace, and the higher productivity allowed workers to farm more land or become tradesmen. Towns grew aroundmonasteriesandcastles, and a mercantile middle class began to develop in these urban areas, especially in Flanders, and later Brabant. Wealthy cities started to buy certainprivilegesfor themselves from the sovereign.
Around 1100 AD, farmers fromFlandersandUtrechtbegan draining and cultivating uninhabited swampy land in the western Netherlands, making the emergence of the County of Holland as the centre of power possible. The title ofCount of Hollandwas fought over in theHook and Cod Warsbetween 1350 and 1490. The Cod faction consisted of the more progressive cities, while the Hook faction consisted of the conservative noblemen. These noblemen invited DukePhilip the Goodof Burgundy to conquer Holland.
Most of theImperialandFrenchfiefs in what is now the Netherlands and Belgium were united in apersonal unionby Philip the Good in 1433. TheHouse of Valois-Burgundyand theirHabsburgheirs would rule the Low Countries from 1384 to 1581. The new rulers defended Dutch trading interests. The fleets of theCounty of Hollanddefeated the fleets of theHanseatic Leagueseveral times.Amsterdamgrew and in the 15th century became the primary trading port in Europe for grain from theBaltic region. Amsterdam distributed grain to the major cities of Belgium, Northern France and England. This trade was vital because Holland could no longer produce enough grain to feed itself. Land drainage had caused thepeatof the formerwetlandsto reduce to a level that was too low for drainage to be maintained.
Under HabsburgCharles V, all fiefs in the current Netherlands region were united into theSeventeen Provinces, which included most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of France and Germany. In 1568, under Phillip II, theEighty Years' Warbetween the Provinces and theirSpanishruler began. The level of ferocity exhibited by both sides can be gleaned from a Dutch chronicler's report:
TheDuke of Albaattempted to suppress the Protestant movement in the Netherlands. Netherlanders were "burned, strangled, beheaded, or buried alive" by his "Blood Council" and Spanish soldiers. Bodies were displayed along roads to terrorise the population into submission. Alba boasted of having executed 18,600;this figure does not include those who perished by war and famine.
The first great siege was Alba's effort to captureHaarlemand thereby cut Holland in half. It dragged on from December 1572 to the next summer, when Haarlemers finally surrendered on 13 July upon the promise that the city would be spared from being sacked. It was a stipulationDon Fadriquewas unable to honour, when his soldiers mutinied, angered over pay owed and the miserable conditions of the campaign.On 4 November 1576, SpanishterciosseizedAntwerpand subjected it to the worst pillage in the Netherlands' history. The citizens resisted but were overcome; seven thousand were killed and a thousand buildings were torched.
Following thesack of Antwerp, delegates from Catholic Brabant, Protestant Holland and Zeeland agreed to join Utrecht andWilliam the Silentin driving out Spanish troops and forming a new government for the Netherlands.Don Juan of Austria, the new Spanish governor, was forced to concede initially, but within months returned to active hostilities. The Dutch looked for help from the ProtestantElizabeth Iof England, but she initially stood by her commitments to the Spanish in theTreaty of Bristolof 1574. When the next large-scale battle occurred atGemblouxin 1578, the Spanish forces won easily.In light of thedefeat at Gembloux, the southern states of the Seventeen Provinces distanced themselves from the rebels in the north with the 1579Union of Arras. Opposing them, the northern half of the Seventeen Provinces forged theUnion of Utrechtin which they committed to support each other against the Spanish.The Union of Utrecht is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands.
Spanish troops sackedMaastrichtin 1579, killing over 10,000 civilians.In 1581, the northern provinces adopted theAct of Abjuration, the declaration of independence in which the provinces officially deposed Philip II.Against the rebels Philip could draw on the resources of theSpanish Empire. Elizabeth I sympathised with the Dutch struggle and sent an army of 7,600 soldiers to aid them.English forces faced the Spanish in the Netherlands under theDuke of Parmain a series of largely indecisive actions that tied down significant numbers of Spanish troops and bought time for the Dutch to reorganise their defences.The war continued until 1648, when Spain under KingPhilip IVrecognised the independence of the seven north-western provinces in thePeace of Münster.Parts of the southern provinces becamede factocolonies of the new republican-mercantile empire.
Following the declaration of independence, the provinces ofHolland,Zeeland,Groningen,Friesland,Utrecht,Overijssel, andGelderlandentered into aconfederation. All these duchies, lordships and counties enjoyed a significant degree of autonomy and was governed by its own administrative body known as theStates-Provincial. The confederal government, known as theStates General, was headquartered inThe Hagueand comprised representatives from each of the seven provinces. The sparsely populated region ofDrenthewas part of the republic, albeit not considered a province in its own right. Moreover, during theEighty Years' War, the Republic came to occupy a number ofGenerality Landslocated inFlanders,BrabantandLimburg. These areas were primarily inhabited by Roman Catholics and lacked a distinct governmental structure of their own. They were utilized as a buffer zone between the Republic and the Spanish-controlledSouthern Netherlands.
In theDutch Golden Age, spanning much of the 17th century, theDutch Empiregrew to become one of the major seafaring and economic powers. Science, military and art (especiallypainting) were among the most acclaimed in the world. By 1650, the Dutch owned 16,000 merchant ships.TheDutch East India Companyand theDutch West India Companyestablishedcoloniesandtrading postsall over the world. TheDutch settlement in North Americabegan with the founding ofNew Amsterdamin 1614. In South Africa, the Dutch settled theCape Colonyin 1652.Dutch colonies in South Americawere established along the many rivers in the fertileGuyanaplains, among themColony of Surinam(nowSuriname). In Asia, the Dutch established a presence inIndia, theDutch East Indies(nowIndonesia),Formosa(nowTaiwan), and the only western trading post in Japan,Dejima.During the period ofProto-industrialisation, the empire received 50% of textiles and 80% of silks import from the India'sMughal Empire.
Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly capitalist country. In early modern Europe, it had the wealthiest trading city inAmsterdam, and the first full-timestock exchange. The inventiveness of the traders led to insurance and retirement funds as well as phenomena such as theboom-bust cycle, the world's firstasset-inflation bubble, thetulip maniaof 1636–1637, and the world's firstbear raider,Isaac le Maire.In 1672 – known in Dutch history as theRampjaar(Disaster Year) – the Dutch Republic was attacked by France, England and three German Bishoprics simultaneously, in what would become known as theFranco-Dutch War.At sea, it could successfully prevent the English and French navies from blockading the western shores. On land, however, it was almost taken over by the advancing French and German armies from the east. It managed to turn the tide byinundating parts of Holland.
From 1672 to 1712, the Republic, led byWilliam III of OrangeandAnthonie Heinsiuswould regularly clash with France in what some historians have come to call theForty Years' War. In theNine Years' Warand theWar of the Spanish Succession, the Republic was at the centre of anti-French coalitions. The Dutch ultimately successfully defended theSpanish Netherlands, established abarrierthere, and their troops proved central to the alliance which halted French territorial expansion in Europe until a new cycle began in 1792 with theFrench Revolutionary Wars.However, the wars left them effectively bankrupt, and inflicted permanent damage on the Dutch merchant navy; while they remained the dominant economic power in the Far East, Britain took over as the pre-eminent global commercial and maritime power.Between 1590 and 1713, the United Provinces consistently possessed one of Europe's largest and most capable armies. However, following theconclusion of the War of the Spanish Succession, other major powers such as Prussia, Austria, Britain, and Russia significantly expanded their military forces. The Republic struggled to match these developments, and gradually assumed the status of a mid-tier power. However, historians have sometimes overstated the extent of this decline, especially when considering the period up to the 1750s.
In the 18th century the Dutch Republic had seen a state of a general decline, with economic competition from England and long-standing rivalries between the two main factions in Dutch society, the republicanStaatsgezindenand the supporters of thestadtholderthePrinsgezindenas main political factions.With the armed support ofrevolutionary France,Dutch republicansproclaimed theBatavian Republic, modelled after theFrench Republicand rendering the Netherlands aunitary stateon 19 January 1795. The stadtholderWilliam V of Orangehad fled to England. From 1806 to 1810, theKingdom of Hollandwas set up byNapoleon Bonaparteas a puppet kingdom governed by his brotherLouis Bonaparte. However, King Louis Bonaparte tried to serve Dutch interests instead of his brother's, and he was forced to abdicate on 1 July 1810. The Emperor sent in an army and the Netherlandsbecame part of the French Empireuntil November 1813, when Napoleon was defeated in theBattle of Leipzig.
William Frederick, son of the last stadtholder, returned to the Netherlands in 1813 and proclaimed himselfSovereign Prince. Two years later, theCongress of Viennaadded the southern Netherlands to the north to create a strong country on the northern border of France. William Frederick raised thisUnited Netherlandsto the status of a kingdom and proclaimed himself asKing William Iin 1815.William became hereditaryGrand Duke of Luxembourgin exchange for his German possessions. However, the Southern Netherlands had been culturally separate from the north since 1581, andrebelled. The south gained independence in 1830 as Belgium (recognised by the Northern Netherlands in 1839 as the Kingdom of the Netherlands was created by decree), while thepersonal unionbetween Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in 1890, whenWilliam IIIdied with no surviving male heirs.Ascendancy lawsprevented his daughterQueen Wilhelminafrom becoming the next Grand Duchess.
The Belgian Revolution and theJava Warin the Dutch East Indies brought the Netherlands to the brink of bankruptcy. However, theCultivation Systemwas introduced in 1830; in the Dutch East Indies, 20% of village land had to be devoted to government crops for export. The policy brought the Dutch enormous wealth and made the colony self-sufficient.The Netherlands abolished slavery in its colonies in 1863.Enslaved people inSurinamewould be fully free only in 1873.
The Netherlands remained neutral during World War I, in part because the import of goods through the Netherlands proved essential to German survival until the blockade by the BritishRoyal Navyin 1916.That changed in World War II, whenGermany invaded the Netherlandson 10 May 1940. TheRotterdam Blitzforced most of the Dutch army to surrender. During the occupation, over 100,000Dutch Jewswere transported to Naziextermination camps; only a few survived. Dutch workers were conscripted for forced labour in Germany,civilians who resistedwere killed in reprisal for attacks on German soldiers, and the countryside was plundered for food. Although there were thousands of Dutch who risked their lives by hiding Jews from the Germans, over 20,000 Dutch fascistsjoined the Waffen SS.Politicalcollaboratorswere members of the fascistNSB, the only legal political party in the occupied Netherlands. On 8 December 1941, theDutch government-in-exilein London declared war on Japan,but could not prevent theJapanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies.In 1944–45, theFirst Canadian Armyliberated much of the Netherlands.Soon afterVE Day, the Dutch fought acolonial war against the new Republic of Indonesia.
In 1954, theCharter for the Kingdom of the Netherlandsreformed the political structure as a result of international pressure to carry outdecolonisation. The Dutch colonies ofSurinamandCuraçao and Dependenciesand the European country all became countries within the Kingdom, on a basis of equality. Indonesia had declared its independence in August 1945.Surinamefollowed in 1975. The Netherlands was one of the founding members ofBeneluxandNATO.In the 1950s, the Netherlands became one of the six founding countries of theEuropean Communities, following the 1952 establishment of theEuropean Coal and Steel Community, and subsequent 1958 creations of theEuropean Economic CommunityandEuropean Atomic Energy Community.In 1993, the former two were incorporated into theEuropean Union.
Government-encouraged emigration efforts to reduce population density prompted some 500,000Dutchto leave the country after the war.The 1960s and 1970s were a time of great social and cultural change, such as rapid de-pillarisation. Students and other youth rejected traditional mores and pushed for change in matters such aswomen's rights,sexuality,disarmamentandenvironmental issues. In 2002 theeurowas introduced asfiat money, and in 2010 theNetherlands Antilleswasdissolved. Referendums were held on each island. As a result,Bonaire,Sint EustatiusandSaba(the BES islands) were incorporated asspecial municipalitiesupon the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles. The special municipalities are collectively known as theCaribbean Netherlands.
The European Netherlands has a total area of 41,543 km(16,040 sq mi), including water bodies, and a land area of 33,481 km(12,927 sq mi). TheCaribbean Netherlandshas a total area of 328 km(127 sq mi)It lies between latitudes50°and54° N, and longitudes3°and8° E.
The Netherlands is geographically very low relative to sea level and is considered a flat country, with about 26% of its areaand 21% of its populationbelow sea level. The European part of the country is for the most part flat, with the exception offoothillsin the far southeast, up to a height of no more than 322 m (1,056 ft) at theVaalserberg, and some low hill ranges in the central parts. Most of the areas below sea level are caused bypeatextraction or achieved throughland reclamation. Since the late 16th century, largepolderareas are preserved through elaborate drainage systems that includedikes, canals and pumping stations.
Much of the country was originally formed by theestuariesof three large European rivers: theRhine(Rijn), theMeuse(Maas) and theScheldt(Schelde), as well as theirtributaries. The south-western part of the Netherlands is ariver deltaof these rivers, theRhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta.
The European Netherlands is divided into north and south parts by the Rhine, theWaal, its main tributary branch, and the Meuse. These rivers functioned as a natural barrier betweenfiefdomsand hence historically created a cultural divide, as is evident in some phonetic traits that are recognisable on either side of what the Dutch call their "Great Rivers" (de Grote Rivieren). Another significant branch of the Rhine, theIJsselriver, discharges intoLake IJssel, the formerZuiderzee('southern sea'). Just like the previous, this river forms a linguistic divide: people to the northeast of this river speakDutch Low Saxondialects (except for the province ofFriesland, which has its own language).
The Netherlands is mostly composed ofdeltaic,coastalandaeolianderived sediments during thePleistoceneglacialandinterglacialperiods.
Almost the entire west Netherlands is composed of theRhine-Meuseriverestuary. In the east of the Netherlands, remains are found of thelast ice age, which ended approximately ten thousand years ago. As the continentalice sheetmoved in from the north, it pushedmoraineforward. The ice sheet halted as it covered the eastern half of the Netherlands. After the ice age ended, the moraine remained in the form of a long hill-line. The cities ofArnhemandNijmegenare built on these hills.
Over the centuries, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably as a result of natural disasters and human intervention.
On 14 December 1287,St. Lucia's floodaffected the Netherlands and Germany, killing more than 50,000 people in one of the most destructive floods in recorded history.TheSt. Elizabeth floodof 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimedpolder, replacing it with the 72 km(28 sq mi)Biesboschtidal floodplains. The hugeNorth Sea flood of February 1953caused the collapse of several dikes in the southwest Netherlands; more than 1,800 people drowned. The Dutch government subsequently instituted a large-scale programme, the "Delta Works", to protect the country against future flooding, which was completed over a period of more than 40 years.
The impact of disasters was, to an extent, increased through human activity. Relatively high-lyingswamplandwas drained to be used as farmland. The drainage caused the fertilepeatto contract and ground levels to drop; groundwater levels were lowered to compensate, causing the underlying peat to contract further. Additionally, until the 19th century peat was mined, dried, and used for fuel, further exacerbating the problem. Even in flooded areas, peat extraction continued through turf dredging.
To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were contrived. In the first millenniumAD, villages and farmhouses were built on hills calledterps. Later, these terps were connected by dikes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called"waterschappen"("water boards") or"hoogheemraadschappen"("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain the water level and to protect a region from floods; these agencies continue to exist. As the ground level dropped, the dikes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. By the 13th centurywindmillshad come into use to pump water. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famouspolders.In 1932 theAfsluitdijk("Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the formerZuiderzee(Southern Sea) from the North Sea and thus creating theIJsselmeer(IJsselLake). It became part of the largerZuiderzee Worksin which four polders totalling 2,500 square kilometres (965 sq mi) were reclaimed from the sea.
The Netherlands is one of the countries that may suffer most fromclimate change. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow.
After the1953 disaster, the Delta Works was constructed, which is a comprehensive set of civil works throughout the Dutch coast. The project started in 1958 and was largely completed in 1997 with the completion of theMaeslantkering. Since then, new projects have been periodically started to renovate and renew the Delta Works. The main goal of the Delta project was to reduce the risk of flooding in South Holland and Zeeland. This was achieved by raising 3,000 km (1,900 mi) of outer sea-dikes and 10,000 km (6,200 mi) of the inner, canal, and river dikes, and by closing off the seaestuariesof Zeeland. New risk assessments occasionally show problems requiring additional Delta project dike reinforcements. The Delta project is considered by theAmerican Society of Civil Engineersas one of theseven wonders of the modern world.
It is anticipated thatglobal warmingwill result in a rise in sea level. The Netherlands is actively preparing for a sea-level rise. A politically neutral Delta Commission has formulated an action plan to cope with a sea-level rise of 1.10 m (4 ft) and a simultaneous land height decline of 10 cm (4 in). The plan encompasses the reinforcement of existing coastal defences likedikesandduneswith 1.30 m (4.3 ft) of additional flood protection. Climate change will not only threaten the Netherlands from the coast, but could also alter rainfall patterns and river run-off. To protect the country from river flooding, another programme is already being executed. TheRoom for the River plangrants more flow space to rivers, protects the major populated areas and allows for periodic flooding of indefensible lands. The few residents who lived in these so-called "overflow areas" have been moved to higher ground, with some of that ground having been raised above anticipated flood levels.
The Netherlands is already affected byclimate change. The average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2 °C from 1901 to 2020.Climate change has resulted in increased frequency of droughts and heatwaves. Because significant portions of the Netherlands have beenreclaimed from the seaor otherwise are very near sea level, the Netherlands is very vulnerable tosea level rise.
The Netherlands has the fourth largestgreenhouse gas emissions per capitaof the European Union,in part due to the large number of cows.The Dutch government has set goals to lower emissions in the next few decades. The Dutch response to climate change is driven by a number of unique factors, including largergreen recoveryplans by the European Union in the face of theCOVID-19and aclimate change litigationcase,State of the Netherlands v. Urgenda Foundation, which created mandatoryclimate change mitigationthrough emissions reductions 25% below 1990 levels.In 2021CO2emissionswere down 14% compared to 1990 levels.The goal of the Dutch government is to reduce emissions in 2030 by 49%.
The Netherlands has 21 national parksand hundreds of other nature reserves. Most of these are owned byStaatsbosbeheer, the national department forforestryandnature conservationandNatuurmonumenten, a private organisation that buys, protects and manages nature reserves.TheWadden Seain the north, with itstidal flatsandwetlands, is rich inbiological diversity, and is aUNESCO World Heritage Nature Site.TheEastern Scheldt, formerly the northeastestuaryof the riverScheldtwas designated a national park in 2002, making it the largest national park in the Netherlands at an area of 370 km(140 sq mi).
Phytogeographically, the European Netherlands is shared between the Atlantic European and Central European provinces of theCircumboreal Regionwithin theBoreal Kingdom. According to theWorld Wide Fund for Nature, the European territory of the Netherlands belongs to theecoregionofAtlantic mixed forests.In 1871, the last old original natural woods were cut down.These woods were planted onanthropogenic heathsand sand-drifts (overgrazed heaths) (Veluwe). The Netherlands had a 2019Forest Landscape Integrity Indexmean score of 0.6/10, ranking it 169th globally out of 172 countries.
Nitrogen pollutionis a problem.The number of flying insects in the Netherlands has dropped by 75% since the 1990s.
In theLesser Antillesislands of the Caribbean, the territories ofCuraçao,ArubaandSint Maartenhave a constituent country status within the wider Kingdom of the Netherlands. Another three territories which make up theCaribbean Netherlandsare designated as special municipalities. The Caribbean Netherlands have maritime borders withAnguilla,Curaçao, France (Saint Barthélemy),Saint Kitts and Nevis, theU.S. Virgin IslandsandVenezuela.The islands of the Caribbean Netherlands enjoy a tropicalclimatewith warm weather all year round.
Within this island group:
The Netherlands has been aconstitutional monarchysince 1815 and aparliamentary democracysince 1848. The Netherlands is described as aconsociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by an effort to achieve broad consensus on important issues. The Netherlands was ranked as the 17th best electoral democracy in the world byV-Dem Democracy indicesin 2023and 9th most democratic country in the world by theDemocracy Index (The Economist)in 2022.
Themonarchis thehead of state, at present KingWillem-Alexander of the Netherlands. Constitutionally, the position is equipped with limited powers due to ministerial responsibility.
Theexecutive poweris formed by the government that includes the monarch and theCouncil of Ministers, the deliberative organ of theDutch cabinet. The cabinet usually consists of 13 to 16 ministers and a varying number ofstate secretaries. One to three ministers areministers without portfolio. The council of ministers is presided over by thePrime Minister of the Netherlands, who often is the leader of the largest party of the coalition. The Prime Minister is aprimus inter pares, with no explicit powers beyond those of the other ministers.Dick Schoofhas been Prime Minister since July 2024, succeeding the longest-serving Prime MinisterMark Rutte.
The cabinet isresponsibleto thebicameralparliament, theStates General, which also haslegislative powers. The 150 members of theHouse of Representatives, thelower house, are elected indirect electionson the basis ofparty-list proportional representation. These are held every four years, or sooner in case the cabinet falls. The provincial assemblies, theStates Provincial, are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of theSenate, theupper house, which has the power to reject laws, but not amend them.
Both trade unions andemployers organisationsare consulted in policymaking in the financial, economic and social areas. They meet regularly with the government in theSocial-Economic Council.
The Netherlands has a tradition ofsocial tolerance.In the late 19th century this Dutch tradition of religious tolerance transformed into a system ofpillarisation, in which religious groups coexisted separately and only interacted at the level of government.Protection forLGBTand abortion rights are enshrined within the Netherlands' foreign aid policy.
No single party has held a majority in parliament since the 19th century, and as a result,coalition cabinetshad to be formed. Since suffrage became universalin 1917, the Dutch political system has been dominated by three families of political parties:Christian Democrats(currently theCDA),Social Democrats(currently thePvdA), andLiberals(currently theVVD). In November 2023, the right-wing populistParty for FreedomofGeert Wilderswas the winner ofa general election, securing 37 out of 150 seats.A cabinetwas inaugurated in July 2024, andDick SchoofsucceededMark Rutteasprime minister.
The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces, each under aKing's Commissioner. All provinces are divided intomunicipalities(gemeenten), of which there are 342 (2023).
The country is subdivided into 21 water districts, governed by awater board(waterschaporhoogheemraadschap), each having authority in matters concerning water management.The creation of water boards pre-dates that of the nation itself, the first appearing in 1196. The Dutch water boards are among the oldest democratic entities in the world still in existence. Direct elections of the water boards take place every four years.
Within the Dutch town ofBaarle-Nassau, are 22 Belgianexclavesand within those are 8 Dutchenclaves.
The administrative structure on the three BES islands, collectively known as theCaribbean Netherlands, is outside the twelve provinces. These islands have the status ofopenbare lichamen (public bodies).In the Netherlands these administrative units are often referred to asspecial municipalities.
The history ofDutch foreign policyhas been characterized by itsneutrality. According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Netherlands is the 18th most peaceful country in the world.Since World War II, the Netherlands has become a member of a large number of international organisations, most prominently the UN,NATOand the EU.
Theforeign policyof the Netherlands is based on four basic commitments: toAtlantic co-operation, toEuropean integration, tointernational developmentand tointernational law. One of the more controversial international issues surrounding the Netherlands is itsliberal policy towards soft drugs.
The historical ties inherited from its colonial past inIndonesiaandSurinamestill influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Many with heritage from these countries now live permanently in the Netherlands.
The Netherlands has one of the oldest standing armies in Europe; it was first established in the late 1500s. After the defeat of Napoleon, the Dutch army was transformed into aconscriptionarmy. The Netherlands abandoned its neutrality in 1948 when it signed theTreaty of Brussels, and became a founding member ofNATOin 1949. The Dutch military was therefore part of the NATO strength inCold WarEurope. In 1983 the (ceremonial) function of commander of chief of the monarch was transferred to the government, which means the monarch (nominal head of state) has no formal military function. In 1996 conscription was suspended, and the Dutch army was once again transformed into a professional army. Since the 1990s the Dutch army has been involved in theBosnian Warand theKosovo War, it held a province inIraqafter the defeat ofSaddam Hussein, and it was engaged inAfghanistan.The Netherlands has ratified many international conventions concerningwar law. The Netherlands decided not to sign the UNtreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefixKoninklijke(Royal):
The submarine service opened to women on 1 January 2017. TheKorps Commandotroepen, the Special Operations Force of the Netherlands Army, is open to women, but because of the extremely high physical demands for initial training, it is almost impossible for a woman to become a commando.The Dutch Ministry of Defence employs more than 70,000 personnel, including over 20,000 civilians and over 50,000 military personnel.
Since the 16th century, shipping, fishing, agriculture, trade, and banking have been leading sectors of the Dutch economy. The Netherlands has ahigh level of economic freedom. The Netherlands is one of the top countries in theGlobal Enabling Trade Report(2nd in 2016), and was ranked the fifth most competitive economy in the world by the SwissInternational Institute for Management Developmentin 2017.The country was ranked the 8th most innovative nation in the world in the 2024Global Innovation Indexdown from 2nd in 2018.
As of 2020, the key trading partners of the Netherlands were Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, China and Russia.The Netherlands is one of the world's 10 leading exporting countries. Foodstuffs form the largest industrial sector. Other major industries include chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods, trade, services and tourism. Examples of international Dutch companies operating in the Netherlands includeRandstad NV,Heineken,KLM, financial services (ING,ABN AMRO,Rabobank), chemicals (DSM,AKZO), petroleum refining (Shell plc), electronic machinery (Philips,ASML), and satellite navigation (TomTom).
The Netherlands has the17th-largest economy in the world, andranks 11th in GDP (nominal) per capita. The Netherlands has low income inequality, but wealth inequality is relatively high.Despite ranking 11th inGDP per capita,UNICEFranked the Netherlands 1st in child well-being in rich countries, both in 2007 and in 2013.
Amsterdamis the financial and business capital of the Netherlands.TheAmsterdam Stock Exchange(AEX), part ofEuronext, is the world's oldest stock exchange and is one of Europe's largest bourses. As a founding member of theeuro, the Netherlands replaced (for accounting purposes) its former currency, the "gulden" (guilder), on 1 January 1999. Actualeuro coinsandbanknotesfollowed on 1 January 2002. One euro was equivalent to 2.20371 Dutch guilders. In theCaribbean Netherlands, the United States dollar is used instead.The Netherlands is a "conduit country" that helps to funnel profits from high-tax countries to tax havens.It has been ranked as the 4th largest tax haven in the world.
The Dutch location gives it prime access to markets in the United Kingdom and Germany, with thePort of Rotterdambeing the largest port in Europe. Other important parts of the economy areinternational trade, banking and transport. The Netherlands successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners. Amsterdam is the 5th-busiest tourist destination in Europe, with more than 4.2 million international visitors.Since the enlargement of the EU, large numbers ofmigrant workershave arrived in the Netherlands fromCentraland Eastern Europe.
The Netherlands continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the five largest investors in the United States. The economy experienced a slowdown in 2005, but in 2006 recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and strong investment. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007. The Netherlands is the fourth-most competitive economy in the world, according to theWorld Economic Forum'sGlobal Competitiveness Report.
Beginning in the 1950s, the Netherlands discovered hugenatural gasresources. The sale of natural gas generated enormous revenues for the Netherlands for decades, adding, over sixty years, hundreds of billions of euros to the government's budget,about 1.5% of GNP. However, the unforeseen consequences of the country's huge energy wealth impacted the competitiveness of other sectors of the economy, leading to the theory ofDutch disease.The field is operated by government-ownedGasunieand output is jointly exploited by the government,Royal Dutch Shell, andExxonMobil. Gas production caused earthquakes which damaged housing. After a large public backlash, the government decided tophase out gas productionfrom the field.
The Netherlands has made notable progress in itstransitionto acarbon-neutral economy. Thanks to increasingenergy efficiency, energy demand shows signs of decoupling from economic growth. The share of energy fromrenewable sourcesdoubled from 2008 to 2019, with especially strong growth inoffshore windandrooftop solar. However, the Netherlands remains heavily reliant on fossil fuels and has a concentration of energy- and emission-intensive industries that will not be easy to decarbonise. Its2019 Climate Agreementdefines policies and measures to support the achievement of Dutch climate targets and was developed through a collaborative process involving parties from across Dutch society.As of 2018, the Netherlands had one of the highest rates ofcarbon dioxideemissions per person in the European Union.
The Netherlands'biocapacitytotals only 0.8 global hectares per person in 2016, 0.2 of which are dedicated to agriculture.The Dutch biocapacity per person is just about half of the 1.6 global hectares of biocapacity per person available worldwide.In contrast, in 2016, the Dutch used on average 4.8 global hectares of biocapacity – theirecological footprintof consumption. As a result, the Netherlands was running a biocapacity deficit of 4.0 global hectares per person in 2016.The Dutch waste more food than any other EU citizen, at over three times the EU average.
The Dutch agricultural sector is highly mechanised, and has a strong focus on international exports. It employs about 4% of the Dutch labour force but produces large surpluses in the food-processing industry and accounts for 21% of the Dutch total export value.The Dutch rank first in the European Union and second worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind only the United States,with agricultural exports earning €80.7 billion in 2014,up from €75.4 billion in 2012.In 2019 agricultural exports were worth €94.5 billion.In an effort to reduceagricultural pollution, the Dutch government is imposing strict limits on the productivity of the farming sector, triggeringDutch farmers' protests.
One-third of the world's exports ofchilis, tomatoes, andcucumbersgo through the country. The Netherlands exports one-fifteenth of the world's apples.A significant portion of Dutch agricultural exports consists of fresh-cut plants, flowers, and flower bulbs, with the Netherlands exporting two-thirds of the world's total.
The Netherlands had an estimated population of 17,947,406 as of 31 November 2023.It is the6th most densely populatedcountry in Europe and the33rd most densely populatedcountry in the world with a density of 424 per square kilometre (1,100/sq mi). Between 1900 and 1950, the country's population almost doubled from 5.1 to 10 million. From 1950 to 2000, the population further increased, to 15.9 million.
Thefertility ratein the Netherlands is 1.78 children per woman (2018 estimate),which is high compared with many other European countries, butbelow the rate of 2.1 children per woman required for natural population replacement.The Netherlands has one of theoldest populationsin the world, with the average age of 42.7 years.Life expectancyis high in the Netherlands: 84.3 years for newborn girls and 79.7 for boys (2020 estimate).The Dutch are thetallest people in the world, by nationality,with an averageheightof 1.81 metres (5 ft 11.3 in) for men and 1.67 metres (5 ft 5.7 in) for women in 2009.The average height of young men in the Netherlands increased from 5 feet, 4 inches to approximately 6 feet between the 1850s until the early 2000s.
The country has amigrationrate of 1.9 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants per year.The majority of the population of the Netherlands is ethnicallyDutch. In 2022, the population was 74.8% ethnically Dutch, 8.3% other European, 2.4%Turkish, 2.4% Moroccan, 2.0% Indonesian, 2.0%Surinamese, and 8.1% others.Some 150,000 to 200,000 people living in the Netherlands areexpatriates, mostly concentrated in and aroundAmsterdamandThe Hague, now constituting almost 10% of the population of these cities.Significant minorities in the country includeFrisians700,000,Jews41,000-45,000 and theRomaand theSinti40,000.
According toEurostat, in 2010 there were 1.8 millionforeign-born residentsin the Netherlands, corresponding to 11.1% of the total population. Of these, 1.4 million (8.5%) were born outside the EU and 0.43 million (2.6%) were born in another EU Member State.In 2022, there were 4.4 million residents in the Netherlands with at least one foreign-born parent.Over half the young people in Amsterdam and Rotterdam have a non-western background.Dutch people, ordescendants of Dutch people, are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in South Africa and the United States.
TheRandstadis the country's largestconurbationlocated in the west of the country and contains the four largest cities:Amsterdamin the provinceNorth Holland,RotterdamandThe Haguein the provinceSouth Holland, andUtrechtin the provinceUtrecht. The Randstad has a population of about 8.2 million inhabitantsand is the5th largest metropolitan areain Europe. According to Dutch Central Statistics Bureau, in 2015, 28 per cent of the Dutch population had a spendable income above 45,000 euros (which does not include spending on health care or education).
The official language of the Netherlands isDutch, which is spoken by the vast majority of inhabitants. The dialects most spoken in the Netherlands are theBrabantian-Hollandicdialects.
Besides Dutch,West Frisianis recognised as a second official language in the northern province ofFriesland(Fryslânin West Frisian).West Frisian has a formal status for government correspondence in that province. Four other languages are protected under theEuropean Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.The first of these recognised regional languages isLow Saxon(Nedersaksischin Dutch). Low Saxon consists of several dialects of theLow Germanlanguage spoken in the north and east of the Netherlands, likeTweantsin the region ofTwente, andDrentsin the province ofDrenthe.
Limburgishis recognised as a regional language. It consists of Dutch varieties ofMeuse-Rhenishand is spoken in the south-eastern province ofLimburg.Yiddishand theRomani languagewere recognised in 1996 as non-territorial languages.
Englishhas a formal status in the special municipalities ofSabaandSint Eustatius. It is widely spoken on these islands.Papiamentohas a formal status in the special municipality ofBonaire.
The Netherlands has a long tradition of learning foreign languages, formalised in Dutch education laws. Some 90% of the total populationare able to converse in English, 70% in German, and 29% in French.English is a mandatory course in all secondary schools.In most lower level secondary school educations (vmbo), one additional modern foreign language is mandatory during the first two years.In higher level secondary schools (havoandvwo), the acquisition of two additional modern foreign language skills is mandatory. Besides English, the standard modern languages are French and German, although schools can replace one of these with Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Italian,TurkishorArabic.Additionally, schools in Friesland teach and have exams inWest Frisian.
Forms of Christianity have dominated religious life in what is now the Netherlands for more than 1,200 years,and by the middle of the sixteenth century the country was strongly Protestant (Calvinist).The population was predominantly Christian until the late 20th century.Although significant religious diversity remains, there has been a decline of religious adherence.
In 2020,Statistics Netherlandsfound that 55% of the total population declared itselfnon-religious. Groups that represent the non-religious in the Netherlands includeHumanistisch Verbond.Catholicscomprised 19.8% of the total population,Protestants(14.4%).Muslimscomprised 5.2% of the total population and followers of other Christian denominations and other religions (like Judaism,BuddhismandHinduism) comprised the remaining 5.1%.A 2015 survey from another source found that Protestants outnumbered Catholics.
The southern provinces ofNorth BrabantandLimburghave historically been strongly Catholic, and some residents consider the Catholic Church as a base for theircultural identity. Protestantism in the Netherlands consists of a number of churches within various traditions. The largest of these is theProtestant Church in the Netherlands(PKN), aunitedchurch which isCalvinistandLutheranin orientation.It was formed in 2004 as a merger of theDutch Reformed Church, theReformed Churches in the Netherlandsanda smaller Lutheran Church. Several orthodox Calvinist and liberal churches did not merge into the PKN. Although Christianity has become a minority in the Netherlands, it contains aBible BeltfromZeelandto the northern parts of the provinceOverijssel, in which Protestant beliefs remain strong. Several Christian religious holidays are national holidays (Christmas, Easter,Pentecost, and theAscension of Jesus).
Islamis the second largest religion in the state.The Muslim population increased from the 1960 as a result of large numbers ofmigrant workers. This included migrant workers fromTurkeyandMorocco, as well as migrants from formerDutch colonies, such asSurinamandIndonesia. During the 1990s,Muslim refugeesarrived from countries likeBosnia and Herzegovina,Iran,Iraq,Somalia, andAfghanistan.Since 2000 there has been raised awareness of religion, mainly due toIslamic extremism.
Another religion practised isHinduism, with around 215,000 adherents (slightly over 1% of the population). Most of these areIndo-Surinamese. There are sizeable populations of Hindu immigrants from India andSri Lanka, and Western adherents ofHinduism-orientated new religious movementssuch asHare Krishnas. The Netherlands has an estimated 250,000Buddhistsor people strongly attracted to this religion, mainly ethnic Dutch people. There are about 30,000Jewsin the Netherlands, though theInstitute for Jewish Policy Researchestimates range from 30,000 to 63,000, depending on how the number is calculated.
The Constitution of the Netherlands guarantees freedom of education, which means that all schools that adhere to general quality criteria receive the same government funding. This includes schools based on religious principles by religious groups (especially Catholic and Protestant). Three political parties in the Dutch parliament, (CDA, and two small parties,ChristianUnionandSGP) are based upon the Christian belief. Several Christian religious holidays are national holidays (Christmas, Easter,Pentecostand theAscension of Jesus).
A survey in December 2014 concluded that for the first time there were more atheists (25%) than theists (17%) in the Netherlands, while the remainder of the population was agnostic (31%) orietsistic(27%).In 2015, a vast majority of the inhabitants of the Netherlands (82%) said they had never or almost never visited a church, and 59% stated that they had never been to a church. Of all the people questioned, 24% saw themselves as atheist, an increase of 11% compared to the previous study done in 2006.The expected rise of spirituality has come to a halt according to research in 2015. In 2006, 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual; in 2015 this has dropped to 31%. The number who believed in the existence of a higher power fell from 36% to 28% over the same period.
Education in the Netherlands is compulsory between the ages of 5 and 16. If a child does not have a "starting qualification" (HAVO, VWO or MBO 2+ degree) they are still forced to attend classes until they achieve such a qualification or reach the age of 18.
Children in the Netherlands attend elementary school from (on average) ages 4 to 12. It has eight grades and the first is facultative. Based on an aptitude test, the eighth grade teacher's recommendation and the opinion of the pupil's parents or caretakers, a choice is made for one of the three main streams of secondary education.
TheVMBOhas four grades and is subdivided over several levels. Successfully completing the VMBO results in a low-level vocational degree that grants access to the MBO. The MBO (middle-level applied education) is a form of education that primarily focuses on teaching a practical trade or a vocational degree. With the MBO certification, a student can apply for the HBO. TheHAVOhas 5 grades and allows for admission to the HBO. The HBO (higher professional education) areuniversities of professional education(applied sciences) that award professional bachelor's degrees; similar to polytechnic degrees. An HBO degree gives access to the university system. TheVWO(comprisingatheneumandgymnasium) has 6 grades and prepares for studying at a research university. Universities offer a three-year bachelor's degree, followed by a one or two-year master's degree, which in turn can be followed by adoctoral degreeprogramme.
Doctoral candidates in the Netherlands are generally non-tenured employees of a university. All Dutch schools and universities are publicly funded and managed with the exception of religious schools. Dutch universities have a tuition fee of about 2,000 euros a year for students from the Netherlands and the EU, and 15,000 euros for non-EU students.
In 2016, the Netherlands maintained its position at the top of the annualEuro Health Consumer Index(EHCI), which compares healthcare systems in Europe, scoring 916 of a maximum 1,000 points. The Netherlands has been among the top three countries in each report published since 2005. On 48 indicators such as patient rights and information, accessibility, prevention and outcomes, the Netherlands secured its top position among 37 European countries for six years in a row.The Netherlands was ranked first in a study in 2009 comparing thehealth care systemsof the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand.
According to theHealth Consumer Powerhouse(HCP), patients have a great degree of freedom from where to buy their health insurance, to where they get their healthcare. Healthcare decisions are made in dialogue between patients and healthcare professionals.Healthcare in the Netherlands is split 3 ways: in somatic and mental health care and in 'cure' (short term) and 'care' (long term). Home doctors (huisartsen, comparable togeneral practitioners) form the largest part of the first level. Being referred by a member of the first level is mandatory for access to the second and third level.The health care system is, in comparison to other Western countries, effective but not the most cost-effective.Healthcare is financed by a dual system that came into effect in January 2006. Long-term treatments, especially those that involve semi-permanent hospitalisation, and disability costs such as wheelchairs, are covered by a state-controlled mandatory insurance. In 2009 this insurance covered 27% of all health care expenses.Other sources of health care payment are taxes (14%), out of pocket payments (9%), additional optional health insurance packages (4%) and a range of other sources (4%).Health insurance in the Netherlands is mandatory. Healthcare in the Netherlands is covered by two statutory forms of insurance:
While Dutch residents are automatically insured by the government for AWBZ, everyone has to buy their own basic healthcare insurance, except those under 18 who are automatically covered under their parents. Insurance companies are obliged to provide a package with a defined set of insured treatments.This insurance covers 41% of all health care expenses.Insurers have to offer a universal package for everyone over 18, regardless of age or state of health – it is illegal to refuse an application or impose special conditions. The funding burden for all short-term health care coverage is carried 50% by employers, 45% by the insured person and 5% by the government. Those on low incomes receive compensation to help them pay their insurance. Premiums paid by the insured are about €135 per month.
Mobility on Dutch roads has grown continuously since the 1950s and now exceeds 200 billion km travelled per year,three quarters of which are done by car.Around half of all trips in the Netherlands are made by car, 25% by bicycle, 20% walking, and 5% by public transport.
The Netherlands has one of the densest road networks in the world.The Netherlands has a relatively high uptake ofelectric vehicles, as the government implemented ambitious policy on both charging infrastructure and tax benefits.As of 2019, the Netherlands hosts approximately 30% of all recharging stations in the European Union.Moreover, newly sold cars in the Netherlands have on average the lowest CO2emissions in the EU.
About 13% of all distance is travelled by public transport, the majority of which is by train.The Dutch rail network of 3,013 km route is also rather dense.The network is mostly focused on passenger rail services and connects all major cities, with over400 stations. Trains are frequent, with two trains per hour on lesser lines,two to four trains per hour on average, and up to eight trains an hour on the busiest lines.The Dutch national train network includes theHSL-Zuid, a high-speed line between theAmsterdam metropolitan areaand the Belgian border for trains running from Paris and London, to the Netherlands.
Cyclingis a ubiquitous mode of transport. Almost as many kilometres are covered by bicycle as by train.The Dutch are estimated to have at least 18 million bicycles,which makes more than one per capita, and twice as many as the circa 9 million motor vehicles on the road.In 2013, theEuropean Cyclists' Federationranked the Netherlands andDenmarkas the most bike-friendly countries in Europe.Cycling infrastructureis extensive. Busy roads have received some 35,000 km ofdedicated cycle tracks, physically segregated from motorised traffic.Busy junctions are often equipped with bicycle-specific traffic lights. There are large bicycle parking facilities, particularly in city centres and train stations.
ThePort of Rotterdamis the largest port in Europe and the largest port outside East Asia, with the rivers Meuse and Rhine providing excellent access to thehinterlandupstream. As of 2022, Rotterdam was the world's tenth largestcontainer port.The port's main activities arepetrochemicalindustries and general cargo handling andtransshipment. The harbour functions as an important transit point forbulk materialsand between the European continent and overseas. The Volkeraksluizen between Rotterdam and Antwerp are the biggest sluices for inland navigation in terms of tonnage. In 2007, theBetuweroute, a new fast freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany, was completed.Amsterdamis Europe's 4th largest port. Theinland shippingfleet of the Netherlands is the largest in Europe.Passenger boats in the Netherlands includes a ferry network in Amsterdam, and waterbusses and taxis in Rotterdam.
Schiphol Airport, just southwest of Amsterdam, is the maininternational airportin the Netherlands, and thethird busiest airport in Europeby number of passengers. Schiphol is the main hub forKLM, the nation'sflag carrierand the world's oldest airline.In 2016, theRoyal Schiphol Groupairports handled 70 million passengers.All air traffic is international and Schiphol Airport is connected to over 300 destinations worldwide, more than any other European airport.The airport is a major freight hub as well, processing 1.44 million tonnes of cargo in 2020.Smaller international airports are located in or nearEindhoven,Rotterdam,MaastrichtandGroningen. Air transport is of vital significance for the Caribbean part of the Netherlands, with all islands having their own airport. This includes the shortest runway in the world onSaba.
The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. In the Middle AgesHieronymus BoschandPieter Bruegel the Elderwere leading Dutch pioneers. During theDutch Golden Age, the Dutch Republic was prosperous and witnessed a flourishing artistic movement. The "Dutch Masters", spanning this 17th century era, includedRembrandt,Johannes Vermeer,Jan Steen, andJacob van Ruisdael. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century includedVincent van GoghandPiet Mondrian.
Literature flourished during the Dutch Golden Age, withJoost van den VondelandP. C. Hooftas the most famous writers. In the 19th century,Multatuliwrote about the poor treatment of the natives in the Dutch colony.Diary of a Young GirlbyAnne Frankis the most translated book from Dutch. Other important 20th century authors includeHarry Mulisch,Jan Wolkers,Hella Haasse,Willem Frederik Hermans,Cees NooteboomandGerard Reve.
Various architectural styles can be distinguished in the Netherlands. TheRomanesque architecturewas built between 950 and 1250.Gothic architecturewas used from about 1230. Gothic buildings had large windows, pointed arches and were richly decorated.Brabantine Gothicoriginated with the rise of the Duchy of Brabant and spread throughout the Burgundian provinces.Dutch Baroque architecture(1525–1630) and classicism (1630–1700) is especially evident in the west. Other architectural styles areArt Nouveau,Expressionism,De Stijl,TraditionalismandBrutalism.
ErasmusandSpinozawere famous Dutch philosophers. The Dutch scientistChristiaan Huygens(1629–95) discoveredSaturn's moonTitan, argued that light travelled as waves, invented thependulum clock, and was the first physicist to use mathematical formulae.Antonie van Leeuwenhoekwas the first to observe and describesingle-celled organismswith amicroscope.
Windmills,tulips,clogs, cheese, andcannabishave grown to symbolize the Netherlands, especially among tourists.
The Dutch are proud of theircultural heritage,rich history in art, and involvement ininternational affairs.A predominant attitude in the Netherlands is to think of the nation as being "both tolerant and cosmopolitan."
A Dutch saying indicating their sense of national pride in their reclamation of land from the sea and marshes is "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands."
Dutch manners are open and direct with a no-nonsense attitude—informality combined with adherence to basic behaviour. "Dealing with the Dutch" by Jacob Vossestein states: "Dutch egalitarianism is the idea that people are equal, especially from a moral point of view, and accordingly, causes the somewhat ambiguous stance the Dutch have towards hierarchy and status."
The Netherlands is one of the most secular countries of Europe,and religion in the Netherlands is generally considered as a personal matter which is not supposed to be propagated in public, although it often remains a discussion subject.
The Netherlands has multiple music traditions. Traditional Dutch music is a genre known as "Levenslied", meaningSong of life. These songs typically have a simple melody and rhythm, and a straightforward structure of verses and choruses. Themes can be light, but are often sentimental and include love, death andloneliness. Traditional musical instruments such as theaccordionand thebarrel organare a staple of levenslied music, though in recent years many artists use synthesisers and guitars.
Contemporary Dutch rock and pop music (Nederpop) originated in the 1960s, heavily influenced by popular music from the United States and Britain. Bands such asShocking Blue,Golden Earring,Tee Set,George Baker SelectionandFocusenjoyed international success. From the 1980s, more and more pop musicians started working in the Dutch language, partly inspired by the huge success of the bandDoe Maar.
Currentsymphonic metalbandsEpica,Delain,ReVamp,The Gathering,Asrai, Autumn,AyreonandWithin Temptationas well asjazzand pop singerCaro Emeraldare having international success. Metal bands likeHail of Bullets,God Dethroned,Izegrim,Asphyx,Textures,Heidevolk, andSlechtvalkare popular guests at the biggestmetal festivalsin Europe. Contemporary local stars include pop singerAnouk, country pop singerIlse DeLange,Limburgishdialect singing folk bandRowwen Hèze, rock bandBLØFand duoNick & Simon.
Early 1990s Dutch and Belgianhouse musiccame together inEurodanceproject2 Unlimited. Selling 18 million records,the two singers in the band are the most successful Dutch music artists to this day. Tracks like "Get Ready for This" are still popular themes of U.S. sports events. In the mid-1990s Dutch languagerap and hip hop(Nederhop) came to fruition and has become popular in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Since the 1990s, Dutchelectronic dance music(EDM) gained widespread popularity in the world in many forms. Some of the world's best known dance music DJs hail from the Netherlands, includingArmin van Buuren,Tiësto,Hardwell,Martin Garrix,Dash Berlin,Julian Jordan,Nicky Romero,W&W,Don Diablo,Ummet Ozcan,Headhunterz,Sander van Doorn, andAfrojack; the first four of which have been ranked as best in the world byDJ Mag Top 100 DJs. TheAmsterdam Dance Event(ADE) is the world's leading electronic music conference and the biggest club festival for the many electronic subgenres on the planet.The Netherlands hasparticipatedin theEurovision Song Contestsince its first edition in 1956, and has won five times.
In classical music,Jan Sweelinckis a famous Dutch composer, withLouis Andriessenamong the best known contemporary Dutch classical composers.Ton Koopmanis a Dutch conductor, organist and harpsichordist. Notable violinists areJanine JansenandAndré Rieu.
Some Dutch films – mainly by directorPaul Verhoeven– have received international distribution and recognition, such asTurkish Delight("Turks Fruit", 1973),Soldier of Orange("Soldaat van Oranje", 1977),Spetters(1980), andThe Fourth Man("De Vierde Man", 1983). Verhoeven then went on to direct bigHollywoodmovies likeRoboCop(1987),Total Recall(1990), andBasic Instinct(1992), and returned with Dutch filmBlack Book("Zwartboek", 2006).
Other well-known Dutch film directors areJan de Bont,Anton Corbijn,Dick Maas,Fons Rademakers, and documentary makersBert HaanstraandJoris Ivens. Film directorTheo van Goghachieved international notoriety in 2004 when he was murdered byMohammed Bouyeriin the streets of Amsterdam after directing the short filmSubmission.
Directors of photography from the Netherlands includeHoyte van HoytemaandTheo van de Sande. Internationally successful Dutch actors includeFamke Janssen,Carice van Houten,Rutger Hauer,andJeroen Krabbé.
The Netherlands has a well developed television market, with both multiple commercial and public broadcasters. Imported TV programmes, as well as interviews with responses in a foreign language, are virtually always shown with the original sound and subtitled. Only foreign shows for children are dubbed.
TV exports from the Netherlands mostly take the form of specific formats and franchises, most notably was the internationally active TV production conglomerateEndemol, founded by Dutch mediatycoonsJohn de MolandJoop van den Ende. Endemol and its subsidiaries created and ran reality, talent, and game show franchises worldwide, includingBig BrotherandDeal or No Deal.Endemol merged withShine Groupin 2015, and again withBanijayin 2020.
Approximately 4.5 million of the 16.8 million people in the Netherlands are registered in one of the 35,000 sports clubs in the country. About two-thirds of the population between 15 and 75 participate in sports weekly.Footballis the most popular team sport, followed byfield hockeyand volleyball. Tennis, gymnastics and golf are the three most widely engaged in individual sports.Organisation of sports began at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century. Federations for sports were established, rules were unified and sports clubs came into existence. ADutch National Olympic Committeewas established in 1912.
Thenational football teamwas runner-up in theWorld Cupof 1974, 1978, and 2010, and won theEuropean Championshipof 1988. OfSI's 50 greatest footballers of all time,Johan Cruyff(#5),Marco van Basten(#19),Ruud Gullit(#25), andJohan Neeskens(#36) are Dutch.Thewomen's national teamwas runner-up in2019 World Cupand won the European Championship of 2017. TheNetherlands women's field hockey teamwon 9 out of 15World Cups. TheNetherlands baseball teamhave won theEuropean championship24 times out of 33 events. Thevolleyball national women's teamwon theEuropean Championship in 1995and theWorld Grand Prix in 2007.
The Netherlands has won 266 medals at theSummer Olympic Gamesand 110 at theWinter Olympic Games.Joop Zoetemelkwon the1979 Vuelta a Espana, the1980 Tour de France, and the 1985 UCI World Championship.Jan Janssenwon the1968 Tour de France,Tom Dumoulinthe2017 Giro d'Italia.Max Verstappen, the youngestFormula 1driver to make his debut and to win a race, was thefirst Dutchman to win a Grand Prixand aFormula One World Drivers Championship. DutchK-1kickboxers have won theK-1 World Grand Prix15 times out of 19 tournaments.
Dutch cuisine is simple and straightforward, and contains many dairy products. Breakfast and lunch are typically bread with toppings, with cereal for breakfast as an alternative. Traditionally, dinner consists of potatoes, meat, and vegetables. The Dutch diet was high in carbohydrates and fat, reflecting the dietary needs of the labourers whose culture moulded the country. During the twentieth century this diet changed and became morecosmopolitan, with mostglobal cuisinesbeing represented in the major cities. In early 2014,Oxfamranked the Netherlands as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful and healthy food.Modern culinary writers distinguish between three regional forms of Dutch cuisine: northeast, west and south:
The regions in the northeast are the least populated areas of the Netherlands. The late 18th century introduction of large scale agriculture means the cuisine is known for its meats. The relative lack of farms allowed for an abundance ofgameandhusbandry, though dishes near the coastal regions include a large amount of fish. The various dried sausages, belonging to themetworst-family of Dutch sausages are found throughout this region. Smoked sausages are common, of which (Gelderse)rookworstis the most renowned. Larger sausages are eaten alongsidestamppot,hutspot,orzuurkool(sauerkraut); whereas smaller ones are eaten as astreet food. The provinces are home to hard texturedrye bread, pastries and cookies. As a coastal region, Friesland is home to low-lying grasslands, and thus has a cheese production in common with the Western cuisine. Cookies are produced in great number and contain a lot of butter and sugar. The traditional alcoholic beverages are beer (strong pale lager) andJenever, a high proofjuniper-flavoured spirit, that came to be known in England asgin. An exception within the traditional Dutch alcoholic landscape,Advocaat, a rich and creamy liqueur made from eggs, sugar and brandy, is native to this region.
In the West, the abundance of water and flat grasslands, mean the area is known for its dairy products, which include prominent cheeses such asGouda,Leyden(spiced cheese with cumin), andEdam(traditionally in small spheres) as well asLeerdammerandBeemster, while the adjacentZaanstreekinNorth Hollandhas since the 16th century been known for itsmayonnaiseand typical whole-grainmustards. A by-product of the butter-making process,karnemelk(buttermilk), is considered typical for this region. Seafood such assoused herring,mussels,eels,oystersandshrimpsare widely available and typical for the region.
The Southern Dutch cuisine consists of the cuisines of the Dutch provinces ofNorth BrabantandLimburgand theFlemish Regionin Belgium. It is renowned for its rich pastries, soups, stews and vegetable dishes. It is the only Dutch culinary region that developed anhaute cuisine. Pastries are abundant, often with rich fillings of cream, custard or fruits. Cakes, such as theVlaaifrom Limburg and theMoorkopandBossche Bolfrom Brabant, are typical pastries. Savoury pastries abound, with theworstenbroodje(a roll with a sausage ofground beef, literally translates into sausage bread) being the most popular. The alcoholic beverage of the region is beer, there are many local brands, ranging fromTrappisttoKriek.
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