With a population of over 18 million people, all living within a total area of 41,850 km2 (16,160 sq mi)—of which the land area is 33,500 km2 (12,900 sq mi)—the Netherlands is the33rd most densely populated country, 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.[20][21][22] The four largest cities in the Netherlands areAmsterdam,Rotterdam,The Hague andUtrecht.[23] Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and the nominalcapital, though the primary national political institutions are located in the Hague.[24]
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) andBas orInferior (inRomance languages) are in use in low-lying places all over Europe. TheRomans made 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 thislower region 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.[29][30]
TheDukes of Burgundy used the termles pays de par deçà ("the lands over here") for the Low Countries.[31] UnderHabsburg rule, this becamepays d'embas ("lands down-here").[32] This was translated asNeder-landen in contemporary Dutch official documents.[33] From a regional point of view,Niderlant was also the area between theMeuse and the lowerRhine in 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.
Holland
The termHolland has frequently been usedinformally torefer to the whole of the modern country of the Netherlands in various languages,[34] includingDutch[35][36] and 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 ofNorth andSouth 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 Wars in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, made Holland apars pro toto for the entire country.[37][38]
Many Dutch people object to the country being referred to asHolland instead ofthe Netherlands, on much the same grounds as manyWelsh orScottish people object to the United Kingdom being referred to as England.[39] In particular, those from regions other than Holland find it undesirable or misrepresentative to use the term Holland for the whole country,[34] as theHolland region only comprises two of the twelve provinces, and 38% of Dutch citizens. As of 2019, the Dutch government officially has preferredthe Netherlands instead ofHolland when talking about the country.[40][41][42]
OftenHolland orHollanders is used by theFlemish to refer to the Dutch in the Netherlands,[43] and by the Southern Dutch (Dutch living "below the great rivers", a natural cultural, social andreligious boundary formed by the riversRhine andMeuse) to refer to the Northern Dutch (Dutch living North of these rivers).[44] In the Southern province of Limburg, the term is used for the Dutch from the other 11 provinces.[45] The use of the term in this context by the Southern Dutch is in aderogatory fashion.[44][45]
Dutch
Dutch is used as the adjective for the Netherlands, as well as thedemonym. The origins of the word go back to Proto-Germanic*þiudiskaz,Latinised intoTheodiscus, meaning "popular" or "of the people", akin toOld DutchDietsch or Old Englishþeodisc, meaning "(of) the common (Germanic) people".[46] At first, the English language usedDutch to refer to any or all speakers ofWest Germanic languages. Gradually its meaning shifted to the West Germanic people they had the most contact with.[47]
The subsequentBell Beaker culture (2700–2100 BC)[52] 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),[53] a Middle Bronze Age culture marked byearthenware pottery. The southern region became dominated by the relatedHilversum culture (1800–800 BC).
From 800 BC onwards, theIron Age CelticHallstatt culture became influential, replacing theHilversum culture. Iron ore brought a measure of prosperity and was available throughout the country.Smiths travelled 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 ofGermanic tribes from the North. By the time this migration was complete, around 250 BC, a few general cultural and linguistic groups had emerged.[54][55] TheNorth Sea GermanicIngaevones inhabited the northern part of theLow Countries. They would later develop into theFrisii and the earlySaxons.[55] TheWeser–Rhine Germanic (orIstvaeones) extended along the middle Rhine andWeser and inhabited the Low Countries south of the great rivers. These tribes would eventually develop into theSalian Franks.[55] 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, theNordwestblock culture.[56][57]
The Rhine frontier around 70 AD
The first author to describe the coast ofHolland andFlanders was 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."[58] During theGallic Wars, the area south and west of theRhine was conquered byRoman forces underJulius Caesar from 57 BC to 53 BC.[57] Caesar describes two main Celtic tribes living in what is now the southern Netherlands: theMenapii and theEburones. UnderAugustus, theRoman Empire would conquer the entirety of the modern day Netherlands, incorporating it into the province ofGermania Antiqua in 7 BC, but would be repelled back across the Rhine after theBattle of Teutoburg Forest in 9 AD, with the Rhine becoming fixed as Rome's permanent northern frontier around 12 AD. Notable towns would arise along theLimes Germanicus:Nijmegen andVoorburg. In the first part ofGallia Belgica, the area south of the Limes became part of theRoman province ofGermania Inferior. The area to the north of the Rhine, inhabited by the Frisii, remained outside Roman rule, while the Germanic border tribes of theBatavi andCananefates served in theRoman cavalry.[59] The Batavi rose against the Romans in theBatavian rebellion of 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.[60] 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 Flanders and 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 asfoederati inTexandria.[60]
After theRoman government in the area collapsed in roughly the year 406,[61] the Franks expanded their territories into numerous kingdoms. By the 490s,Clovis I had 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 Latin of the local population.[55] 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.[55] A Dutch-French language boundary hence came into existence.[55][62]
Frankish expansion (481 to 870 AD)
To the north of the Franks, climatic conditions improved, and during theMigration PeriodSaxons, the closely relatedAngles,Jutes, andFrisii settled the coast.[63] Many moved on to England and came to be known asAnglo-Saxons, but those who stayed would be referred to asFrisians and their language asFrisian.[63] Frisian was spoken along the entire southern North Sea coast. By the seventh century, aFrisian Kingdom (650–734) under KingAldegisel and KingRedbad emerged withTraiectum (Utrecht) as its centre of power,[63][64] whileDorestad was a flourishing trading place.[65][66] 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-Saxon missionaryWillibrord converted the Frisian people to Christianity and established theArchdiocese of Utrecht. However, his successorBoniface was murdered by the Frisians in 754.
The FrankishCarolingian empire controlled 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 fromFrisia in the north to theKingdom of Italy in the south. Around 850,Lothair I of Middle Francia acknowledged the VikingRorik of Dorestad as ruler of most of Frisia. When the kingdom of Middle Francia was partitioned in 855, the lands north of theAlps passed toLothair II and subsequently were namedLotharingia. After he died in 869, Lotharingia was partitioned, intoUpper andLower Lotharingia, the latter comprising the Low Countries that became part ofEast Francia in 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.[67]
A medieval tomb of the Brabantian knight Arnold van der Sluijs
TheHoly Roman Empire ruled 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.[68]Holland,Hainaut,Flanders,Gelre,Brabant, andUtrecht were 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, agrarian conditions started to improve, which lead to increase in population, reclamation of wasteland by farmers, and steady growth of trade and industry.[61] Towns grew aroundmonasteries andcastles, and a mercantile middle class began to develop in these urban areas, especially in Flanders, and later Brabant. Wealthy cities started to buy certainprivileges for themselves from the sovereign.
Around 1100 AD, farmers fromFlanders andUtrecht began 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 Holland was fought over in theHook and Cod Wars between 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 Good of Burgundy to conquer Holland.[citation needed]
Burgundian, Habsburg and Spanish Habsburg Netherlands (1384–1581)
Most of theImperial andFrench fiefs in what is now the Netherlands and Belgium were united in apersonal union by Philip the Good in 1433. TheHouse of Valois-Burgundy and theirHabsburg heirs would rule the Low Countries from 1384 to 1581. The new rulers defended Dutch trading interests. The fleets of theCounty of Holland defeated the fleets of theHanseatic League several times.Amsterdam grew 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 thepeat of the formerwetlands to reduce to a level that was too low for drainage to be maintained.[69]
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' War between the Provinces and theirSpanish ruler began. The level of ferocity exhibited by both sides can be gleaned from a Dutch chronicler's report:[70]
On more than one occasion men were seen hanging their own brothers, who had been taken prisoners in the enemy's ranks... A Spaniard had ceased to be human in their eyes. On one occasion, a surgeon at Veer cut the heart from a Spanish prisoner, nailed it on a vessel's prow, and invited the townsmen to come and fasten their teeth in it, which many did with savage satisfaction.
TheDuke of Alba attempted 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;[71][72] this figure does not include those who perished by war and famine.[73]
The first great siege was Alba's effort to captureHaarlem and 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 Fadrique was unable to honour, when his soldiers mutinied, angered over pay owed and the miserable conditions of the campaign.[74] On 4 November 1576, Spanishtercios seizedAntwerp and 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.[75]
Following thesack of Antwerp, delegates from Catholic Brabant, Protestant Holland and Zeeland agreed to join Utrecht andWilliam the Silent in 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 I of England, but she initially stood by her commitments to the Spanish in theTreaty of Bristol of 1574. When the next large-scale battle occurred atGembloux in 1578, the Spanish forces won easily.[76] 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 Utrecht in which they committed to support each other against the Spanish.[77] The Union of Utrecht is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands.[78]
Spanish troops sackedMaastricht in 1579, killing over 10,000 civilians.[79] In 1581, the northern provinces adopted theAct of Abjuration, the declaration of independence in which the provinces officially deposed Philip II.[80] 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.[81] English forces faced the Spanish in the Netherlands under theDuke of Parma in a series of largely indecisive actions that tied down significant numbers of Spanish troops and bought time for the Dutch to reorganise their defences.[82] The war continued until 1648, when Spain under KingPhilip IV recognised the independence of the seven north-western provinces in thePeace of Münster.[61] Parts of the southern provinces becamede facto colonies of the new republican-mercantile empire.[83]
Following the declaration of independence, the provinces ofHolland,Zeeland,Groningen,Friesland,Utrecht,Overijssel, andGelderland entered 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 Hague and comprised representatives from each of the seven provinces. The sparsely populated region ofDrenthe was 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 Lands located inFlanders,Brabant andLimburg. 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.[84]
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 mania of 1636–1637, and the world's firstbear raider,Isaac le Maire.[91] 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.[92]
From 1672 to 1712, the Republic, led byWilliam III of Orange andAnthonie Heinsius would regularly clash with France in what some historians have come to call theForty Years' War. In theNine Years' War and theWar of the Spanish Succession, the Republic was at the centre of anti-French coalitions. The Dutch ultimately successfully defended theSpanish Netherlands, established abarrier there, 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.[93] 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.[94] 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.[95]
William Frederick, son of the last stadtholder, returned to the Netherlands in 1813 and proclaimed himselfSovereign Prince. Two years later, theCongress of Vienna added the southern Netherlands to the north to create a strong country on the northern border of France. William Frederick raised thisUnited Netherlands to the status of a kingdom and proclaimed himself asKing William I in 1815.[97] William became hereditaryGrand Duke of Luxembourg in 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 union between Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in 1890, whenWilliam III died with no surviving male heirs.Ascendancy laws prevented his daughterQueen Wilhelmina from becoming the next Grand Duchess.[98]
The Belgian Revolution and theJava War in the Dutch East Indies brought the Netherlands to the brink of bankruptcy. However, theCultivation System was 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.[99] The Netherlands abolished slavery in its colonies in 1863.[100] Enslaved people inSuriname would be fully free only in 1873.[101]
The European Netherlands has a total area of 41,543 km2 (16,040 sq mi), including water bodies, and a land area of 33,481 km2 (12,927 sq mi). TheCaribbean Netherlands has a total area of 328 km2 (127 sq mi)[115] 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 area[15] and 21% of its population[116] below sea level. The European part of the country is for the most part flat, with the exception offoothills in 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 bypeat extraction or achieved throughland reclamation. Since the late 16th century, largepolder areas are preserved through elaborate drainage systems that includedikes, canals and pumping stations.
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 betweenfiefdoms and 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, theIJssel river, 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 Saxon dialects (except for the province ofFriesland, which has its own language).[118]
Almost the entire west Netherlands is composed of theRhine-Meuse riverestuary. In the east of the Netherlands, remains are found of thelast ice age, which ended approximately ten thousand years ago. As the continentalice sheet moved in from the north, it pushedmoraine forward. 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 ofArnhem andNijmegen are built on these hills.[119]
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 flood affected the Netherlands and Germany, killing more than 50,000 people in one of the most destructive floods in recorded history.[120] TheSt. Elizabeth flood of 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimedpolder, replacing it with the 72 km2 (28 sq mi)Biesbosch tidal floodplains. The hugeNorth Sea flood of February 1953 caused 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.[121]
Map illustrating areas of the Netherlands below sea level
The impact of disasters was, to an extent, increased through human activity. Relatively high-lyingswampland was drained to be used as farmland. The drainage caused the fertilepeat to 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.[122]
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 centurywindmills had come into use to pump water. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famouspolders.[123]In 1932 theAfsluitdijk ("Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the formerZuiderzee (Southern Sea) from the North Sea and thus creating theIJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). It became part of the largerZuiderzee Works in which four polders totalling 2,500 square kilometres (965 sq mi) were reclaimed from the sea.[124][125]
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.[126][127][128]
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 seaestuaries of Zeeland. New risk assessments occasionally show problems requiring additional Delta project dike reinforcements. The Delta project is considered by theAmerican Society of Civil Engineers as one of theseven wonders of the modern world.[129]
It is anticipated thatglobal warming will 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 likedikes anddunes with 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 plan grants 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.[130]
The Netherlands is already affected byclimate change. The average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2 °C from 1901 to 2020.[131] Climate change has resulted in increased frequency of droughts and heatwaves. Because significant portions of the Netherlands have beenreclaimed from the sea or otherwise are very near sea level, the Netherlands is very vulnerable tosea level rise.
Saba andSint Eustatius are part of theSSS islands within theLeeward Islands. They are located east ofPuerto Rico and theVirgin Islands. The locals (French, Spanish,Dutch and the locally spoken English) consider them part of the Windward Islands, although in the international English language, theWindward Islands refer to other islands further south. These two islands are of volcanic origin and hilly, leaving little ground suitable foragriculture. The highest point isMount Scenery, 887 m (2,910 ft), onSaba. This is the highest point in the country and in the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands.
De Wallen, Amsterdam's red-light district, offers activities such as legalprostitution, symbolizing the Dutch political culture and tradition of tolerance.
Both trade unions andemployers organisations are 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.[150] 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.[151] Protection forLGBT and abortion rights are enshrined within the Netherlands' foreign aid policy.[152]
The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces, each under aKing's Commissioner. All provinces are divided intomunicipalities (gemeenten), of which there are 342 (2023).[155]
The country is subdivided into 21 water districts, governed by awater board (waterschap orhoogheemraadschap), each having authority in matters concerning water management.[156][157] 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.
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).[161] In the Netherlands these administrative units are often referred to asspecial municipalities.
The history ofDutch foreign policy has been characterized by itsneutrality. According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Netherlands is the 18th most peaceful country in the world.[163] Since World War II, the Netherlands has become a member of a large number of international organisations, most prominently the UN,NATO and the EU.
The historical ties inherited from its colonial past inIndonesia andSuriname still influence the foreign relations of the Netherlands. Many with heritage from these countries now live permanently in the Netherlands.[165][166]
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 aconscription army. The Netherlands abandoned its neutrality in 1948 when it signed theTreaty of Brussels, and became a founding member ofNATO in 1949. The Dutch military was therefore part of the NATO strength inCold War Europe. 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 War and theKosovo War, it held a province inIraq after the defeat ofSaddam Hussein, and it was engaged inAfghanistan.[167] The Netherlands has ratified many international conventions concerningwar law. The Netherlands decided not to sign the UNtreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.[168]
The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefixKoninklijke (Royal):
Koninklijke Marine (KM), theRoyal Netherlands Navy, including the Naval Air Service and Marine Corps;
Koninklijke Marechaussee (KMar), theRoyal Marechaussee (Military Police), tasks include military police and border control.
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.[169] The Dutch Ministry of Defence employs more than 70,000 personnel, including over 20,000 civilians and over 50,000 military personnel.[170]
As of 2020[update], the key trading partners of the Netherlands were Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, China and Russia.[6] 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).
Amsterdam is the financial and business capital of the Netherlands.[178] 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 coins andbanknotes followed on 1 January 2002. One euro was equivalent to 2.20371 Dutch guilders. In theCaribbean Netherlands, the United States dollar is used instead.[179] The Netherlands is a "conduit country" that helps to funnel profits from high-tax countries to tax havens.[180] It has been ranked as the 4th largest tax haven in the world.[181]
The Dutch location gives it prime access to markets in the United Kingdom and Germany, with thePort of Rotterdam being 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.[182] Since the enlargement of the EU, large numbers ofmigrant workers have arrived in the Netherlands fromCentral and Eastern Europe.[183]
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.[184]
Energy
Natural gas concessions in the Netherlands. The Netherlands accounts for more than 25% of all natural gas reserves in the EU.[185]TheGroningen gas field, whose discovery in 1959 transformed the Dutch economy, is one of the largestnatural-gas fields in the world.
Beginning in the 1950s, the Netherlands discovered hugenatural gas resources. 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,[186] 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.[186] The field is operated by government-ownedGasunie and 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 production from the field.[187]
The Netherlands has made notable progress in itstransition to acarbon-neutral economy. Thanks to increasingenergy efficiency, energy demand shows signs of decoupling from economic growth. The share of energy fromrenewable sources doubled from 2008 to 2019, with especially strong growth inoffshore wind androoftop 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 Agreement defines policies and measures to support the achievement of Dutch climate targets and was developed through a collaborative process involving parties from across Dutch society.[188] As of 2018, the Netherlands had one of the highest rates ofcarbon dioxide emissions per person in the European Union.[189]
Agriculture and natural resources
The Netherlands'biocapacity totals only 0.8 global hectares per person in 2016, 0.2 of which are dedicated to agriculture.[190] The Dutch biocapacity per person is just about half of the 1.6 global hectares of biocapacity per person available worldwide.[191] In contrast, in 2016, the Dutch used on average 4.8 global hectares of biocapacity – theirecological footprint of consumption. As a result, the Netherlands was running a biocapacity deficit of 4.0 global hectares per person in 2016.[190] The Dutch waste more food than any other EU citizen, at over three times the EU average.[192]
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.[193] The Dutch rank first in the European Union and second worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind only the United States,[194] with agricultural exports earning €80.7 billion in 2014,[195] up from €75.4 billion in 2012.[21] In 2019 agricultural exports were worth €94.5 billion.[196] In an effort to reduceagricultural pollution, the Dutch government is imposing strict limits on the productivity of the farming sector, triggeringDutch farmers' protests.[197]
One-third of the world's exports ofchilis, tomatoes, andcucumbers go through the country. The Netherlands exports one-fifteenth of the world's apples.[198] 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.[198]
The Netherlands had an estimated population of 17,947,406 as of 31 November 2023.[199] It is the6th most densely populated country in Europe and the33rd most densely populated country 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.[200]
Thefertility rate in the Netherlands is 1.78 children per woman (2018 estimate),[6] which is high compared with many other European countries, butbelow the rate of 2.1 children per woman required for natural population replacement.[201] The Netherlands has one of theoldest populations in the world, with the average age of 42.7 years.[6]Life expectancy is high in the Netherlands: 84.3 years for newborn girls and 79.7 for boys (2020 estimate).[6] The Dutch are thetallest people in the world, by nationality,[202] with an averageheight of 1.81 metres (5 ft 11.3 in) for men and 1.67 metres (5 ft 5.7 in) for women in 2009.[203] 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.[204]
The country has amigration rate of 1.9 migrants per 1,000 inhabitants per year.[6] 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.[3] Some 150,000 to 200,000 people living in the Netherlands areexpatriates, mostly concentrated in and aroundAmsterdam andThe Hague, now constituting almost 10% of the population of these cities.[205][206] Significant minorities in the country includeFrisians 700,000,Jews 41,000-45,000 and theRoma and theSinti 40,000.[207]
InRotterdam almost half the population has an immigrant background.
According toEurostat, in 2010 there were 1.8 millionforeign-born residents in 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.[208] In 2022, there were 4.4 million residents in the Netherlands with at least one foreign-born parent.[209] Over half the young people in Amsterdam and Rotterdam have a non-western background.[210] Dutch people, ordescendants of Dutch people, are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in South Africa and the United States.[211][212]
TheRandstad is the country's largestconurbation located in the west of the country and contains the four largest cities:Amsterdam in the provinceNorth Holland,Rotterdam andThe Hague in the provinceSouth Holland, andUtrecht in the provinceUtrecht. The Randstad has a population of about 8.2 million inhabitants[213] and is the5th largest metropolitan area in 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).[214]
Knowledge of foreign languages in the Netherlands, among population 15 and older, in 2006[216]
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-Hollandic dialects.[217]
Besides Dutch,West Frisian is recognised as a second official language in the northern province ofFriesland (Fryslân in West Frisian).[218] 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.[219] The first of these recognised regional languages isLow Saxon (Nedersaksisch in Dutch). Low Saxon consists of several dialects of theLow German language spoken in the north and east of the Netherlands, likeTweants in the region ofTwente, andDrents in the province ofDrenthe.
English has a formal status in the special municipalities ofSaba andSint Eustatius. It is widely spoken on these islands.Papiamento has a formal status in the special municipality ofBonaire.[220]
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.[221] English is a mandatory course in all secondary schools.[222] In most lower level secondary school educations (vmbo), one additional modern foreign language is mandatory during the first two years.[223] In higher level secondary schools (havo andvwo), 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,Turkish orArabic.[224] Additionally, schools in Friesland teach and have exams inWest Frisian.[225]
Forms of Christianity have dominated religious life in what is now the Netherlands for more than 1,200 years,[227] and by the middle of the sixteenth century the country was strongly Protestant (Calvinist).[228] The population was predominantly Christian until the late 20th century.[229] Although significant religious diversity remains, there has been a decline of religious adherence.[226]
In 2020,Statistics Netherlands found that 55% of the total population declared itselfnon-religious. Groups that represent the non-religious in the Netherlands includeHumanistisch Verbond.Catholics comprised 19.8% of the total population,Protestants (14.4%).Muslims comprised 5.2% of the total population and followers of other Christian denominations and other religions (like Judaism,Buddhism andHinduism) comprised the remaining 5.1%.[226] A 2015 survey from another source found that Protestants outnumbered Catholics.[230]
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 movements such asHare Krishnas. The Netherlands has an estimated 250,000Buddhists or people strongly attracted to this religion, mainly ethnic Dutch people. There are about 30,000Jews in the Netherlands, though theInstitute for Jewish Policy Research estimates range from 30,000 to 63,000, depending on how the number is calculated.[236]
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,ChristianUnion andSGP) are based upon the Christian belief. Several Christian religious holidays are national holidays (Christmas, Easter,Pentecost and theAscension of Jesus).[232]
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%).[237] 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.[238] 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.[239]
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.[240]
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.
View on the Utrecht Science Park ofUtrecht University. The building in the centre is the library.
TheVMBO has 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. TheHAVO has 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 (comprisingatheneum andgymnasium) 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 degree programme.
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.[241]
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.[242]The Netherlands was ranked first in a study in 2009 comparing thehealth care systems of the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand.[243][244]
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.[242] 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.[245] The health care system is, in comparison to other Western countries[example needed], effective but not the most cost-effective.[246]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.[247] 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%).[247]Health insurance in the Netherlands is mandatory. Healthcare in the Netherlands is covered by two statutory forms of insurance:
Zorgverzekeringswet (ZVW), often called "basic insurance", covers common medical care.
Algemene Wet Bijzondere Ziektekosten (AWBZ) covers long-term nursing and care.
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.[248] This insurance covers 41% of all health care expenses.[247] 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.[249]
Mobility on Dutch roads has grown continuously since the 1950s and now exceeds 200 billion km travelled per year,[250] three quarters of which are done by car.[251] Around half of all trips in the Netherlands are made by car, 25% by bicycle, 20% walking, and 5% by public transport.[251]
The Netherlands has one of the densest road networks in the world.[252] The Netherlands has a relatively high uptake ofelectric vehicles, as the government implemented ambitious policy on both charging infrastructure and tax benefits.[253] As of 2019, the Netherlands hosts approximately 30% of all recharging stations in the European Union.[254] Moreover, newly sold cars in the Netherlands have on average the lowest CO2 emissions in the EU.[255]
About 13% of all distance is travelled by public transport, the majority of which is by train.[251] The Dutch rail network of 3,013 km route is also rather dense.[256] 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,[l] two to four trains per hour on average, and up to eight trains an hour on the busiest lines.[257] The Dutch national train network includes theHSL-Zuid, a high-speed line between theAmsterdam metropolitan area and the Belgian border for trains running from Paris and London, to the Netherlands.
Cycling is a ubiquitous mode of transport. Almost as many kilometres are covered by bicycle as by train.[251] The Dutch are estimated to have at least 18 million bicycles,[258][259] which makes more than one per capita, and twice as many as the circa 9 million motor vehicles on the road.[260] In 2013, theEuropean Cyclists' Federation ranked the Netherlands andDenmark as the most bike-friendly countries in Europe.[261]Cycling infrastructure is extensive. Busy roads have received some 35,000 km ofdedicated cycle tracks, physically segregated from motorised traffic.[262] Busy junctions are often equipped with bicycle-specific traffic lights. There are large bicycle parking facilities, particularly in city centres and train stations.[263]
Water transport
ThePort of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe and the largest port outside East Asia, with the rivers Meuse and Rhine providing excellent access to thehinterland upstream. As of 2022[update], Rotterdam was the world's tenth largestcontainer port.[264] The port's main activities arepetrochemical industries and general cargo handling andtransshipment. The harbour functions as an important transit point forbulk materials and 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.Amsterdam is Europe's 4th largest port. Theinland shipping fleet of the Netherlands is the largest in Europe.[265] Passenger boats in the Netherlands includes a ferry network in Amsterdam, and waterbusses and taxis in Rotterdam.[266][267]
Air transport
Schiphol Airport, just southwest of Amsterdam, is the maininternational airport in the Netherlands, and thethird busiest airport in Europe by number of passengers. Schiphol is the main hub forKLM, the nation'sflag carrier and the world's oldest airline.[268] In 2016, theRoyal Schiphol Group airports handled 70 million passengers.[269] All air traffic is international and Schiphol Airport is connected to over 300 destinations worldwide, more than any other European airport.[270] The airport is a major freight hub as well, processing 1.44 million tonnes of cargo in 2020.[271] Smaller international airports are located in or nearEindhoven,Rotterdam,Maastricht andGroningen. 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.[272]
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."[277]
Dutch people in orange celebratingKing's Day in Amsterdam, 2017
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."[278]
The Netherlands is one of the most secular countries of Europe.[276] 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.[279]
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 theaccordion and thebarrel organ are 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 Selection andFocus enjoyed 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.
Early 1990s Dutch and Belgianhouse music came together inEurodance project2 Unlimited. Selling 18 million records,[280] 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.
In classical music,Jan Sweelinck is a famous Dutch composer, withLouis Andriessen among the best known contemporary Dutch classical composers.Ton Koopman is a Dutch conductor, organist and harpsichordist. Notable violinists areJanine Jansen andAndré Rieu.
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.[288]
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 Mol andJoop van den Ende. Endemol and its subsidiaries created and ran reality, talent, and game show franchises worldwide, includingBig Brother andDeal or No Deal.[289] Endemol merged withShine Group in 2015, and again withBanijay in 2020.[290]
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.[291]Football is the most popular team sport, followed byfield hockey and volleyball. Tennis, gymnastics and golf are the three most widely engaged in individual sports.[292] 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 Committee was established in 1912.
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 cuisines being represented in the major cities. In early 2014,Oxfam ranked the Netherlands as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful and healthy food.[294][295] 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 ofgame andhusbandry, 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)rookworst is 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.[296]
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 asLeerdammer andBeemster, while the adjacentZaanstreek inNorth Holland has since the 16th century been known for itsmayonnaise and 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,oysters andshrimps are widely available and typical for the region.
The southern Dutch cuisine consists of the cuisines of the Dutch provinces ofNorth Brabant andLimburg and theFlemish Region in 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 theVlaai from Limburg and theMoorkop andBossche bol from 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 fromTrappist toKriek.[297]
^abApart from Dutch, English is an official language in the special municipalities ofSaba andSint Eustatius, Papiamentu is an official language in the special municipality ofBonaire, and West Frisian is an official language in the province ofFriesland.[1]
^abAmsterdam is the constitutional capital, while the government and the royal family are seated in The Hague.
^Having ratified theEuropean Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 1996, the Dutch government recognises Dutch Low Saxon, Limburgish, Sinte Romani and Yiddish as regional or non-territorial minority languages.[1] On 1 July 2021, Dutch Sign Language received the status of recognised language.[2]
^This includes residents who were born in the Netherlands and whose parents both were born in the Netherlands.
^The area of the Netherlands with overseas territories. Metropolitan Netherlands is 41,543 square kilometers.
^+599 was the country code designated for the now dissolvedNetherlands Antilles. The Caribbean Netherlands still use +599 7 (for Bonaire), +599 3 (for Sint Eustatius), and +599 4 (for Saba).
^.nl is the common internet top-level domain name for the Netherlands. The.eu domain is also used, as it is shared with otherEuropean Union member states. .bq is designated, but not in use, for theCaribbean Netherlands.
^ab(RVO), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (17 July 2015)."Agriculture and food".hollandtrade.com. Archived fromthe original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved26 August 2016.
^G. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981,Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I, Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105
^"Nederland vs. Holland".holland.com (in Dutch). 11 May 2016. Retrieved5 February 2023.Wat is het verschil tussen Holland en Nederland? Nederland bestaat uit de 12 provincies, maar veel mensen gebruiken ook het woord Holland als ze het over Nederland hebben.
^Fokkens, Harry; Nicolis, Franco, eds. (2012).Background to beakers : inquiries in regional cultural backgrounds to the Bell Beaker complex. Leiden: Sidestone. p. 131.ISBN978-90-8890-084-6.
^Sharp Hume, Martin Andrew (1901).The Spanish People: Their Origin, Growth and Influence. p. 372.
^Arnade, Peter J.Beggars, Iconoclasts, and Civic Patriots: The Political Culture of the Dutch Revolt. p. 237.
^Durant, Will; Durant, Ariel.The Age of Reason Begins: A History of European Civilization in the Period of Shakespeare, Bacon, Montaigne, Rembrandt, Galileo, and Descartes: 1558–1648. p. 451.
^Gillespie, Alexander (2017).The Causes of War: Volume III: 1400 CE to 1650 CE. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 131.
^Nolan, Cathal J. (2006).The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000–1650: An Encyclopedia of Global Warfare and Civilization, Volume 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 247.
^Nanda, J. N (2005).Bengal: the unique state. Concept Publishing Company. p. 10. 2005.ISBN978-81-8069-149-2.Bengal [...] was rich in the production and export of grain, salt, fruit, liquors and wines, precious metals and ornaments besides the output of its handlooms in silk and cotton. Europe referred to Bengal as the richest country to trade with.
^Om Prakash, "Empire, Mughal",History of World Trade Since 1450, edited byJohn J. McCusker, vol. 1, Macmillan Reference USA, 2006, pp. 237–240,World History in Context. Retrieved 3 August 2017
^Sayle, Murray (5 April 2001)."Japan Goes Dutch".London Review of Books. Vol. 23, no. 7. pp. 3–7.
^Central Bureau of Statistics (2009)."Land – en tuinbouwcijfers"(PDF) (in Dutch). Government of the Netherlands, Department of Publication and Information. p. 14.ISSN1386-9566. Retrieved6 January 2018.
^abcWelschen, Ad: CourseDutch Society and Culture, International School for Humanities and Social Studies ISHSS, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2000–2005.
^Wong, Th.E.; Batjes, D.A.J.; Jager, J. de (2007).Geology of the Netherlands.KNAW.ISBN978-90-6984-481-7.
^Kimmelman, Michael (13 February 2013)."Going With the Flow".The New York Times.Archived from the original on 14 February 2013. Retrieved19 February 2013.
^"31.954, Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba" (in Dutch). Eerste kamer der Staten-Generaal. Retrieved15 October 2010.De openbare lichamen vallen rechtstreeks onder het Rijk omdat zij geen deel uitmaken van een provincie. "Through the establishment of the BES islands as public bodies, rather than communities, the BES islands' rules may deviate from the rules in the European part of the Netherlands. The Dutch legislation will be introduced gradually. The public bodies fall directly under the central government because they are not part of a province."
^"Foreign languages in secondary education".Wat is het aanbod aan vreemde talen in de onderbouw van het voortgezet onderwijs (vo)? (in Dutch). Rijksoverheid. Archived fromthe original on 29 April 2011. Retrieved3 May 2010.
^Milis, L.J.R., "A Long Beginning: The Low Countries Through the Tenth Century" in J.C.H. Blom & E. LambertsHistory of the Low Countries, pp. 6–18, Berghahn Books, 1999.ISBN978-1-84545-272-8
^Knippenberg, Hans "The Changing Religious Landscape of Europe" edited by Knippenberg published by Het Spinhuis, Amsterdam 2005ISBN978-90-5589-248-8, pages 102–104
^"SWOV Fact sheet | Mobility on Dutch roads"(PDF) (Press release). Leidschendam, the Netherlands: SWOV – Dutch Institute for Road Safety Research. July 2013. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 15 April 2010. Retrieved7 July 2014.
^(RVO), Netherlands Enterprise Agency (17 July 2015)."Holland Publications".hollandtrade.com. Archived fromthe original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved26 August 2016.
^Colin White & Laurie Boucke (1995). The UnDutchables: An observation of the Netherlands, its culture and its inhabitants (3rd Ed.). White-Boucke Publishing.
Van Nimwegen, Olaf (2020).De Veertigjarige Oorlog 1672–1712: de strijd van de Nederlanders tegen de Zonnekoning [The 40 Years' War 1672–1712: the Dutch struggle against the Sun King] (in Dutch). Prometheus.ISBN978-90-446-3871-4.
.png)
-NL.svg)
%2c_Johann_Jakob_Wick_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
._Natuurkundige_te_Delft_Rijksmuseum_SK-A-957.jpeg)
_-_Wieldrechtse_Zeedijk_-_Dordrecht_(22087244596).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
