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Netherlands

 Flag of Netherlands

Last updated: January 2009

Country information

Map of Netherlands

Area: 41,526 sq km (Total: 41,526 sq km)
Land: 33,883 sq km; Water: 7,643 sq km)
Population: 16.5 million (January 2009)
Capital City: Amsterdam (population: 735,000) The Hague is seat of the Court, Government, and Parliament.
People:
0-14 years: 17.89% (M 1,501,602; F 1,434,122)
15-64 years: 67.39% (M 5,517,512; F 5,483,337)
64> years: 14.72% (M 1,038,959; F 1,375,867)
Language: Dutch
Religions: Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant 19%, Muslim 5.8%, other 4.2%, Unaffiliated 43%.
Currency: Euro
Major political parties: CDA (Christian Democrats), PvdA (Labour Party), VVD (Liberal Conservative Party), SP (Socialist Party), D66 (Liberal Party), Groen Links ( Ecologist and Socialist Party), CU (Christian Union), PVV (Party for Freedom).
Government: Constitutional monarchy
Head of State: Queen Beatrix, since 1980
Prime Minister: Jan-Peter Balkenende
Foreign Minister: Maxime Verhagen
Membership of international groups/organisations: Benelux, World Customs Organisation (WCO), Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC), European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), United Nations (UN), United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR).

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The 'Orange' of the House of Orange originates from the small town in the South of France. William The Silent, son of the Prince of Nassau (in Germany), inherited the title to the House of Orange through family connections. The Royal Household is still today the House of Orange-Nassau.
  • Orange is the Dutch national colour. But the Dutch flag is red, white and blue.
  • The Dutch bulb trade, established in the 17th century, was probably the world's first forward commodities market. In 1636, a single tulip bulb was sold for 5,400 guilders, more than a substantial Amsterdam house cost at the time. Tulip bulbs were originally brought to the Netherlands from Turkey.
  • The export of fresh flowers is still a major Dutch industry. As of 1 January 2002, the Dutch cooperative combining two flower auction houses, FloraHolland, has become one of the world's largest auction organisations. Its annual sales in 2006 were EUR 3,9 billion. 85% of these sales were exported, mainly to other EU member states.
  • 25% of the country lies below sea-level. But without the existing dykes and dunes, 65% of the country would be flooded daily.
  • In 1664, the Dutch swapped New York for Suriname, which was valued for its spice production.
  • The ‘Elfstedentocht’, or Eleven Cities Race, is a 200 km endurance ice-skating event in Friesland, held only in years when the weather is cold enough to freeze all the canals and dykes. It was last held in 1997. The more than 16,000 participants skate through the night, many taking more than 12 hours to complete the event. The Dutch have a special verb, ‘klunen’, meaning ‘walking over ground wearing skates’ in order to circumvent weak patches in the ice or low bridges. 

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