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Netherlands
EuropeWestern Europe
41.9 Thousand km²
Quick Facts
Capital
Amsterdam
Area
41,865 km²
Language
Dutch (& Frisian)
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Calling Code
+31
Drives On
Right
Internet
.nl
Timezone
CET (UTC+1 / UTC+2)
Script
Latin
Government
Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
Independence
1581
Map tiles by CARTO. Data by OpenStreetMap.
The Netherlands is a country that shouldn't exist. A third of it is below sea level. The Dutch response to this geographic inconvenience was not to move, but to engineer the sea out of the way. Over centuries they built a system of dikes, polders, and storm barriers so sophisticated that the Delta Works was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World. The national motto could be: "If there's no land, we'll make some."
This tiny country of 18 million people has had an outsized impact on the world. The Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century produced Rembrandt, Vermeer, and the world's first stock exchange. The VOC became history's first multinational corporation. Today, the Netherlands is the world's second largest agricultural exporter despite being smaller than West Virginia. It has more bicycles than people. The average Dutch person is the tallest in the world. And the directness of Dutch culture is legendary - they will tell you exactly what they think, unprompted, and consider this a courtesy. It is the most efficiently run small country on Earth.
Largest Cities in Netherlands
1
Amsterdam
Capital of canals, museums, and tolerance - home to the Rijksmuseum, Anne Frank House, Van Gogh Museum, and 165 waterways
2,500,000
2
Rotterdam
Europe's largest port, rebuilt after WWII into a showcase of bold modern architecture and one of the world's logistics hubs
1,500,000
3
The Hague
Seat of government, the International Court of Justice, and the Peace Palace - the world's capital of international law
900,000
4
Utrecht
Medieval university city with sunken canal-side terraces, the Dom Tower, and a vibrant student culture
600,000
5
Eindhoven
Technology and design capital, home to Philips, the Dutch Design movement, and the Brainport innovation ecosystem
400,000
6
Groningen
Lively northern university city where a quarter of the population are students, with a car-free city center
230,000
Famous People from Netherlands
Vincent van Gogh
ArtPost-Impressionist master whose Starry Night and Sunflowers became among the most recognized paintings in history
Rembrandt van Rijn
ArtMaster of the Dutch Golden Age whose Night Watch and self-portraits represent the pinnacle of Baroque painting
Johannes Vermeer
ArtPainter of Girl with a Pearl Earring and luminous domestic scenes, whose mastery of light remains unsurpassed
Anne Frank
LiteratureDiarist whose account of hiding from the Nazis in an Amsterdam annex became one of the most widely read books in history
Christiaan Huygens
ScienceInvented the pendulum clock, discovered Saturn's rings and its moon Titan, and pioneered the wave theory of light
Johan Cruyff
SportRevolutionized football with Total Football at Ajax and Barcelona, three-time Ballon d'Or winner and the most influential player-manager in the sport's history
Erasmus
LiteratureRenaissance humanist and scholar whose works including In Praise of Folly shaped European intellectual thought and religious reform
M.C. Escher
ArtGraphic artist famous for impossible constructions and mathematical art, whose tessellations and impossible staircases became cultural icons
Traditional Cuisine of Netherlands
Stroopwafel
Two thin waffle layers sandwiching warm caramel syrup, best eaten fresh from a street market balanced on a coffee mug
Bitterballen
Deep-fried crispy meatball ragout served with mustard, the essential Dutch bar snack ordered with every beer
Haring
Raw herring eaten whole or chopped with onions and pickles, a centuries-old tradition eaten standing at harbor stalls
Stamppot
Mashed potatoes mixed with vegetables like kale, sauerkraut, or carrots with smoked sausage - Dutch winter comfort
Poffertjes
Tiny fluffy pancakes made with buckwheat and yeast, dusted with powdered sugar and butter, sold at markets and fairs
Erwtensoep
Thick split pea soup with smoked sausage so dense a spoon should stand upright in it, the Dutch winter ritual
Kibbeling
Battered and fried pieces of cod served with garlic sauce, the Dutch seaside and market snack everyone craves
Gouda
World-famous Dutch cheese named after the city, ranging from young and creamy to aged and crystalline, a national treasure
Nature & Landmarks in Netherlands
Wadden Sea
CoastUNESCO World Heritage tidal flat system, the largest in the world, where you can walk on the sea floor at low tide
Keukenhof Gardens
LandmarkThe world's largest flower garden with 7 million bulbs blooming each spring, the global symbol of Dutch tulip culture
Delta Works
LandmarkOne of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World - a massive storm barrier system that protects the Netherlands from the North Sea
Hoge Veluwe National Park
National ParkLargest continuous nature reserve in the Netherlands with sand dunes, heathland, and a sculpture garden with free white bicycles
Frisian Islands
IslandChain of barrier islands in the Wadden Sea with wide beaches, dunes, and a culture distinct from the mainland
Kinderdijk
LandmarkUNESCO World Heritage row of 19 windmills from the 1740s, the most photographed symbol of Dutch water management
Biesbosch
National ParkOne of the last freshwater tidal wetlands in Europe, a maze of creeks and willow forests home to beavers and kingfishers
Texel
IslandLargest of the Wadden Islands with sandy beaches, seal colonies, and more sheep than people
Sports in Netherlands
Football
Three World Cup finals and Total Football revolution, producing legends like Cruyff, Van Basten, and Bergkamp
Speed Skating
All-time leader in Olympic speed skating medals, dominating the sport so completely that the Dutch won 23 of 36 medals at the 2014 Olympics
Cycling
More bicycles than people - 23 million bikes for 18 million people, with world-class road and track cycling programs
Field Hockey
Both men's and women's teams consistently rank among the best in the world, with multiple Olympic gold medals
Did You Know?
1
The Netherlands has more bicycles than people - 23 million bikes for 18 million residents
2
The Dutch are the tallest people in the world, with average male height of 183 cm
3
A third of the Netherlands is below sea level, including Schiphol Airport at minus 3.4 meters
4
The Dutch consume more licorice per capita than any other nation - over 2 kg per person per year
5
The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001
6
Amsterdam has more canals than Venice and more bridges than any other city in the world
7
The tulip was originally imported from Turkey and caused Tulip Mania in 1637 - often called the first economic bubble
8
The Dutch national color is orange, named after William of Orange, even though orange appears nowhere on the flag
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Test Your Knowledge of Netherlands
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