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Netherlands

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Countries; European
Countries

   Nederland
   the Netherlands

   Flag of the Netherlands Coat of arms of the Netherlands
   Flag                    Coat of arms
   Motto: Je Maintiendrai
   (Dutch: Ik zal handhaven, English: I shall persist)
   Anthem: Wilhelmus van Nassouwe
   National animal: Lion
   Location of the Netherlands
   Capital
   (and largest city) Amsterdam
   52°21′N 04°52′E
   Official languages Dutch^2
   Government Parliamentary democracy
   Constitutional monarchy
    - Queen Beatrix
    - Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende
   Independence Eighty Years' War
    - Declared July 26, 1581
    - Recognised January 30, 1648 (by Spain)
   Accession to EU March 25, 1957
   Area
    - Total 41,526 km² ( 134th)
   16,033 sq mi
    - Water (%) 18.41
   Population
    - July 2006 estimate 16,336,346 ( 59th)
    - 2001 census 16,105,285
    - Density 395/km² ( 23rd)
   1,023/sq mi
   GDP ( PPP) 2006 estimate
    - Total $503.394 billion ( 23rd)
    - Per capita $30,876 ( 15th)
   GDP (nominal) 2005 estimate
    - Total $625,271 billion ( 16th)
    - Per capita $38,618 ( 10th)
   HDI  (2004) 0.947 (high) ( 10th)
   Currency Euro ( €)^3 ( EUR)
   Time zone CET ( UTC+1)
    - Summer ( DST) CEST ( UTC+2)
   Internet TLD .nl^4
   Calling code +31
   ^1 The Hague is the seat of the government.
   ^2 In the Netherlands the Frisian language is also an official language
   (although only spoken in Fryslân); Low Saxon and Limburgish are
   officially recognised as regional languages.
   ^3 Prior to 2001: Dutch guilder.
   ^4 The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European
   Union member states.

   The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland ( IPA: [ˈne:dərlɑnt]) is the European
   part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der
   Nederlanden), which consists of the Netherlands, the Netherlands
   Antilles, and Aruba. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy,
   located in northwestern Europe. It is bordered by the North Sea to the
   north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The
   current borders were established in 1839.

   The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is not
   terminologically precise, since the provinces of North and South
   Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve
   provinces (for more on this and other naming issues see Netherlands
   (terminology)). It is also sometimes known as the Low Countries, which
   is the meaning of the original Dutch title Nederlanden. The Dutch title
   has now changed to Nederland, the Low Country, but this version has not
   been adopted in the English language.

   The Netherlands is a densely populated and geographically low-lying
   country and is popularly known for its windmills, cheese, clogs (wooden
   shoes), dikes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its policies are
   liberal toward drugs, prostitution, same-sex marriage, abortion and
   euthanasia. The country is host to the International Criminal Tribunal
   for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Court of Justice and the
   International Criminal Court at The Hague.

Capital

   Amsterdam is the capital city (hoofdstad), and The Hague (Dutch: Den
   Haag or 's-Gravenhage) is the Netherlands' seat of government
   (regeringszetel), the home of the monarch (residentie), and the
   location of most foreign embassies.

History

   Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and king of Spain, the region was
   part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, which also included
   most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and some land of France and
   Germany. 1568 saw the start of the Eighty Years' War between the
   provinces and Spain. In 1579, the northern half of the Seventeen
   Provinces declared itself independent from Spain, and they formed the
   Union of Utrecht, which is seen as the foundation of the modern
   Netherlands. Philip II, the son of Charles V, was not prepared to let
   them go that easily and war continued until 1648 when Spain finally
   recognised Dutch independence.

Republic

   After gaining formal independence from the Spanish Empire under King
   Philip IV of Spain, the Dutch grew to become one of the major seafaring
   and economic powers of the 17th century during the period of the
   Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. In the so-called Dutch Golden
   Age, colonies and trading posts were established all over the globe.
   (See Dutch colonial empire)

   Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly
   capitalist country in the world. In early modern Europe it featured the
   wealthiest trading city (Amsterdam) and the first full-time stock
   exchange. The inventiveness of the traders led to insurance and
   retirement funds as well as such less benign phenomena as the boom-bust
   cycle, the world's first asset-inflation bubble, the tulip mania of
   1636– 1637, and according to Murray Sayle, the world's first bear
   raider - Isaac le Maire, who forced prices down by dumping stock and
   then buying it back at a discount.

Kingdom

   After briefly being incorporated in the First French Empire under
   Napoleon, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815,
   consisting of the present day Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. In
   addition, the king of the Netherlands became hereditary Grand Duke of
   Luxembourg. Belgium rebelled and gained independence in 1830, while the
   personal union between Luxembourg and the Netherlands was severed in
   1890 as a result of ascendancy laws which prevented Queen Wilhelmina
   from becoming Grand Duke.

   The Netherlands possessed several colonies, most notably the Dutch East
   Indies (now Indonesia) and Suriname (the latter was traded with the
   British for New Amsterdam, now known as New York). These 'colonies'
   were first administered by the Dutch East India Company and the Dutch
   West India Company, both collective private enterprises. Three
   centuries later these companies got into financial trouble and the
   territories in which they operated were taken over by the Dutch
   government (in 1815 and 1791 respectively). Only then did they become
   official colonies.

   During the 19th century, the Netherlands was slow to industrialise
   compared to neighbouring countries, mainly due to its unique
   infrastructure of waterways and reliance on wind power. The Netherlands
   remained neutral in World War I and intended to do so in World War II.
   However, Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940 in the Western
   European campaign of the Second World War. Subsequently the Netherlands
   joined the Anglo-French alliance. The country was quickly overrun and
   surrendered after the bombing of Rotterdam, although a French force
   held Zeeland for a short time.

   During the occupation over 100,000 Dutch Jews were murdered in the
   Holocaust along with significant numbers of Dutch Roma (gypsies). Some
   Dutch e.g. members of Henneicke Column collaborated with Nazi occupiers
   in hunting down and arresting hiding Jews. Between 8,000 and 9,000 of
   Dutch Jews were rounded up in this manner and consequently deported to
   German extermination camps and murdered.

   Dutch civilians were often treated brutally. Dutch workers were
   conscripted for labour in German factories, civilians were killed in
   reprisal for attacks on German soldiers, and the countryside was
   plundered for food for German soldiers in the Netherlands and for
   shipment to Germany. The Allied 21st Army Group was given the task to
   conduct military operations to liberate The Netherlands after the
   breakout from Normandy. British, Canadian, Polish and American soldiers
   fought on Dutch soil beginning in September 1944. A first thrust,
   Market Garden north from France to Arnhem, failed. Canadian units
   fighting to liberate the Sheldt estuary fought their way into Holland
   and liberated most of the countryside, but not the urban areas of
   Rotterdam and Amsterdam. German forces held out until the German
   surrender of May 8, 1945. German forces killed Dutch civilians in
   Amsterdam on the last day of the war. The disrupted transportation
   system, caused by German destruction of dikes to slow allied advances,
   and German confiscation of much food and livestock made the winter of
   1944- 1945 one in which malnutrition and starvation were rife among the
   Dutch population. The country suffered a similar "severe winter" in
   1945- 46 because of abnormal cold and the slowness of reconstruction.

From Benelux to EU

   After the war, the Dutch economy prospered by leaving behind an era of
   neutrality and gaining closer ties with neighbouring states. The
   Netherlands became a member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands
   and Luxembourg) cooperation. Furthermore, the Netherlands was among the
   twelve founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
   (NATO) and among the six founding members of the European Coal and
   Steel Community, which would later evolve into the European Union.
   Flag of the Netherlands
   Enlarge
   Flag of the Netherlands

Naming conventions

   Various terms have been used in English to refer to the Netherlands and
   its inhabitants.

   '(The) Netherlands' is the official name of the European part of the
   'Kingdom of the Netherlands' (as opposed to overseas areas). The term '
   Holland' is commonly used as a synonym for the Netherlands, but the
   word Holland is a region in the west of the country , which has long
   been the most economically powerful part of the country. The prominence
   of this region meant that the whole country is often referred to as
   'Holland' all over the world. The country's people and language are
   called Dutch, but this word could refer to Holland alone.

   To add yet another layer of confusion, the word Dutch formerly meant
   the same as German in English usage, since in the early Middle Ages
   there was no real distinction between the Dutch and the Germans. This
   should be borne in mind when reading very old literature, and also
   accounts for the name Pennsylvania Dutch, whose ancestral origins are
   in Southern Germany and not the Netherlands. The term ' Low Countries'
   is sometimes used to refer to the Netherlands, but historically it
   refers (as does the word Netherlands) to a bigger region in western
   Europe, including Belgium, Luxembourg, and a part of France. It is
   simply the English usage for the old Dutch name Nederlanden (now
   Nederland). In the early middle ages it was considered part of the
   German geographical area (this is why the German Deutsch was used by
   the English to describe the Netherlands, becoming the English word
   Dutch), known as Low Germany because of its low topography, and this
   became simply Low Countries as the identity of the Netherlands as a
   separate national entity developed.

   In order to avoid the word Dutch, which is often used for only Holland
   and which is inappropriate for originally meaning German, the word
   Netherlands can be used as an adjective (e.g. the Netherlands
   government). Alternatively, the terms Netherlandish and Netherlandic
   are both sometimes used.

Politics

   The Netherlands has been a parliamentary democracy since 1848 and a
   constitutional monarchy since 1815; before that it had been a republic
   from 1581 to 1806 and a kingdom between 1806 and 1810 (it was part of
   France between 1810 and 1813). The head of state is the monarch (at
   present Queen Beatrix). The monarch has today in practice a mainly
   ceremonial function but the constitution allows for the exertion of
   real power, should the responsible ministers subordinate themselves; an
   open conflict between them and the monarch — whose signature is needed
   for any law or warrant to come into effect — would lead to a
   constitutional crisis (see main article).

Coalition governments

   Since the 19th century Dutch governments have always been coalition
   governments as no single political party has been able to win a
   majority vote. Formally, the monarch appoints the members of the
   government. In practice, once the results of parliamentary elections
   are known, a coalition government is formed (in a process of
   negotiations that has taken up to seven months), after which the
   negotiated government is officially appointed by the monarch. The head
   of the government is the Prime Minister, in Dutch Minister-President or
   Premier, a primus inter pares (first among equals) who is also usually
   the leader of the largest party in the coalition. The degree of
   influence the monarch has on actual government formation is a topic of
   ongoing speculation.

Parliament

   The parliament consists of two houses. The 150 members of the Lower
   House (Tweede Kamer, or Second Chamber) are elected every four years in
   direct elections. The provincial assemblies are directly elected every
   four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the
   75 members of the less important Senate (the Eerste Kamer, or First
   Chamber). The Eerste Kamer can merely reject laws, not propose or amend
   them. Together, the First and Second Chamber are known as the
   Staten-Generaal, the States General.

   On February 7, 2006, the Second Chamber introduced the right of
   citizens' initiative at the national level.

'Polder Model'

   Political scientists consider the Netherlands to be a classic example
   of a consociational state, traditionally explained by the necessity
   since the early Middle Ages for different social groups to cooperate in
   order to fight the water; illustrated by the authority of the
   Dijkgraven (regional dyke inspector general) over the local nobility.
   Better founded hypotheses include a partial failing of feudalisation
   and the successful resistance against absolutism. This system of
   reaching an agreement despite differences is called the polder model;
   and has more recently been used to describe the combined discussions
   and advice regarding labour laws by a regular council of (the
   traditional adversaries) the trade unions, the employers and the
   government.

   Also, the Netherlands has long been a nation of traders, dominated by a
   freethinking bourgeoisie and for international trade one has to be
   tolerant of others' (cultures). At home, despite calvinism being the
   state religion until the 19th century, there was in practice religious
   tolerance shown towards Catholics, Jews and liberal Protestant
   movements. However, prior to the 19th century, Catholics were
   practically not allowed to hold government functions, and Protestant
   restrictions were enforced on Jewish but especially on Catholic and
   liberal Protestant houses of prayer. In spite of this coexistence the
   difference religious (and later labour groups) did not mingle and
   founded their own newspapers, societies, schools, and later
   broadcasting corporations ( pillarisation).

   After the Dutch role as a world power was finished, from about 1839
   onwards the Netherlands tried to be a neutral country and thus managed
   to keep out of World War I. The period of neutrality ended with the
   1940- 1945 German occupation in World War II, after which the
   Netherlands became member of the NATO.

Populism

   The early years of the 21st century have seen political upheaval, most
   clearly illustrated by the quick rise and fall of the LPF. Pim Fortuyn,
   its founder, gained massive support for his populist views that
   previous cabinets were responsible for many problems, noticeably the
   presumed failing integration of immigrants. Just before the election of
   2002 he was murdered by an animal rights activist, the most high
   profile political murder in roughly 400 years (since the lynching of
   Johan de Witt and his brother Cornelis in 1672). The elections, which
   sent the Netherlands into a period of political chaos, were concluded
   in the emotional aftermath.

Present

   The present government is led by the (resigned) minority cabinet
   Balkenende III, a short-term continuation of Balkenende II ( CDA/ VVD/
   D66) without the smallest coalition party, D66. Elections were held at
   November 22, 2006. Negotiations for the new cabinet have started
   shortly after the elections.

   Balkenende II's economic reforms and immigration policies had resulted
   in a shift in public opinion to the left, showing from political polls
   and the 2006 municipal elections, in which the government coalition
   parties faced great losses in favour of the opposition parties, mainly
   the Labour Party (PvdA) and the Socialist Party (SP). Following the
   controversial decisions of Immigration and Integration Minister Rita
   Verdonk regarding the legal status of immigrant politician Ayaan Hirsi
   Ali, the Dutch cabinet went into crisis on June 29, 2006. Jan-Peter
   Balkenende presented his temporary minority cabinet to the Queen on
   July 7.

   On June 1, 2005, the Dutch electorate voted in a referendum against the
   proposed EU Constitution by a majority of 61.6%, three days after the
   French had also voted against it.

Administrative divisions

   Map of the Netherlands, with red dots marking the capitals of the
   provinces and black dots marking the large cities. The national capital
   is Amsterdam, and the national seat of government is The Hague (Den
   Haag)
   Enlarge
   Map of the Netherlands, with red dots marking the capitals of the
   provinces and black dots marking the large cities. The national capital
   is Amsterdam, and the national seat of government is The Hague (Den
   Haag)

   The Netherlands is divided into twelve administrative regions, called
   provinces, each under a Governor, who is called Commissaris van de
   Koningin (Commissioner of the Queen), except for the province Limburg
   where the commissioner is called Governor ( Governor) which underlines
   the more "non-Dutch" mentality.
     * Fryslân - north west; capital and largest city Leeuwarden
     * Groningen - north east; capital and largest city Groningen
     * Drenthe - south of Groningen; capital and largest city Assen
     * Overijssel - east central, south of Drenthe; capital Zwolle,
       largest city Enschede
     * Flevoland - central, north of Utrecht; capital Lelystad, largest
       city Almere
     * Gelderland - east central, south of Overijssel; capital Arnhem,
       largest city Nijmegen
     * Utrecht - central; capital and largest city Utrecht
     * North Holland - (Noord-Holland) north west; capital Haarlem,
       largest city (of the province and the country) Amsterdam
     * South Holland - (Zuid-Holland) west central, south of North
       Holland; capital The Hague ('s-Gravenhage or Den Haag), largest
       city Rotterdam
     * Zeeland - south west; capital and largest city Middelburg
     * North Brabant - (Noord-Brabant) south central; capital
       's-Hertogenbosch (or Den Bosch), largest city Eindhoven
     * Limburg - south east; capital and largest city Maastricht.

   All provinces are divided into municipalities (gemeenten), 458 in total
   ( 1 January 2006).

   The country is also subdivided in water districts, governed by a water
   board (waterschap or hoogheemraadschap), each having authority in
   matters concerning water management. As of 1 January 2005 there are 27.
   The creation of water boards actually pre-dates that of the nation
   itself, the first appearing in 1196. In fact, the Dutch water boards
   are one of the oldest democratic entities in the world still in
   existence.

Geography

   A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country.
   Hilly landscapes can be found only in the central part, the
   south-eastern tip of the country and where the glaciers pushed up
   several hilly ridges such as the Hondsrug in Drenthe, the stuwwallen
   near Nijmegen, Salland, Twente and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.

Below sea level

   About half of its surface area is less than 1 metre (3.3  ft) above sea
   level, and much of it is actually below sea level. An extensive range
   of dykes and dunes protects these areas from flooding. Numerous massive
   pumping stations keep the ground water level in check. The highest
   point, the Vaalserberg, in the south-eastern most point of the country,
   is 321 metres (1,053 ft) above sea level. The Vaalserberg is a foothill
   of the Ardennes mountains. A substantial part of the Netherlands, for
   example, all of the province of Flevoland (contains the largest
   man-made island in the world) and large parts of Holland, has been
   reclaimed from the sea. These areas are known as polders. This has led
   to the saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the
   Netherlands."

Floods

   In years past, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably due to
   human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land
   loss are the 1134 storm, which created the archipelago of Zeeland in
   the south west, and the 1287 storm, which killed 50,000 people and
   created the Zuiderzee (now dammed in and renamed the IJsselmeer — see
   below) in the northwest, giving Amsterdam direct access to the sea. The
   [[St. Elizabeth's flood ( 1421)|St. Elizabeth flood]] of 1421 and the
   mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimed polder,
   replacing it with the 72 square kilometres (28  sq mi) Biesbosch tidal
   floodplains in the south-centre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were
   flooded during the North Sea Flood of 1953 and 1,836 people were
   killed, after which the Delta Plan was executed.
   Satellite image of the Netherlands (ca. May 2000)
   Enlarge
   Satellite image of the Netherlands (ca. May 2000)

   The disasters were partially man-made; the people drained relatively
   high lying swampland for use as farmland. This drainage caused the
   fertile peat to compress and the ground level to drop, locking the land
   users in a vicious circle whereby they would lower the water level to
   compensate for the drop in ground level, causing the underlying peat to
   compress even more. The vicious circle is unsolvable and remains to
   this day. Up until the 19th century peat was dug up, dried, and used
   for fuel, further adding to the problem.

   To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were
   contrived. In the first millennium, villages and farmhouses were built
   on man-made hills called terps. Later, these terps were connected by
   dikes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called
   "waterschappen" (English "water bodies") or "hoogheemraadschappen"
   ("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain
   the water level and to protect a region from floods. (The water bodies
   are still around today performing the same function.) As the ground
   level dropped, the dikes by necessity grew and merged into an
   integrated system. In the 13th century, windmills came into use to pump
   water out of the areas by now below sea level. The windmills were later
   used to drain lakes, creating the famous polders. In 1932, the
   Afsluitdijk (English "Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the former
   Zuiderzee (Southern Sea) off from the North Sea and thus creating the
   IJsselmeer ( IJssel Lake). It became part of the larger Zuiderzee Works
   in which four polders totalling 1,650 square kilometres (637 sq mi)
   were reclaimed from the sea.

   See also: Flood control in the Netherlands, Floods in the Netherlands

Delta Works

   After the 1953 disaster, the Delta project, a vast construction effort
   designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched
   in 1958 and largely completed in 2002. The official goal of the Delta
   project was to reduce the risk of flooding in the Zeeland to once per
   10,000 years. (For the rest of the country, the protection-level is
   once per 4,000 years.) This was achieved by raising 3,000 kilometres
   (1,864  mi) of outer sea-dikes and 10,000 kilometres (6,200 mi) of
   inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the
   sea estuaries of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments
   occasionally show problems requiring additional Delta project dike
   reinforcements. The Delta project is one of the largest construction
   efforts in human history and is considered by the American Society of
   Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

   Because of the high cost of maintaining the polders some have argued
   that maybe some of the deepest polders should be given up.
   Additionally, the Netherlands is one of the countries that may suffer
   most from climatic change. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but
   also erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow.

Rivers

   The country is divided into two main parts by three rivers Rhine
   (Rijn), Waal, and Meuse (Maas). The south-western part of the
   Netherlands is actually one big river delta of these rivers. These
   rivers not only function as a natural barrier, but also as a cultural
   divide, as is evident in the different dialects spoken north and south
   of these great rivers and the (previous) religious dominance of
   Catholics in the south and Calvinists in the north.

   The predominant wind direction in the Netherlands is south-west, which
   causes a moderate maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters.

Economy

   The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy in which the
   government has reduced its role since the 1980s. Industrial activity is
   predominantly in food-processing (for example Unilever and Heineken),
   chemicals (for example DSM), petroleum refining (for example Royal
   Dutch Shell), and electrical machinery (for example Philips).
   Slochteren has the largest natural gas field in the world, which has so
   far (2006) resulted in a total revenue of €159 billion since the mid
   1970s. With just over half of the reserves used up and an expected
   continued rise in oil prices, the revenues over the next few decades
   are expected to be at least that much.

Third in worldwide agricultural exports

   A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the
   labour force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing
   industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of
   agricultural exports, behind the United States and France, with exports
   earning $46 billion annually. A significant portion of Dutch
   agricultural exports are derived from fresh-cut plants, flowers, and
   bulbs, with the Netherlands exporting two-thirds of the world's total.
   The Netherlands also exports a quarter of all world tomatoes, and
   one-third of the world's exports of peppers and cucumbers. The
   Netherlands' location gives it prime access to markets in the UK and
   Germany, with the port of Rotterdam being the largest port in Europe.
   Other important parts of the economy are international trade (Dutch
   colonialism started with cooperative private enterprises such as the
   VOC), banking and transport. The Netherlands successfully addressed the
   issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its
   European partners.

   As a founding member of the Euro, the Netherlands replaced (for
   accounting purposes) its former currency, the guilder, on January 1,
   1999, along with the other adopters of the single European currency.
   Actual Euro coins and banknotes followed on January 1, 2002. In the
   first years of the third millennium, economic and employment growth
   came to a standstill, which the government tried to resolve by reducing
   expenses.

16th largest economy

   At this moment the Netherlands is the 16th largest economy of the
   world. (see: List of countries by GDP (nominal)) Between 1998 and 2000
   annual economic growth ( GDP) averaged nearly 4%, well above the
   European average. Growth slowed considerably in 2001-05 as part of the
   global economic slowdown, but the first quarter of 2006 showed a
   promising 2.6%. Inflation is 1.3% and is expected to stay low at around
   1.5% in the coming years. The CBS however has claimed the inflation is
   at 0.9%, the lowest since 1989. According to the definition used by the
   Dutch Statistics Agency CBS, unemployment is at 5.5% of the labour
   force By Eurostat standards however, unemployment in the Netherlands is
   at only 3.8% - the lowest rate of all European Union member states
   (figures: June 2006). The Netherlands also has a relatively low GINI
   coefficient of 0.326.
     * Economic data for the Netherlands: Dutch English

Demographics

   Demographics of Netherlands, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of
   inhabitants in thousands.
   Enlarge
   Demographics of Netherlands, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of
   inhabitants in thousands.
     * Dutch 80.8%
     * German 2.4%
     * Indonesian ( Indo-European, Indo-Dutch, Moluccan) 2.4%
     * Turks 2.2%
     * Surinamese 2.0%
     * Moroccan 1.9%
     * Indian 1.5%
     * Antillean and Aruban 0.8%
     * other 6.0%

   The population of the Netherlands is physically the tallest in the
   world, with an average height of 1.83 m (6 ft ) for adult males and
   1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) for adult females. The reasons for the increase in
   height are uncertain (CBS 2006).

Most densely populated

   The Netherlands is the 23rd most densely populated country in the
   world, with 395 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,023 sq mi)—or 484
   people per square kilometre (1,254/sq mi) if only the land area is
   counted, since 18.4% is water. Partly because of this it is also one of
   the most densely cabled countries in the world. Internet penetration is
   at 65.9% the 19th highest in the world.

   It should be noted that many of the 22 countries with a higher
   population density are exceptionally small, with 8 microstates smaller
   than 100 km². 15 of the 22 are smaller than 1000 km².

Variety

   According to CBS Statline, the official statistics bureau of the
   Netherlands, the ethnic origins of the citizens are very diverse. The
   vast majority of the population however still remains Dutch. They were:
   80.8% Dutch, 2.4% German, 2.4% Indonesian ( Indo-European, Indo-Dutch,
   Moluccan), 2.2% Turks, 2.0% Surinamese, 1.9% Moroccan, 1.5% Indian,
   0.8% Antillean and Aruban, and 6.0% other. However, this does not
   include the whole Kingdom of the Netherlands (such as the Netherlands
   Antilles and Aruba, which have a non-European majority community), and
   only includes the population in the Netherlands itself. The Netherlands
   also has a resident population of some 200,000 people of mixed Dutch
   and Indonesian descent (Indonesia being a former colony of the
   Netherlands).

Small big cities

   There are no cities with a population over 1 million in the
   Netherlands, but the 'four big cities' as they are called (Amsterdam,
   Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht) can in many ways be regarded as a
   single 'big city' conurbation, the Randstad ('rim or edge city') with
   about 7 million inhabitants and an agricultural 'green heart' (het
   Groene Hart). The unity of this conurbation can be illustrated by the
   current idea effort to create a circular train system connecting the
   four cities.

   The 5 'largest' cities are, in order of descending population:
     * Amsterdam
     * Rotterdam
     * The Hague ( Den Haag)
     * Utrecht
     * Eindhoven.

   Only Eindhoven is not located in the Randstad.

Languages

   The official language is Dutch, which is spoken by practically all
   inhabitants.

   Another official language is Frisian, which is spoken in the northern
   province of Fryslân. Frisian is co-official only in the province of
   Fryslân, although with a few restrictions. Several dialects of Low
   Saxon (Nedersaksisch in Dutch) are spoken in much of the north and east
   and are recognised by the Netherlands as regional languages according
   to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Another
   Dutch dialect granted the status of regional language is Limburgish,
   which is spoken in the south-eastern province of Limburg.

   There is a tradition of learning foreign languages in the Netherlands:
   about 85% of the total population has basic knowledge of English,
   55–60% of German and 35% of French.

People

Culture

   Erasmus (1466–1536)
   Enlarge
   Erasmus (1466–1536)

   The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. The 17th century,
   when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch
   Masters" such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and
   many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century were
   Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known
   graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam,
   although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American
   artist. Han van Meegeren was an infamous Dutch art forger.

   The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and
   Spinoza, and all of Descartes' major work was done there. The Dutch
   scientist Christiaan Huygens ( 1629– 1695) discovered Saturn's moon
   Titan and invented the pendulum clock.

   In the Dutch Golden Age, literature flowered as well, with Joost van
   den Vondel and P. C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th
   century, Multatuli wrote about the bad treatment of the natives in
   Dutch colonies. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch,
   Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard van het Reve and
   Willem Frederik Hermans. Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl was
   published after she died in the Holocaust and translated from Dutch to
   all major languages.

   See also: List of museums in the Netherlands, Sport in the Netherlands,
   Music of the Netherlands, List of Dutch people, Public holidays in the
   Netherlands

   Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki,
   Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China.

   Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, and Delftware pottery are among the
   items associated with the Netherlands.

   Efteling is a famous amusement park in the Netherlands.

Neighbouring countries

   Flag of United Kingdom  United Kingdom  Image:Template
   CanadianCityGeoLocation West.png   North Sea North Sea
   North Sea North Flag of Germany  Germany
   West    Flag of Netherlands  Netherlands     East
   South
   Flag of Belgium  Belgium

   Countries of Europe

   Albania · Andorra · Armenia^1 · Austria · Azerbaijan^2 · Belarus ·
   Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus^1 ·
   Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia^2 ·
   Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan^2 ·
   Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia
   · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland
   · Portugal · Romania · Russia^2 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia ·
   Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey^2 · Ukraine · United
   Kingdom · Vatican City

   (1) Entirely in Asia but having socio-political connections with
   Europe. (2) Has significant territory in Asia.
   Countries and territories on the North Sea

   Mainland Europe: Flag of Belgium  Belgium • Flag of Denmark  Denmark •
   Flag of France  France • Flag of Germany  Germany • Flag of Netherlands
    Netherlands

   Great Britain, Scandinavian Peninsula and on the sea: Flag of Faroe
   Islands  Faroe Islands • Flag of Norway  Norway • Flag of United
   Kingdom  United Kingdom ( Flag of England  England, Flag of Scotland
   Scotland)
   European Union members and candidates

   Austria • Belgium • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   Finland • France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Ireland • Italy •
   Latvia • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Malta • Netherlands • Poland •
   Portugal • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • United Kingdom

   Countries acceding on January 1, 2007: Bulgaria • Romania

   Candidate countries: Croatia • Turkey • Republic of Macedonia (referred
   to as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia by the European Union)
   North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)
   Flag of NATO

   Belgium • Bulgaria • Canada • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia •
   France • Germany • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Italy • Latvia •
   Lithuania • Luxembourg • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal •
   Romania • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Turkey • United Kingdom •
   United States

   Candidate countries: Albania • Croatia • Republic of Macedonia (as
   FYROM)
   Germanic-speaking nations and regions in Europe

   Scandinavian: Flag of Åland  Åland Islands • Flag of Denmark  Denmark •
   Flag of Finland  Finland • Flag of Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands • Flag
   of Iceland  Iceland • Flag of Norway  Norway • Flag of Sweden  Sweden

   German/ Franconian: Flag of Austria  Austria • Flag of Belgium  Belgium
   • Flag of Germany  Germany • Flag of Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein •
   Flag of Luxembourg  Luxembourg • Flag of Netherlands  Netherlands •
   Flag of Switzerland  Switzerland

   Anglo-Frisian: Flag of Republic of Ireland  Ireland • Flag of Friesland
     Friesland • Flag of United Kingdom  United Kingdom • Gibraltar
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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