Jump to content

Netherlands: Difference between revisions

Edit links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
←Replaced content with 'Hunter really likes the Tennessee Volunteers.'
Line 1: Line 1:
Hunter really likes the Tennessee Volunteers.
{{otheruses}}
{{FixHTML|beg}}
{{Infobox Country
|native_name = ''Koninkrijk der Nederlanden''
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
|common_name = the Netherlands
|image_flag = Flag of the Netherlands.svg
|image_coat = NL - COA.png <!--Do not replace, the svg version is not official, this one is-->
|image_map = Location Netherlands EU Europe.png
|map_caption = {{map_caption|location_color=dark green|region=[[Europe]]|region_color=dark grey|subregion=the [[European Union]]|subregion_color=light green|legend=Location Netherlands EU Europe.png}}
|national_motto = <span style="line-height:133%;">''"Je maintiendrai"''{{spaces|2}}<small>([[French language|French]])</small><br/>''"Ik zal handhaven"''{{spaces|2}}<small>([[Dutch language|Dutch]])<br/>"I shall stand fast"<sup>1</sup></span>
|national_anthem = "''[[Het Wilhelmus]]''"
|official_languages = [[Dutch language|Dutch]]³ <!-- Do not add Frisian here, see the talk page discussion. -->
|ethnic_groups = 80.9% [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]]<br>19.1% various others
|ethnic_groups_year =
|demonym = Dutch
|capital = [[Amsterdam]]²
|largest_city = capital
|latd=52 |latm=21 |latNS=N |longd=04 |longm=52 |longEW=E
|government_type = [[Parliamentary system|Parliamentary democracy]] and [[Constitutional monarchy]]
|leader_title1 = [[Queen of the Netherlands|Monarch]]
|leader_name1 = [[Beatrix of the Netherlands|Queen Beatrix]]
|leader_title2 = [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands|Prime Minister]]
|leader_name2 = [[Jan Peter Balkenende]] ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]])
|area_rank = 134th
|area_magnitude = 1 E10
|area_km2 = 41,526
|area_sq_mi = 16,033 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|percent_water = 18.41
|population_estimate = 16,408,557
|population_estimate_year = 2008
|population_estimate_rank = 61st
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density_km2 = 395
|population_density_sq_mi = 1,023 <!--Do not remove per [[WP:MOSNUM]]-->
|population_density_rank = 25th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2006
|GDP_PPP = 670,929 Billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 16th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $35,078
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 10th
|GDP_nominal = $625.271 billion
|GDP_nominal_rank = 16th
|GDP_nominal_year = 2005
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $38,618
|GDP_nominal_per_capita_rank = 10th
|sovereignty_type = [[Independence]]
|sovereignty_note = through the [[Eighty Years' War]] from [[Philip II of Spain]]
|established_event1 = Declared
|established_date1 = [[July 26]] [[1581]]
|established_event2 = Recognised
|established_date2 = [[January 30]] [[1648]]<sup>4</sup>
|accessionEUdate = [[March 25]] [[1957]]
|HDI_year = 2005
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.953
|HDI_rank = 9th
|HDI_category = <font color="#009900">high</font>
|currency = [[Euro]] ([[Euro sign|€]])<sup>5</sup>
|currency_code = EUR
|country_code = NLD
|time_zone = [[Central European Time|CET]]
|utc_offset = +1
|time_zone_DST = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
|utc_offset_DST = +2
|cctld = [[.nl]]<sup>6</sup>
|calling_code = 31
|footnote1 = The literal translation of the motto is "I will maintain". Here "maintain" is taken to mean to stand fast or to hold ground.
|footnote2 = While [[Amsterdam]] is the constitutional capital, [[The Hague]] is the seat of the government.
|footnote3 = [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]] is also an official language in [[the Netherlands]], although only spoken in Friesland; [[Dutch Low Saxon]] and [[Limburgish language|Limburgish]] are officially recognised as [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|regional languages]].
|footnote4 = [[Peace of Westphalia]].
|footnote5 = Before 2002: [[Dutch guilder]].
|footnote6 = The [[.eu]] domain is also used, as it is shared with other [[European Union]] member states.
}}
{{FixHTML|end}}
The '''Netherlands''' ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]: {{Audio|Nl-Nederland.ogg|''Nederland''}}, {{IPA2|ˈne:dərlɑnt}}) is the [[Europe]]an part of the [[Kingdom of the Netherlands]], which consists of the Netherlands, the [[Netherlands Antilles]] and [[Aruba]] in the Caribbean. The Netherlands is a [[parliamentary]] [[democratic]] [[constitutional monarchy]], located in [[Western Europe]]. It is bordered by the [[North Sea]] to the north and west, [[Belgium]] to the south, and [[Germany]] to the east.

The Netherlands is often called ''[[Holland]]''. This is formally incorrect as [[North Holland|North]] and [[South Holland]] in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces. As a matter of fact, many Dutch people colloquially use ''Holland'' as a [[synecdoche]], being well aware of the widespread use of this name. For more on this and other naming issues see [[Netherlands (terminology)|terminology of the Netherlands]].

The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying and [[Population density|densely populated]] country. It is popularly known for its traditional [[windmill]]s, [[tulip]]s, [[cheese]], [[Clog (shoe)|clogs]] (wooden shoes), [[delftware]] and [[gouda (pottery)|gouda]] pottery, for its [[bicycle]]s, its [[Dike (construction)|dike]]s and surge barriers, and, on the other hand, traditional values and civil virtues such as its classic [[Toleration|social tolerance]]. But primarily, the Netherlands is a modern, advanced and open society. An old [[parliamentary democracy]], the country is more recently known for its rather [[liberalism|liberal]] policies toward [[drug policy of the Netherlands|recreational drugs]], [[prostitution in the Netherlands|prostitution]], [[LGBT rights in the Netherlands|homosexuality]], [[abortion in the Netherlands|abortion]], and [[Euthanasia in the Netherlands|euthanasia]]. The Netherlands is also one of the most densely cabled countries in the world; its internet connection rate is 87.8%, the 2nd highest in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.internetworldstats.com/top25.htm|publisher=InternetWorldStats.com|title=Top 44 countries with the highest internet penetration rate|accessdate=2008-02-24}}</ref>

The Netherlands has an international outlook; among other affiliations the country is a founding member of the [[European Union]] (EU), [[NATO]], the [[OECD]], and has signed the [[Kyoto protocol]]. Along with [[Belgium]] and [[Luxembourg]], the Netherlands is one of three member nations of the [[Benelux]] economic union. The country is host to five international(ised) courts: the [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]], the [[International Court of Justice]], the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia]], the [[International Criminal Court]] and the [[Special Tribunal for Lebanon]]. All of these courts (except the Special Tribunal for Lebanon), as well as the EU's criminal intelligence agency ([[Europol]]), are situated in [[The Hague]], which has led to the city being referred to as "the world's legal capital."<ref>{{cite book | last = van Krieken | first = Peter J. | coauthors = David McKay | title = The Hague: Legal Capital of the World
| publisher = Cambridge University Press | date= 2005 | location = | pages = | url = | doi = | id = ISBN 9067041858 }}, specifically, ''"In the 1990s, during his term as United Nations Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali started calling The Hague the world's legal capital"''</ref>

A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is its flatness. Hilly landscapes can be found only in the south-eastern tip of the country on the foothills of the [[Ardennes]], the central part and where the [[glacier]]s pushed up several hilly ridges such as the [[Hondsrug]] in Drenthe, the stuwwallen (push moraines) near [[Arnhem]] and [[Nijmegen]], [[Salland]], [[Twente]] and the [[Utrechtse Heuvelrug]].

== History ==
{{main|History of the Netherlands}}

Under [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], [[Holy Roman Emperor]], and king of [[Spanish Empire|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 formed the [[Union of Utrecht]], a treaty in which they promised to support each other in their defense against the Spanish army. The Union of Utrecht is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands. In 1581 the northern provinces adopted the [[Oath of Abjuration]], the declaration of independence in which the provinces officially deposed [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]]. Philip II the son of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], was not prepared to let them go easily and war continued until 1648 when Spain under King [[Philip IV of Spain|Philip IV]] finally recognised Dutch independence in the Treaty of [[Münster]].

===Dutch Republic 1581-1795===
{{main|Dutch Republic}}
[[Image:WilliamOfOrange1580.jpg|thumb|left|180px|upright|[[William the Silent]], leader of the Netherlands during the [[Dutch Revolt]].]]

Since their independence from [[Philip II of Spain|Phillip II]] in 1581 the provinces formed the Dutch Republic. The republic was a [[confederation]] of the provinces [[Holland]], [[Zeeland]], [[Groningen]], [[Friesland]], [[Utrecht]], [[Overijssel]] and [[Gelre]]. All these provinces were autonomous and had their own governments, the "States of the Province". The [[States-General]], the confederal government, were seated in [[The Hague]] and consisted of representatives of each of the seven provinces. The very thinly populated region of [[Drenthe]], mainly consisting of poor peatland, was part of the Republic too, although Drenthe was not considered one of the provinces. Drenthe had its own States but the [[landdrost]] of Drenthe was appointed by the States-General.
The Republic occupied a number of so-called [[Generality Lands]] (''Generaliteitslanden'' in Dutch). These territories were governed directly by the States-General, so they did not have a government of their own and they did not have representatives in the States-General. Most of these territories were occupied during the [[Eighty Years' War]]. They were mainly Roman Catholic and they were used as a buffer zone between the Republic and the [[Southern Netherlands]].
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 post]]s were established all over the globe. (See [[Dutch Empire|Dutch colonial empire]])

Many economic historians regard the Netherlands as the first thoroughly [[capitalism|capitalist]] country in the world. In early modern Europe it featured the wealthiest trading city ([[Amsterdam]]) and the first full-time [[Amsterdam Stock Exchange|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&ndash;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.<ref>"Japan Goes Dutch", ''London Review of Books'' ([[2001-04-01]]). 3-7.</ref> The republic went into a state of general decline in the later 18th century, with economic competition from [[England]] and long standing rivalries between the two main factions in Dutch society, the ''Staatsgezinden'' (Republicans) and the ''Prinsgezinden'' (Royalists or Orangists) as main factors.

===Under French influence 1795-1815===
On [[January 19]], [[1795]], a day after [[stadtholder]] [[William V of Orange]] fled to England, the [[Batavian Republic]] (''Bataafse Republiek'' in [[Dutch language|Dutch]]) was proclaimed. The proclamation of the Batavian Republic introduced the concept of the unitary state in the Netherlands. From 1795 to 1806, the Batavian Republic designated the Netherlands as a [[republic]] modelled after the [[French First Republic|French Republic]].
The [[Kingdom of Holland]] 1806 – 1810 ([[Dutch language|Dutch]]: Koninkrijk Holland, [[French language|French]]: Royaume de Hollande) was set up by [[Napoleon Bonaparte]] as a puppet kingdom for his third brother, [[Louis Bonaparte|Louis Napoleon Bonaparte]], in order to control the Netherlands more effectively. The name of the leading province, [[Holland]], was now taken for the whole country. The kingdom of Holland covered the area of present day Netherlands, with the exception of Limburg, and parts of Zeeland, which were French territory. In 1807 Prussian [[East Frisia]] and [[Jever]] were added to the kingdom. In 1809 however, after an English invasion, Holland had to give over all territories south of the river [[Rhine]] to France.

King Louis Napoleon did not meet Napoleon's expectations &mdash; he tried to serve Dutch interests instead of his brother's &mdash; and the King had to abdicate on July 1, 1810. He was succeeded by his five year old son [[Napoleon Louis Bonaparte]]. Napoleon Louis reigned as Louis II for just ten days as Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte ignored his young nephew’s accession to the throne. The Emperor sent in an army to invade the country and dissolved the Kingdom of Holland. The Netherlands then became part of the French Empire.
From 1810 to 1813, when Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated in the [[battle of Leipzig]], the Netherlands were part of the French Empire.
===Kingdom of the Netherlands===
In 1795 the last stadtholder [[William V of Orange]] fled to England. His son returned to the Netherlands in 1813 to become [[William I of the Netherlands]], Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands. On March 16, 1815 the Sovereign Prince became King of the Netherlands.

[[Image:Carte Hollande 1843.jpg|thumb|180px|upright|Map of the Netherlands in 1843 after independence of Belgium.]]
{{see also|Kingdom of the Netherlands}}

In 1815 the [[Congress of Vienna]] formed the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]], by expanding the Netherlands with [[Belgium]] in order to create a strong country on the northern border of France. In addition, William became hereditary [[Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg|Grand Duke of Luxembourg]]. The Congress of Vienna gave Luxembourg to William personally in exchange for his German possessions, [[Nassau-Dillenburg]], [[Siegen]], [[Hadamar]] and [[Diez]].

Belgium rebelled and gained independence in 1830, while the [[personal union]] between [[Luxembourg]] and the Netherlands was severed in 1890, when [[King William III of the Netherlands]] died with no surviving male heirs. [[Salic Law|Ascendancy laws]] prevented his daughter [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina]] from becoming the next Grand Duchess. Therefore the throne of Luxembourg passed over from the [[House of Orange-Nassau]] to the [[House of Nassau-Weilburg]], another branch of the [[House of Nassau]].

===Colonies===
The largest Dutch settlement abroad was the Cape Colony. It was established by Jan van Riebeeck on behalf of the Dutch East India Company at [[Capetown]] ({{lang-nl|Kaapstad}}) in 1652. The Prince of Orange acquiesced to British occupation and control of the Cape Colony in 1788. The Netherlands also possessed several other colonies, but Dutch settlement in these lands was limited. Most notable were the vast [[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.

===Industrialisation===
During the 19th century, the Netherlands was slow to industrialize compared to neighbouring countries, mainly due to the great complexity involved in the modernizing of the infrastructure consisting largely of waterways and the great reliance its industry had on windpower.

===World War I===

Many historians do not recognise the Dutch involvement during World War I. However, recentely historians started to change their opinion on the role of the Dutch. Although the Netherlands remained neutral during the war, it was heavily involved in the war. <ref>Abbenhuis, Maartje M. The Art of Staying Neutral. Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2006. </ref> [[Von Schlieffen]] had originally planned to invade the Netherlands while advancing into France in the original [[Schlieffen Plan]]. This was changed by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger in order to maintain Dutch neutrality. Later during the war Dutch neutrality would prove essential to German survival up till the blockade integated by the USA and Great Britain in 1916 when the import of goods through the Netherlands was no longer possible. However, the Dutch were able to remain neutral during the war using their excellent diplomacy and their ability to trade. <ref>Abbenhuis, Maartje M. The Art of Staying Neutral. Amsterdam: Amsterdam UP, 2006.</ref>

===World War II===
{{main|History of the Netherlands (1939-1945)}}

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. The country was quickly overrun and the army main force surrendered on May 14 after the [[bombing of Rotterdam]], although a Dutch and French allied force held the province of Zeeland for a short time after the Dutch surrender. The Kingdom as such continued the war from the colonial empire; the [[government in exile]] resided in London.

The Netherlands lost control of its major colonial stronghold Indonesia to the Japanese in March 1942. The Japanese enslaved many Dutch during their occupation, sending women as sex slaves to troops and using men as forced labour {{Fact|date=January 2008}}. Japanese also set up concentration camps known as the "Jappenkampen", in which Dutch were treated horribly and were forced to work under inhumane circumstances {{Fact|date=January 2008}}.

During the occupation over 100,000 Dutch [[Jew]]s {{Fact|date=February 2008}} were rounded up to be transported to Nazi concentration camps in Germany, [[Poland]] and [[Czechoslovakia]] where they were murdered in the [[The Holocaust|Holocaust]]. 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. Although there are many stories of Dutch people risking their lives by hiding Jews from the Germans, like in the diary of [[Anne Frank]], there were also Dutch people who collaborated with Nazi occupiers in hunting down and arresting hiding Jews, and some joined the [[Waffen-SS]] to form the [[4th SS Volunteer Panzergrenadier Brigade Netherlands]], fighting on the [[Eastern Front (World War II)|Eastern Front]].

After a first liberation attempt by the Allied [[21st Army Group]] stalled, much of the northern Netherlands was subject to the [[Dutch famine of 1944]], caused by the disrupted transportation system, caused by German destruction of dikes to slow allied advances, and German confiscation of much food and livestock and above that all a very severe winter made the "Hunger Winter" of 1944-1945 one in which malnutrition and starvation were rife among the Dutch population. German forces held out until the surrender of [[May 5]], [[1945]], in [[Wageningen]] at Hotel De Wereld.

===After the war===
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]] ('''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands and '''Lux'''embourg) cooperation. Furthermore, the Netherlands was among the twelve founding members of the [[NATO|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]].


==Geography==
===Floods===
In years past, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably as a result of human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land loss is the 1134 storm, which created the [[archipelago]] of [[Zeeland]] in the south west. 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&nbsp;[[square mile|sq&nbsp;mi]]) ''[[Biesbosch]]'' tidal floodplains in the south-centre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were flooded during the [[North Sea flood of 1953|North Sea Flood of 1953]] when 1,836 people were killed, after which the [[Delta Works|''Delta Plan'']] was executed.

[[Image:Netherlands pol87.jpg|thumb|180px|upright|Map of the Netherlands.]]
[[Image:Satellite image of the Netherlands in May 2000.jpg|thumb|180px|upright|Satellite image of the Netherlands (ca. May 2000).]]

The disasters were partially increased in severity through human influence. People had drained relatively high lying swampland to use it 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 problem remains unsolvable to this day. Also, up until the 19th century peat was mined, 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 AD, villages and farmhouses were built on man-made hills called ''terps''. Later, these terps were connected by dykes. 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. (These agencies exist to this day, performing the same function.) As the ground level dropped, the dykes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. By the 13th century, windmills had come into use in order to pump water out of areas below sea level. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famous [[polders]]. In 1932, the ''[[Afsluitdijk]]'' (English "Closure Dyke") was completed, blocking the former ''[[Zuiderzee]]'' (Southern Sea) from the North Sea and thus creating the [[IJsselmeer]] ([[IJssel]] Lake). It became part of the larger [[Zuiderzee Works]] in which four polders totalling 2,500 km<sup>2</sup> (965 mi<sup>2</sup>) were reclaimed from the sea.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/gemeentes/gem533nh.htm|publisher=www.sdu.nl|title=Kerngegevens gemeente Wieringermeer|accessdate=2008-01-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/PROVINCIES/flevoland.htm|publisher=www.sdu.nl|title=Kerngegevens procincie Flevoland|accessdate=2008-01-21}}</ref>

===Delta works===
After the [[North Sea Flood of 1953|1953 disaster]], the [[Delta Works|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 province of 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 miles) of outer sea-dykes and 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) of inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the sea [[estuary|estuaries]] of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments occasionally show problems requiring additional Delta project dyke 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 [[American Society of Civil Engineers#World Wonders|seven wonders of the modern world]].

Additionally, the Netherlands is one of the countries that may suffer most from [[Climate change|climatic change]]. Not only is the rising sea a problem, but also erratic weather patterns may cause the rivers to overflow.<ref>{{cite news | last = Nickerson | first = Colin | title = Netherlands relinquishes some of itself to the waters | work = | pages = | publisher = Boston Globe | date= 2005-12-05 | url = http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2005/12/05/holland_goes_beyond_holding_back_the_tide/ | accessdate = 2007-10-10 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Olsthoorn | first = A.A. | coauthors = Richard S.J Tol | title = Floods, flood management and climate change in The Netherlands | journal = Institute for Environmental Studies | volume = | issue = | pages = | publisher = Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit | date= February 2001 | url = http://de.scientificcommons.org/16816958 | doi = | id = | accessdate = 2007-10-10 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last = Tol | first = Richard S. J. | coauthors = Nicolien van der Grijp, Alexander A. Olsthoorn, Peter E. van der Werff | title = Adapting to Climate: A Case Study on Riverine Flood Risks in the Netherlands | journal = Risk Analysis | volume = 23 | issue = 3 | pages = 575–583 | publisher =Blackwell-Synergy | date= 2003 | url = http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1539-6924.00338 | doi = 10.1111/1539-6924.00338 | id = | accessdate = 2007-10-10 }}</ref>

===Rivers===
The country is divided into two main parts by three large rivers, the [[Rhine]] (''Rijn'') and its main distributary [[Waal (river)|Waal]], as well as the [[Meuse River|Meuse]] (''Maas''). These rivers function as a natural barrier between earlier fiefdoms, and hence created traditionally a cultural divide, as is evident in some phonetic traits that are recognisable north and south of these "Large Rivers" (''de Grote Rivieren''). In addition to this, there was, until quite recently, a clear religious dominance of Catholics in the south and of Protestants in the north.

The south-western part of the Netherlands is actually a massive [[river delta]] of these rivers and two tributaries of the [[Scheldt]] (''Westerschelde and Oosterschelde''). Only one significant branch of the Rhine flows northeastward, the [[IJssel]] river, discharging into the [[IJsselmeer]], the former [[Zuiderzee]] ('southern sea'). This river also happens to form a linguistic divide. People to the east of this river speak [[Low Saxon]] dialects (except for the province of [[Friesland]] that has its own language).<ref> Welschen, Ad: Course ''Dutch Society and Culture'', International School for Humanities and Social Studies ISHSS, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2000-2005. </ref>

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

Mean measurements by the [[KNMI]] weather station in [[De Bilt]] between 1971 and 2000:

{| class="wikitable"
! ''Month''
! Jan
! Feb
! Mar
! Apr
! May
! Jun
! Jul
! Aug
! Sep
! Oct
! Nov
! Dec
! ''Year''
|-
| ''Avg. highest temp. (°C)''
| 5.2
| 6.1
| 9.6
| 12.9
| 17.6
| 19.8
| 22.1
| 22.3
| 18.7
| 14.2
| 9.1
| 6.4
| 13.7
|-
|''Avg. lowest temp. (°C)''
| 0.0
| -0.1
| 2.0
| 3.5
| 7.5
| 10.2
| 12.5
| 12.0
| 9.6
| 6.5
| 3.2
| 1.3
| 5.7
|-
|''Avg. temp. (°C)''
| 2.8
| 3.0
| 5.8
| 8.3
| 12.7
| 15.2
| 17.4
| 17.2
| 14.2
| 10.3
| 6.2
| 4.0
| 9.8
|}[[Image:KinderdijkMolens01.jpg|thumb|250px|Panoramic view of windmills at [[Kinderdijk]].]]
{| class="wikitable"
! ''Month''
! Jan
! Feb
! Mar
! Apr
! May
! Jun
! Jul
! Aug
! Sep
! Oct
! Nov
! Dec
! ''Year''
|-
| ''Avg. precipitation (mm)''
| 67
| 48
| 65
| 45
| 62
| 72
| 70
| 58
| 72
| 77
| 81
| 77
| 793
|-
|''Avg. hours sunshine''
| 52
| 79
| 114
| 158
| 204
| 187
| 196
| 192
| 133
| 106
| 60
| 44
| 1524
|}

===Nature===
{{see also|List of national parks of the Netherlands|List of extinct animals of the Netherlands}}.

The Netherlands has 20 national parks and hundreds of other nature reserves. Most are owned by [[Staatsbosbeheer]] and [[Natuurmonumenten]] and include [[lakes]], [[heathland]], [[Woodland|woods]], [[dunes]] and other habitats.

In 1871 the last old original natural woods (Beekbergerwoud) were cut down and most woods today are planted monocultures of trees like [[Scots Pine]] and trees that are not native to the Netherlands. These woods were planted on [[heath (habitat)#Anthropogenic heaths|anthropogenic heaths]] and sand-drifts (overgrazed heaths) ([[Veluwe]]).


==Government and administration==
===Government===
{{main|Politics of the Netherlands}}
[[Image:Thorbecke.jpg|thumb|upright|180px|[[Johan Rudolf Thorbecke|Thorbecke]] reformed the Dutch government to a parliamentary monarchy.]]

The Netherlands has been a [[constitutional monarchy]] since 1815 and a [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary democracy]] since 1848; 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 Netherlands is described as a [[consociational state]]. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by an effort to achieve broad consensus on important issues, within both the political community and society as a whole. In 2007, [[The Economist]] ranked The Netherlands as the third [[Democracy Index|most democratic country in the world]].

The [[head of state]] is the [[Dutch monarchy|monarch]], at present [[Queen Beatrix]]. Constitutionally the monarch still has considerable powers, but in practice it has become a ceremonial function. The monarch can exert most influence during the [[Politics of the Netherlands (terminology)#Formatie|formation]] of a new cabinet, where he/she serves as neutral arbiter between the political parties.

In practice the [[Executive (government)|executive power]] is formed by '''de ministerraad''' [[cabinet of the Netherlands|Dutch cabinet]]. Because of the [[political parties of the Netherlands|multi-party system]] no party has ever held a majority in parliament since the 19th century, therefore [[coalition government|coalition cabinets]] have to be formed. The cabinet consists usually of around thirteen to sixteen ministers of which between one and three [[minister without portfolio|ministers without portfolio]], and a varying number of [[politics of the Netherlands (terminology)#Staatssecretaris|state secretaries]]. The [[head of government]] is the [[Prime Minister of the Netherlands]], who is often, but not always, the leader of the largest party in the coalition. In practice the Prime Minister has been the leader of the largest coalition party since 1973. He is a [[primus inter pares]], meaning he has no explicit powers that go beyond those of the other ministers.

The cabinet is [[ministerial responsibility|responsible]] to the [[bicameralism|bicameral]] [[parliament]], the [[States-General of the Netherlands|States-General]] which also has [[legislative|legislative powers]]. The 150 members of the [[Tweede Kamer|Second Chamber]], the [[Lower House]], are elected in [[direct election]]s, which are held every four years or after the fall of the cabinet (by example: when one of the chambers carries a motion of no-confidence, the cabinet offers her resignation to the monarch). The [[Politics of the Netherlands (terminology)#Provinciale Staten|provincial assemblies]] are directly elected every four years as well. The members of the provincial assemblies elect the 75 members of the [[Eerste Kamer|First Chamber]], the [[upper house]], which has less legislative powers, as it can merely reject laws, not propose or amend them.

Both [[trade union]]s and [[employers organisation]]s are consulted beforehand in policymaking in the financial, economic and social areas. They meet regularly with government in the [[Social-Economic Council]]. This body advises government and its advice cannot be put aside easily.

While historically the [[foreign relations of the Netherlands|Dutch foreign policy]] was characterised by [[neutral state|neutrality]], since the [[World War II|Second World War]] the Netherlands became a member of a large number of international organisations, most prominently the [[United Nations|UN]], [[NATO]] and the [[European Union|EU]]. The Dutch economy is very open and relies on [[international trade]].

The Netherlands has a long tradition of [[Toleration|social tolerance]]. In the 18th century, while the [[Dutch Reformed Church]] was the [[state religion]], [[Roman Catholicism in the Netherlands|Catholicism]] and [[History of the Jews in the Netherlands|Judaism]] were tolerated. In the late 19th century this Dutch tradition of religious tolerance transformed into a system of [[pillarisation]], in which religious groups coexisted separately and only interacted at the level of government. This tradition of tolerance is linked to the Dutch policies on [[Drug policy of the Netherlands|recreational drugs]], [[Prostitution in the Netherlands|prostitution]], [[LGBT rights in the Netherlands|LGBT rights]], [[Euthanasia#The Netherlands|euthanasia]], and [[abortion in the Netherlands|abortion]] which are among the most liberal in the world.

[[Image:The hague hofvijver.jpg|thumb|220px|The [[Binnenhof]] is the centre of Dutch politics.]]

Since [[suffrage]] became universal in 1919 the Dutch political system has been dominated by three families of political parties: the strongest family were the [[Christian democracy|Christian democrats]] currently represented by the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] (CDA), second were the [[social democracy|social democrats]], of which the [[PvdA|Labour Party]] (PvdA) is currently the largest party and third were the [[liberalism in the Netherlands|liberals]] of which the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD) is the main representative. These cooperated in coalition cabinets in which the Christian democrats had always been partner: so either a centre left coalition of the Christian democrats and social democrats or a centre right coalition of Christian democrats and liberals. In the 1970s the party system became more volatile: the Christian democratic parties lost seats, while new parties, like the [[radicalism (historical)|radical]] democrat and [[Progressivism|progressive]] [[liberal]] [[D'66|D66]], became successful.

In the [[Dutch general election, 1994|1994 election]] the CDA lost its dominant position. A "[[Politics of the Netherlands (terminology)#Paars|purple]]" cabinet was formed by the VVD, D66 and PvdA. In [[Dutch general election, 2002|2002 elections]] this cabinet lost its majority, due to the rise of [[Lijst Pim Fortuyn|LPF]], a new political party around the flamboyant populist [[Pim Fortuyn]], who was shot to death a week before the elections took place. The elections also saw increased support for the CDA. A short lived [[First Balkenende cabinet|cabinet]] was formed by CDA, VVD and LPF, led by the leader of the Christian democrats, [[Jan Peter Balkenende]]. After the [[Dutch general election, 2003|2003 elections]] in which the LPF lost almost all its seats, a [[Balkenende II|cabinet]] was formed by the CDA, the VVD and D66. The cabinet initiated an ambitious program of reforming the [[welfare state]], the [[health care system]] and [[immigration policy|immigration]] policies.

In June 2006 the cabinet fell, as D66 voted in favour of a motion of no confidence against minister of immigration and integration [[Rita Verdonk]] in the aftermath of the upheaval about the asylum procedure of [[Ayaan Hirsi Ali]] instigated by the Dutch immigration minister [[Verdonk]]. A [[Balkenende III|care taker cabinet]] was formed by CDA and VVD, and [[Dutch general election, 2006|the general elections]] were held on [[22 November]] [[2006]]. In these elections the [[Christian Democratic Appeal]] remained the largest party and the [[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]] made the largest gains. The [[2006-2007 Dutch cabinet formation|formation of a new cabinet]] started two days after the elections. Initial investigations toward a CDA-SP-PvdA coalition failed, after which a coalition of CDA, PvdA and ChristianUnion was formed.

[[Image:ZetelsTK2006.png|thumb|right|180px|'''Dutch [[Tweede Kamer]] seats as of 2006'''
{{col-begin}}{{col-3}}{{legend|#D88C34|[[Party for the Animals|PvdD]] (2)}}{{legend|#2CC800|[[Democrats 66|D66]] (3)}}{{legend|#15803C|[[GreenLeft|GL]] (7)}}{{legend|#FF0000|[[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|SP]] (25)}}{{legend|#920C19|[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]] (33)}}{{col-3}}{{legend|#3FAFD0|[[ChristianUnion|CU]] (6)}}{{legend|#339933|[[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]] (41)}}{{legend|#0E2783|[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]] (22)}}{{legend|#FF8000|[[Reformed Political Party|SGP]] (2)}}{{legend|#043555|[[Party for Freedom|PVV]] (9)}}{{col-end}}]]

Summary of the [[22 November]] [[2006]] Netherlands [[Second Chamber]] election results:

=== Administrative divisions ===
{{main|Provinces of the Netherlands|Municipalities in the Netherlands}}

The Netherlands is divided into twelve administrative regions, called [[province]]s, each under a [[Governor]], who is called ''Commissaris van de Koningin'' (Commissioner of the Queen), except for the province [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] where the commissioner is called Gouverneur ([[Governor]]) which underlines the more "non-Dutch" mentality. All provinces are divided into [[Municipalities of the Netherlands|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.

{{Provinces of the Netherlands imagemap}}

{| style="background:transparent;" cellspacing="2px"
|
{| class="sortable wikitable" style="text-align:left; font-size:75%"
|- style="font-size:75%; text-align:left"
!width="54px"| [[Flag]]!!width="20px"|[[Province]]!!width="40px"| [[Capital]] !!width="45px"| [[Area]] (km²)!!<ref name="ProvArea">{{cite web|url=http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/table.asp?STB=G1:A,G2&LA=nl&DM=SLNL&PA=70072ned&D1=224&D2=5-16&D3=l&HDR=T|language=Dutch|publisher=[[Statistics Netherlands]]|year=2007|accessdate=2007-10-13|title=Regionale Kerncijfers Nederland}}</ref>width="70px"| [[Population]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/table.asp?D4=l&LA=nl&DM=SLNL&PA=03759ned&D1=0&D2=802-813&D3=0|language=Dutch|publisher=[[Statistics Netherlands]]|year=2007|accessdate=2007-10-13|title=Bevolking per regio naar leeftijd, geslacht en burgerlijke staat}}</ref> </tr>
|-
| [[Image:Flag Drenthe.svg|27px]] || [[Drenthe]] || [[Assen]] || style="text-align:right"|2,641|| style="text-align:right"|486,197
|-
| [[Image:Flevolandflag.svg|27px]] || [[Flevoland]] || [[Lelystad]] || style="text-align:right"|1,417|| style="text-align:right"|374,424
|-
| [[Image:Frisian flag.svg|27px]] || [[Friesland]] ''(Fryslân)''|| [[Leeuwarden]] ||style="text-align:right"|3,341|| style="text-align:right"|642,209
|-
| [[Image:Gelderland-Flag.svg|27px]] || [[Gelderland]] || [[Arnhem]] || style="text-align:right"|4,971|| style="text-align:right"|1,979,059
|-
| [[Image:Flag Groningen.svg|27px]] || [[Groningen (province)|Groningen]] || [[Groningen (city)|Groningen]] || style="text-align:right"|2,333|| style="text-align:right"|573,614
|-
| [[Image:NL-LimburgVlag.svg|27px]] || [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]] || [[Maastricht]] ||style="text-align:right"|2,150|| style="text-align:right"|1,127,805
|-
| [[Image:North Brabant-Flag.svg|27px]] || [[Noord-Brabant|North ''(Noord)'' Brabant]]|| [[Den Bosch]]<!-- spelled this way for table-aesthetic reasons--> || style="text-align:right"|4,916|| style="text-align:right"|2,419,042
|-
| [[Image:Flag North-Holland, Netherlands.svg|27px]] || [[Noord-Holland|North ''(Noord)'' Holland]] || [[Haarlem]] || style="text-align:right"|2,671|| style="text-align:right"|2,613,070
|-
| [[Image:Flag Overijssel.svg|27px]] || [[Overijssel]] || [[Zwolle]] || style="text-align:right"|3,325|| style="text-align:right"|1,116,374
|-
| [[Image:Utrecht (province)-Flag.svg|27px]] || [[Utrecht (province)|Utrecht]] || [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]] || style="text-align:right"|1,385|| style="text-align:right"|1,190,604
|-
| [[Image:Zeelandflag.JPG|27px]] || [[Zeeland|Zealand ''(Zeeland)'']] || [[Middelburg]] || style="text-align:right"|1,787|| style="text-align:right"|380,497
|-
| [[Image:Flag Zuid-Holland.svg|27px]] || [[South Holland|South ''(Zuid)'' Holland]] || [[The Hague]] ''(Den Haag)'' || style="text-align:right"|2,814|| style="text-align:right"|3,455,097
|}
|}

==Demographics and urbanisation==
===Demographics===
{{main|Demographics of the Netherlands}}[[Image:BevolkinsdichtheidNederland.png|thumb|250px|[[Density of population]] in the Netherlands, 2006]]The Netherlands is the 25th [[List of countries by population density|most densely populated]] country in the world, with 395 inhabitants per square kilometre (1,023&nbsp;sq&nbsp;mi)&mdash;or 484 people per square kilometre (1,254/sq&nbsp;mi) if only the land area is counted, since 18.4% is water.
''Fertility rate''

The [[fertility rate]] in the Netherlands is 1.72 children per woman, well below the 2.1 rate required for population replacement.

''Life expectancy''

[[Life expectancy]] is high in the Netherlands: 82 years for newborn girls and 77 for boys (2007).

''Body length''
The people of the Netherlands are amongst the tallest in the world, with an average height of about 1.85&nbsp;m (6&nbsp;ft 0.8&nbsp;in) for adult males and 1.68&nbsp;m (5&nbsp;ft 6&nbsp;in) for adult females.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dined.io.tudelft.nl/nl,dined2004,301|title=Dataset 'Nederlandse volwassenen', Populatie 'DINED 2004 (20-30 jaar)'|language=Dutch|accessdate=2008-02-04|publisher=[[TU Delft]]}}</ref> People in the south are on average about 2&nbsp;cm shorter than those in the north.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/Table.asp?LYR=G2:0,G3:6&LA=nl&DM=SLNL&PA=03799&D1=242,254,267-270&D2=0-17&STB=G1&HDR=T.
|publisher=Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek|title=Reported health and lifestyle|accessdate=2007-08-28}}</ref>

''Ethnic origins''

The ethnic origins of the citizens of the Netherlands are diverse. A majority of the population, however, still remains [[indigenous]] [[Dutch people|Dutch]], although from a historic point of view, the latter notion is also to be relativised strongly. They were:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/CCD504EA-9D41-40C2-AE28-BFB0A51C2045/0/2005k3b15p096art.pdf|title=Demografie van de allochtonen in Nederland|publisher=[[Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek]]|author=Garssen, Joop, Han Nicolaas and Arno Sprangers|year=2005|language=Dutch}}</ref>

# 80.9% [[Dutch people|Dutch]]
# 2.4% [[Indonesia]]n ([[Indo people|Indo-Dutch]], [[South Moluccas|South Moluccan]])
# 2.4% [[German people|German]]
# 2.2% [[Turkish-Dutch|Turkish]]
# 2.0% [[Suriname]]se
# 1.9% [[Morocco|Moroccan]]
# 0.8% [[Netherlands Antilles|Antillean]] and [[Aruba]]n
# 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-Dutch majority community), and only includes the population in the Netherlands itself.

===Urbanisation===
{{main|Geography of the Netherlands}}

The Netherlands is a very densely populated country, although the cities are modest in size compared to international standards. It is not the size of the biggest cities, but the very high number of middle sized cities and towns, that accounts for the high degree of urbanisation. The [[Capital of the Netherlands|capital]] and largest city is Amsterdam, although the government is located in The Hague. While the word capital is usually defined as the city of the government seat, no Dutchman would ever call The Hague the capital of The Netherlands.
[[Image:Randstad with scale.png|180px|thumb|right|Schematic map of the Randstad.]]

====The [[Randstad]]====
The [[Randstad]] (''Edge City'') is a conurbation in the western part of the Netherlands. It consists of the four largest Dutch cities (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht), plus their surrounding areas. With its 7.5 million inhabitants (almost half of the population of the Netherlands; when other conurbations connected to this area are also taken into consideration, it would have a population a little over 10 million, almost two-thirds of the entire Dutch population) it is one of the largest conurbations in Europe. There is discussion to what extent the Randstad may form a single more integrated metropolis in the future. At this moment, urban structures between these cities are not yet developed to such a level that the Randstad could be considered a kind of distributed super-agglomeration.

Conurbation is not restricted to the [[Randstad]] alone, although the centre of gravity lies there. Quite typically, in the Netherlands there are many medium sized cities, but no truly large ones. Its largest city, Amsterdam with about 750,000 inhabitants in its own municipality, belongs to one of the smaller European capitals.

====The 10 largest cities ====

[[Image:Gemeenten alles 1400px.gif|thumb|right|180px|Urbanisation in the Netherlands.]]

List of the largest cities, by population, within the borders of one municipality with their provinces in 2006:
''Sources are CBS based''

# [[Amsterdam]] (North Holland) 744,740
# [[Rotterdam]] (South Holland) 581,615
# [[The Hague]] ('s-Gravenhage) (South Holland) 474,245
# [[Utrecht]] (Utrecht) 290,529
# [[Eindhoven]] (North Brabant) 209,601
# [[Tilburg]] (North Brabant) 200,975
# [[Almere]] (Flevoland) 183,738
# [[Groningen]] (Groningen) 180,824
# [[Breda]] (North Brabant) 170,451
# [[Nijmegen]] (Gelderland) 160,732
However, this picture has to be completed. Municipality sizes alone do not reflect the degree of urbanisation in the Netherlands comprehensively. Many of the larger Dutch cities are the cores of a significantly larger urban agglomeration. The largest ones are listed below:

====The 15 largest agglomerations ====
''Agglomerations consisting of only one municipality are not included''.
''Sources are CBS based''
see [https://www.cbs.nl/NR/rdonlyres/4A8AA094-7050-44...] and<ref> {{2006bevolkingskerneninnederlandart.pdf<br>
- 2005grootstedelijkeagglomeratiesstadsgewestenafgebakendart.pdf<br>
- 2004k4v4p037art.pdf}} </ref> <br>
- [[Rotterdam]] (Rotterdam, Barendrecht, Capelle aan den IJssel, Krimpen aan den IJssel, Spijkenisse, Schiedam, Vlaardingen, Maasland, Maassluis, Rozenburg) <br>
- [[Amsterdam]] (Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Uithoorn, Diemen, Landsmeer, Oostzaan, Wormerland, Zaanstad) <br> [[Image:KeizersgrachtAmsterdam.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The [[Keizersgracht]] in [[Amsterdam]], which is the largest city and capital of the Netherlands.]]
- [[The Hague]] ('s-Gravenhage, Rijswijk, Wateringen, Voorburg, Leidschendam, Wassenaar, Westland, Zoetermeer, Delft) <br>
- [[Utrecht]] (Utrecht, Nieuwegein, IJsselstein, Maarssen) <br>
- [[Eindhoven]] (Eindhoven, Veldhoven, Geldrop, Son en Breugel, Waalre) <br>
- [[Tilburg]] (Tilburg, Goirle) <br>
- [[Groningen]] (Groningen, Haren) <br>
- [[Haarlem]] (Haarlem, Heemstede, Bloemendaal) <br>
- [[Arnhem]] (Arnhem, Rozendaal) <br>
- [[Leiden]] (Leiden, Katwijk, Voorschoten, Leiderdorp, Oegstgeest, Rijnsburg, Valkenburg, Warmond) <br>
- [[Dordrecht]] (Dordrecht, 's-Gravendeel, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Papendrecht, Sliedrecht, Zwijndrecht) <br>
- [[Heerlen]] (Heerlen, Kerkrade, Landgraaf, Brunssum) <br>
- [['s-Hertogenbosch]] ('s-Hertogenbosch, Vught)<br>
- [[Sittard-Geleen]] (Sittard-Geleen, Beek, Stein)<br>
- [[Amersfoort]] (Amersfoort, Leusden)

==Language, religion, and culture==
===Language===
{{main|Dutch Language |Languages of the Netherlands}}
The official language is [[Dutch language|Dutch]], which is spoken by a majority of the inhabitants, the exception being some groups of immigrants.

Another official language is [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]], which is spoken in the northern province of [[Friesland]], called ''Fryslân'' in that language.<ref>[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html CIA World Factbook: Official languages per country]</ref> West Frisian is co-official only in the province of Friesland, although with a few restrictions. Several dialects of [[Dutch Low Saxon|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]], as well as the [[Meuse-Rhenish]] [[Franconian languages|Franconian]] varieties<ref> Welschen, Ad: Course ''Dutch Society and Culture'', International School for Humanities and Social Studies ISHSS, Universiteit van Amsterdam, 2000-2005. </ref> in the southeastern province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]], here called [[Limburgish]] language.
{{FixHTML|beg}}
[[Image:Domtower Utrecht.jpg|thumb|180px|upright|[[Dom Tower of Utrecht]].]]
{{FixHTML|mid}}
{{Life in the Netherlands}}
{{FixHTML|end}}
There is a tradition of learning foreign languages in the Netherlands: about 70% of the total population have good knowledge of [[English language|English]], 55&ndash; 59% of [[German language|German]] and 19% of [[French language|French]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Ginsburgh | first = Victor | authorlink = | coauthors = Ignacio Ortuño-Ortin, Shlomo Weber | title = Why Do People Learn Foreign Languages? | work = | publisher = Université libre de Bruxelles | date= February 2005 | url = http://bib17.ulb.ac.be:8080/dspace/bitstream/2013/1957/1/vg-0155.pdf | format = pdf | doi = | accessdate = 2007-10-10 }} - specifically, see Table 2.</ref>

===Religion===
{{main|Religion in the Netherlands}}
The Netherlands is one of the more secular countries in the Western Europe, with only 39% being religiously affiliated (31% for those aged under 35), although 62% are believers (but 40% of those not in the traditional sense). Fewer than 20% visit church regularly .<ref>{{cite book|title=Godsdienstige veranderingen in Nederland|language=Dutch|author=Becker, Jos and Joep de Hart|isbn=9037702597|year=2006|publisher=[[Social and Cultural Planning Office|Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau]]|oclc=84601762}}</ref>

According to the most recent [[Eurobarometer|Eurobarometer Poll]] 2005,<ref name=EUROBAROMETER>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf|title=Eurobarometer on Social Values, Science and technology 2005 - page 11|accessdate=2007-05-05}}</ref> 34% of Dutch citizens responded that "they believe there is a god", whereas 37% answered that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 27% that "they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, god, or life force".

In 1950, before the secularisation of Europe, and the large settlement of non-Europeans in the Netherlands, most Dutch citizens identified themselves as Christians. In 1950, out of a total population of almost 13 million, a total of 7,261,000 belonged to Protestant denominations, 3,703,000 belonged to the Roman Catholic Church, and 1,641,000 had no acknowledged religion.

However, Christian schools are still funded by the government, but the same applies for schools founded on other religions, nowadays Islam in particular. While all schools must meet strict quality criteria, from 1917 the freedom of schools is a basic principle in The Netherlands.
Three political parties in the Dutch parliament (CDA, ChristianUnion and SGP) base their policy on the Christian belief system.

===Culture===
{{main|Culture of the Netherlands}}
[[Image:Holbein-erasmus.jpg|thumb|180px|left|upright|[[Erasmus]] (1466&ndash;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 Harmenszoon van Rijn|Rembrandt van Rijn]], [[Johannes Vermeer]], [[Jan Steen]], [[Jacob van Ruysdael]] and many others. Famous Dutch [[painters]] of the 19th and 20th century were [[Vincent van Gogh]] and [[Piet Mondrian|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 forgery|art forger]].

The Netherlands is the country of philosophers [[Erasmus|Erasmus of Rotterdam]] and [[Baruch Spinoza|Spinoza]]. All of [[René Descartes|Descartes]]' major work was done in the Netherlands. The Dutch scientist [[Christiaan Huygens]] (1629&ndash;1695) discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented the [[pendulum clock]]. [[Antonie van Leeuwenhoek]] was the first to observe and describe single-celled organisms with a microscope.

In the [[Dutch Golden Age]], [[literature]] flourished as well, with [[Joost van den Vondel]] and [[Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft|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|Gerard (van het) Reve]] and [[Willem Frederik Hermans]]. [[Anne Frank]]'s [[The Diary of a Young Girl|''Diary of a Young Girl'']] was published after she died in [[The Holocaust]] and translated from Dutch to all major languages.

Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in [[Huis ten Bosch (theme park)|Huis ten Bosch]], [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]], [[Japan]]. A similar Holland Village is being built in [[Shenyang]], [[China]].

[[Windmill]]s, [[tulip]]s, [[Clog (shoe)|wooden shoe]]s, cheese and [[Delftware]] pottery are among the items associated with the Netherlands.

==Military==
{{main|Military of the Netherlands}}

Conscription in the Netherlands was suspended in 1996. All military specialities, except the Submarine service and Marine Corps(Korps Mariniers), are open to women. The Dutch Ministry of Defence employs almost 80,900 personnel, including 22,900 civilian and 68,000 military personnel{{Fact|date=January 2008}}. The military is composed of four branches, all of which carry the prefix ''Koninklijke'' (Royal):
*''[[Koninklijke Landmacht]]'' (KL), the Royal Netherlands Army
*''[[Koninklijke Marine]]'' (KM), the Royal Netherlands Navy, including the Naval Air Service and Marine Corps
*''[[Koninklijke Luchtmacht]]'' (KLu), the Royal Netherlands Air Force
*''[[Koninklijke Marechaussee]]'' (KMar), the Royal Military Police, tasks include military police and border control

==Economy==
{{main|Economy of the Netherlands|List of Dutch companies}}

===Currency===
As a founding member of the [[Euro]], the Netherlands replaced (for accounting purposes) its former [[currency]], the "Gulden" ([[Dutch guilder|Guilder]]), on [[January 1]], [[1999]], along with the other adopters of the single European currency. Actual [[Euro coins]] and [[Euro banknotes|banknotes]] followed on [[January 1]], [[2002]]. One Euro is equivalent to 2.20371 Dutch guilders.

===Economy===
[[Image:Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer Binnen.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Aalsmeer Flower Auction]]. The largest commercial building in the world, and a centre of international flower trade.]]

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 International]]), chemicals (for example [[DSM (company)|DSM]]), [[petroleum]] refining (for example [[Royal Dutch Shell]]), and electrical machinery (for example [[Philips]]). In the northern place [[Slochteren]] one of the largest [[natural gas field]]s in the world is situated. So far (2006) exploitation of this field resulted in a total revenue of €159 billion since the mid 1970s. [[N.V. Nederlandse Gasunie]] still is the largest [[public-private partnership]] [[P3]] world-wide following the global energy-transition of 1963<ref>[http://www.europeanunity.eu xxell.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> from coal to gas, coupling oil and gas prices. 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.<ref>{{cite episode | title = Aardgas als smeerolie | url = http://geschiedenis.vpro.nl/programmas/2899536/afleveringen/25899792/ | series = Andere Tijden | network = [[VPRO]] | airdate = 2006-01-15 | transcript = Transscript | transcripturl= http://geschiedenis.vpro.nl/attachment.db/27053006/Website_Aardgas11.doc}}</ref>

The Netherlands has the [[List of countries by GDP (nominal)|16th largest economy in the world]], and [[List of countries by GDP (nominal) per capita|ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita]]. Between 1998 and 2000 annual economic growth ([[GDP]]) averaged nearly 4%, well above the European average. Growth slowed considerably in 2001-05 due to the global economic slowdown, but accelerated to 4.1% in the third quarter of 2007. [[Inflation]] is 1.3% and is expected to stay low at around 1.5% in the coming years. [[Unemployment]] is at 4.0% of the [[labour force]]. By [[Eurostat]] standards however, unemployment in the Netherlands is at only 2.9% - the lowest rate of all [[European Union]] member states.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/PGP_PRD_CAT_PREREL/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2008/PGE_CAT_PREREL_YEAR_2008_MONTH_01/3-07012008-EN-BP.PDF
|title=Eurostat unemployment rates november 2007|accessdate=2008-01-07}}</ref> The Netherlands also has a relatively low [[Gini coefficient|GINI coefficient]] of 0.326. Despite ranking only 10th in GDP per capita, UNICEF ranked the Netherlands 1st in child well-being.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.unicef.org/media/files/ChildPovertyReport.pdf
|title=Child Poverty Report Study by UNICEF 2007}}</ref>

===Agriculture and horticulture===
[[Image:Friesian-Holstein.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Holstein (cattle)|Frisian Holstein]] cows originated in the Netherlands, where [[Intensive farming|intensive]] [[dairy farming]] is an important part of agriculture.]]

A highly mechanised [[agriculture|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 $55 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 [[Capsicum|peppers]] and cucumbers.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200501/146118432.pdf#search=%22netherlands%20main%20agriculture%20export%20flowers%22 | title = Netherlands: Agricultural situation | accessdate = 2007-06-20 | publisher = USDA Foreign Agriculture Service}}</ref> 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 [[Dutch East India Company|VOC]]), [[banking]] and [[transport]]. The Netherlands successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners.

==References==
;Footnotes
{{reflist|2}}
;Statistics
{{Refbegin}}
*[[Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek]] (2006). [http://statline.cbs.nl/StatWeb/table.asp?PA=7068eng&D1=69-134&D2=(l-11)-l&DM=SLEN&LA=en&TT=2 Health statistics]. Retrieved [[June 17]], [[2006]].
*{{cite web |url=http://www.economist.com/countries/Netherlands/profile.cfm?folder=Profile%2DEconomic%20Structure |title=The Netherlands: Economic structure|publisher=[[The Economist]]|accessdate=2007-06-20}}
{{Refend}}
;Articles
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/country_profiles/1043423.stm|title=Country profiles: The Netherlands|accessdate=2007-06-20|publisher=[[BBC]]}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3204.htm|title=Background Note: The Netherlands|accessdate=2007-06-20|publisher=[[United States Department of State]]}}
*{{cite web |url=http://www.economist.com/countries/Netherlands/profile.cfm?folder=Profile%2DPolitical%20Forces
|title=The Netherlands: Political forces|publisher=[[The Economist]]|accessdate=2007-06-20}}
*{{cite web|url=http://www.economist.com/countries/Netherlands/profile.cfm?folder=History%20in%20brief |title=The Netherlands: History in brief|publisher=[[The Economist]]|accessdate=2007-06-20}}
{{Refend}}
;Books
{{Refbegin}}
* Paul Arblaster. ''A History of the Low Countries''. Palgrave Essential Histories Series New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. 298 pp. ISBN 1-4039-4828-3.
* J. C. H. Blom and E. Lamberts, eds. ''History of the Low Countries'' (1998)
* Jonathan Israel. ''The Dutch Republic: Its Rise, Greatness, and Fall 1477-1806'' (1995)
* J. A. Kossmann-Putto and E. H. Kossmann. ''The Low Countries: History of the Northern and Southern Netherlands'' (1987)
{{Refend}}

==External links==
{{sisterlinks|Netherlands}}
{{wikiatlas|Netherlands}}
*[http://overheid.nl/english/ Overheid.nl] - official Dutch government portal
*[http://www.government.nl Government.nl] - official Dutch government web site
* {{statoids|id=unl|title=Provinces of Netherlands}}
*[https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/nl.html CIA - The World Factbook -- Netherlands]
*[http://www.cbs.nl/en-GB/menu/cijfers/default.htm CBS] - Key figures from the Dutch bureau of statistics
*{{wikitravel}}
*[http://www.expatica.com/nl/main.html Local news and features on the Netherlands],''Expatica''
*[http://www.holland.com Holland.com] - English website of the Netherlands tourist office
{{Template group
|title = Geographic locale
|list =
{{Countries of Europe‎}}
{{Germanic Europe}}
}}
{{Template group
|title = International organisations
|list =
{{EU members}}
{{Council of Europe members}}
{{OECD}}
{{NATO}}
{{WTO}}
{{Dutch Language Union}}
}}
{{1632 place referenced}}

[[Category:Netherlands| Netherlands]]
[[Category:Kingdom of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Constitutional monarchies]]
[[Category:Dutch-speaking countries]]
[[Category:Liberal democracies]]

[[af:Nederland]]
[[als:Niederlande]]
[[am:ሆላንድ]]
[[ang:Niðerland]]
[[ar:هولندا]]
[[an:Países Baxos]]
[[arc:ܗܘܠܢܕܐ]]
[[roa-rup:Olanda]]
[[frp:Payis-Bâs]]
[[ast:Holanda]]
[[gn:Holanda]]
[[az:Niderland]]
[[bn:নেদারল্যান্ড্‌স]]
[[zh-min-nan:Kē-tē-kok]]
[[be:Нідэрланды]]
[[be-x-old:Нідэрлянды]]
[[bar:Niedalånde]]
[[bo:ཧོ་ལན]]
[[bs:Holandija]]
[[br:Izelvroioù]]
[[bg:Холандия]]
[[ca:Països Baixos]]
[[cv:Нидерланды]]
[[ceb:Netherlands]]
[[cs:Nizozemsko]]
[[cy:Yr Iseldiroedd]]
[[da:Holland]]
[[pdc:Holland]]
[[de:Niederlande]]
[[dsb:Nižozemska]]
[[dz:ནེ་དར་ལེནཌསི་]]
[[et:Holland]]
[[el:Ολλανδία]]
[[es:Países Bajos]]
[[eo:Nederlando]]
[[eu:Herbehereak]]
[[fa:هلند]]
[[fo:Niðurlond]]
[[fr:Pays-Bas]]
[[fy:Nederlân]]
[[fur:Paîs Bas]]
[[ga:An Ísiltír]]
[[gv:Yn Ollan]]
[[gl:Países Baixos - Nederland]]
[[got:𐌽𐌹𐌸𐌴𐍂𐌰𐌻𐌰𐌽𐌳]]
[[zh-classical:尼德蘭]]
[[hak:Hò-làn]]
[[ko:네덜란드]]
[[haw:Hōlani]]
[[hy:Նիդեռլանդներ]]
[[hsb:Nižozemska]]
[[hr:Nizozemska]]
[[io:Nederlando]]
[[ilo:Nederlandia]]
[[bpy:নেদারল্যান্ড]]
[[id:Belanda]]
[[ia:Pais Basse]]
[[ie:Nederland]]
[[os:Нидерландтæ]]
[[xh:ENetherlands]]
[[is:Holland]]
[[it:Paesi Bassi]]
[[he:הולנד]]
[[jv:Walanda]]
[[kl:Hollandi]]
[[pam:Netherlands]]
[[ka:ნიდერლანდი]]
[[ks:नेदरलैंड्स]]
[[csb:Néderlandzkô]]
[[kk:Недерланд]]
[[rw:U Buholandi]]
[[sw:Uholanzi]]
[[ht:Peyiba]]
[[ku:Holanda]]
[[la:Nederlandia]]
[[lv:Nīderlande]]
[[lb:Holland]]
[[lt:Nyderlandai]]
[[lij:Paixi Basci]]
[[li:Nederland]]
[[ln:Holanda]]
[[jbo:dizgu'e]]
[[hu:Hollandia]]
[[mk:Холандија]]
[[mt:Olanda]]
[[mr:नेदरलँड्स]]
[[ms:Belanda]]
[[nah:Tlanitlālpan]]
[[na:Eben Eyong]]
[[nl:Nederland]]
[[nds-nl:Nederlaand]]
[[ja:オランダ]]
[[nap:Ulanna]]
[[ce:Нидерланд]]
[[no:Nederland]]
[[nn:Nederland]]
[[nrm:Pays Bas]]
[[nov:Nederlande]]
[[oc:Païses Basses]]
[[uz:Niderlandlar]]
[[pap:Hulanda]]
[[ps:نېدرلانډ/هالېنډ]]
[[pms:Pais Bass]]
[[nds:Nedderlannen]]
[[pl:Holandia]]
[[pt:Países Baixos]]
[[crh:Felâmenk]]
[[ksh:Nederläng]]
[[ro:Olanda]]
[[rmy:Olanda]]
[[rm:Pajais Bass]]
[[qu:Urasuyu]]
[[ru:Нидерланды]]
[[se:Vuolleeatnamat]]
[[sa:नेदरलैंड्स]]
[[st:Hôlanê]]
[[sq:Holanda]]
[[scn:Paisi Vasci]]
[[simple:Netherlands]]
[[sk:Holandsko]]
[[sl:Nizozemska]]
[[so:Nederland]]
[[sr:Холандија]]
[[sh:Nizozemska]]
[[su:Walanda]]
[[fi:Alankomaat]]
[[sv:Nederländerna]]
[[tl:Netherlands]]
[[ta:நெதர்லாந்து]]
[[tet:Olanda]]
[[th:ประเทศเนเธอร์แลนด์]]
[[vi:Hà Lan]]
[[tg:Нидерланд]]
[[to:Holani]]
[[tr:Hollanda]]
[[uk:Нідерланди]]
[[ur:نیدرلینڈز]]
[[vec:Paéxi Basi]]
[[vo:Nedän]]
[[fiu-vro:Holland]]
[[wa:Bas Payis]]
[[vls:Olland]]
[[war:Paises Bajos]]
[[wo:Olaand]]
[[yi:האלאנד]]
[[zh-yue:荷蘭]]
[[diq:Hollanda]]
[[zea:Nederland]]
[[zh:荷兰]]

Revision as of 19:32, 21 April 2008

Hunter really likes the Tennessee Volunteers.

Retrieved from "https://wiki.riteme.site/w/index.php?title=Netherlands&oldid=207186269"