Netherlands

The Netherlands, <a href="/facts/Terminology_of_the_Low_Countries/nwMFdjmA">informally</a> Holland, is a country in <a href="/facts/Northwestern_Europe/d8zrdArn">Northwestern Europe</a>, with <a href="/facts/Caribbean_Netherlands/hCVdbmtP">overseas territories</a> in the <a href="/facts/Caribbean/zRI9aMCh">Caribbean</a>. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the <a href="/facts/Kingdom_of_the_Netherlands/q08uRoR9">Kingdom of the Netherlands</a>. The Netherlands consists of <a href="/facts/Provinces_of_the_Netherlands/kqYoVzuk">twelve provinces</a>; it borders <a href="/facts/Germany/paluuWBX">Germany</a> to the east and <a href="/facts/Belgium/YKuMXP5j">Belgium</a> to the south, with a <a href="/facts/North_Sea/htGJNmsb">North Sea</a> coastline to the north and west. It shares <a href="/facts/Maritime_boundary/1369gqHz">maritime borders</a> with the <a href="/facts/United_Kingdom/kuPAILt2">United Kingdom</a>, Germany, and Belgium. The official language is <a href="/facts/Dutch_language/yIB5lbsx">Dutch</a>, with <a href="/facts/West_Frisian_language/h7PVP7S6">West Frisian</a> as a secondary official language in the province of <a href="/facts/Friesland/2Me46TyE">Friesland</a>. Dutch, <a href="/facts/English_language/tpkxGt7b">English</a>, and <a href="/facts/Papiamento/WTs70UM8">Papiamento</a> are official in the <a href="/facts/Caribbean_Netherlands/hCVdbmtP">Caribbean territories</a>.
Netherlands literally means "lower countries" in reference to its low elevation and flat topography, with 26% below <a href="/facts/Height_above_mean_sea_level/Aqv1HLP2">sea level</a>. Most of the areas below sea level, known as <a href="/facts/Polder/PVssoPSg">polders</a>, are the result of <a href="/facts/Land_reclamation_in_the_Netherlands/86r4tbFb">land reclamation that began in the 14th century</a>. In the <a href="/facts/Dutch_Republic/PlxBXbKF">Republican period</a>, which began in 1588, the Netherlands entered a unique era of political, economic, and cultural greatness, ranked among the most powerful and influential in Europe and the world; this period is known as the <a href="/facts/Dutch_Golden_Age/os3XD3rX">Dutch Golden Age</a>. During this time, its trading companies, the <a href="/facts/Dutch_East_India_Company/0pvAaGFP">Dutch East India Company</a> and the <a href="/facts/Dutch_West_India_Company/Gk3E90uM">Dutch West India Company</a>, <a href="/facts/Dutch_Empire/fGfWnn65">established colonies and trading posts</a> all over the world.
With a population of over 18 million people, all living within a total area of 41,850 km2 (16,160 sq mi)—of which the land area is 33,500 km2 (12,900 sq mi)—the Netherlands is the <a href="/facts/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_population_density/WmvuNLfW">33rd most densely populated</a> country, with a density of 535 people per square kilometre (1,390 people/sq mi). Nevertheless, it is the world's second-largest exporter of food and agricultural products by value, owing to its <a href="/facts/Soil_fertility/E7ofTY0f">fertile soil</a>, mild climate, <a href="/facts/Intensive_farming/dHGtp0Im">intensive agriculture</a>, and <a href="/facts/List_of_Dutch_inventions_and_innovations/Wq8QEhpY">inventiveness</a>. The four largest cities in the Netherlands are <a href="/facts/Amsterdam/Xdd393bz">Amsterdam</a>, <a href="/facts/Rotterdam/p8LbhGmE">Rotterdam</a>, <a href="/facts/The_Hague/NRtu1Qqk">The Hague</a> and <a href="/facts/Utrecht/49YgvgXJ">Utrecht</a>. Amsterdam is the country's most populous city and the nominal <a href="/facts/Capital_of_the_Netherlands/8UHAzLqn">capital</a>, though the primary national political institutions are located in the Hague.
The Netherlands has been a parliamentary <a href="/facts/Constitutional_monarchy/C0TtVRq8">constitutional monarchy</a> with a <a href="/facts/Unitary_state/HAxK1eMM">unitary structure</a> since 1848. The country has a tradition of <a href="/facts/Pillarisation/5Y210vf1">pillarisation</a> (separation of citizens into groups by religion and political beliefs) and a long record of <a href="/facts/Toleration/xJWeVd0t">social tolerance</a>, having legalised <a href="/facts/Prostitution_in_the_Netherlands/LFSxPjsI">prostitution</a> and <a href="/facts/Euthanasia_in_the_Netherlands/csj0shXK">euthanasia</a>, along with maintaining <a href="/facts/Drug_policy_of_the_Netherlands/hJmhcfht">a liberal drug policy</a>. The Netherlands allowed <a href="/facts/Women%2527s_suffrage/4sRR3ad7">women's suffrage</a> in 1919 and was the first country to legalise <a href="/facts/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_Netherlands/WxfEIl73">same-sex marriage</a> in 2001. Its <a href="/facts/Mixed_economy/M27dNu2U">mixed-market</a> <a href="/facts/Developed_country/sqwTSDHm">advanced economy</a> has the <a href="/facts/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(PPP)_per_capita/EStd2aMH">eleventh-highest</a> per capita income globally. The Hague holds the seat of the <a href="/facts/States_General_of_the_Netherlands/ekUD6R8K">States General</a>, <a href="/facts/Cabinet_of_the_Netherlands/5uc1S9XC">cabinet</a>, and <a href="/facts/Supreme_Court_of_the_Netherlands/4LkBh0hg">Supreme Court</a>. The <a href="/facts/Port_of_Rotterdam/gMYMDhqU">Port of Rotterdam</a> is the <a href="/facts/List_of_busiest_ports_in_Europe/PzBmp0Hx">busiest in Europe</a>. <a href="/facts/Amsterdam_Airport_Schiphol/Hrfvv9uz">Schiphol</a> is the <a href="/facts/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_the_Netherlands/K3PnbyQ6">busiest airport in the Netherlands</a>, and the <a href="/facts/List_of_the_busiest_airports_in_Europe/QoQUCu7V">fourth busiest in Europe</a>. Being a <a href="/facts/Developed_country/sqwTSDHm">developed country</a>, the Netherlands is a founding member of the <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>, <a href="/facts/Eurozone/rK14yHsz">eurozone</a>, <a href="/facts/Group_of_Ten_(economics)/1TMRxUlE">G10</a>, <a href="/facts/NATO/dCeTddMY">NATO</a>, <a href="/facts/OECD/CI9W2zGv">OECD</a>, and <a href="/facts/World_Trade_Organization/p7hgb1lP">WTO</a>, as well as a part of the <a href="/facts/Schengen_Area/3x2jdc8H">Schengen Area</a> and the trilateral <a href="/facts/Benelux/nWQHWmFc">Benelux</a> Union. It hosts <a href="/facts/Intergovernmental_organization/5ELbyRm6">intergovernmental organisations</a> and <a href="/facts/International_court/uD8z7W7F">international courts</a>, many of which are in The Hague.

Netherlands open-in-new

Netherlands