Netherlands

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1581; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After 18 years of French domination, the Netherlands regained its independence in 1813. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered German invasion and occupation in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999. In 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands -- Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba -- became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as "short as possible and as long as needed."

land

33,893 sq km

total

41,543 sq km

water

7,650 sq km

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

451 km

highest point

Mount Scenery (on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles) 862 m

lowest point

Zuidplaspolder -7 m

mean elevation

30 m

note

note: the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m

52 31 N, 5 46 E

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine (Rijn), Meuse (Maas), and Scheldt (Schelde)); about a quarter of the country lies below sea level and only about half of the land exceeds one meter above sea level

2,969 sq km (2019)

border countries

Belgium 478 km; Germany 575 km

total

1,053 km

agricultural land

55.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)

forest

10.8% (2018 est.)

other

34.1% (2018 est.)

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Europe

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

flooding volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada

natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

0-14 years

15.2% (male 1,384,142/female 1,312,455)

15-64 years

64.1% (male 5,750,034/female 5,640,691)

65 years and over

20.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,709,924/female 1,975,132)

beer

3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

10.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

NA

73% (2013)

note

note: percent of women aged 18-45

11.1% of GDP (2020)

53.7% (2023 est.)

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio

30.9

potential support ratio

3.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

54.9

youth dependency ratio

24

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

5.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Dutch 75.4%, EU (excluding Dutch) 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.4%, Surinamese 2.1%, Indonesian 2%, other 9.3% (2021 est.)

0.78 (2024 est.)

3.2 beds/1,000 population (2018)

female

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

Languages

Dutch (official), Frisian (official in Fryslan province)

major-language sample(s)

Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

note

note: Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire

female

83.5 years

male

80.3 years

total population

81.9 years (2024 est.)

female

NA

male

NA

total population

NA

1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

female

43.5 years

male

40.9 years

total

42.2 years (2024 est.)

30.2 years (2020 est.)

adjective

Dutch

noun

Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

20.4% (2016)

4.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

female

8,928,278 (2024 est.)

male

8,844,100

total

17,772,378

an area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

0.39% (2024 est.)

Roman Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.8% (includes Dutch Reformed, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, Calvinist), Muslim 5%, other 5.9% (includes Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 54.1% (2019 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

female

19 years (2020)

male

18 years

total

19 years

0-14 years

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.02 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.87 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

female

19.9% (2020 est.)

male

24.4% (2020 est.)

total

22.2% (2020 est.)

1.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

93.2% of total population (2023)

12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

note

note 1: the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are all islands in the Caribbean; while all four parts are considered equal partners, in practice, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands, which makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population note 2: although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of "public entities," Dutch Government sources regularly apply to them the more descriptive term of "special municipalities"; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands

daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

etymology

the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning "a dam on the Amstel River," dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam

geographic coordinates

52 21 N, 4 55 E

name

Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government

time difference

UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

time zone note

time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

amendments

proposed as an Act of Parliament by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after its first reading of the Act; passage requires a second reading by both the First Chamber and the newly elected Second Chamber, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote of both chambers, and ratification by the king; amended many times, last in 2023

history

many previous to adoption of the "Basic Law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands" on 24 August 1815; revised 8 times, the latest in 1983

abbreviation

NL

conventional long form

Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form

Netherlands

etymology

the country name literally means "the lowlands" and refers to the geographic features of the land being both flat and down river from higher areas (i.e., at the estuaries of the Scheldt, Meuse, and Rhine Rivers; only about half of the Netherlands is more than 1 meter above sea level)

local long form

Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form

Nederland

chief of mission

Ambassador Shefali RAZDAN DUGGAL (since 19 October 2022)

consulate(s) general

Amsterdam

email address and website

AmsterdamUSC@state.govhttps://nl.usembassy.gov/

embassy

John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar

FAX

[31] (70) 310-2207

mailing address

5780 Amsterdam Place, Washington DC  20521-5780

telephone

[31] (70) 310-2209

chancery

4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Birgitta TAZELAAR (since 15 September 2023)

consulate(s) general

Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco

email address and website

was@minbuza.nlhttps://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc

FAX

[1] (202) 362-3430

telephone

[1] (202) 244-5300

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013)

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers are appointed by the monarch

head of government

Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 2 July 2024)

three equal horizontal bands of red (bright vermilion; top), white, and blue (cobalt); similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; the colors were derived from those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because its dye tended to turn red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use

parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

26 July 1581 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (consists of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices or raadsheren, and 3 justices in exceptional service, referred to as buitengewone dienst); the court is divided into criminal, civil, tax, and ombuds chambers

judge selection and term of office

justices appointed by the monarch from a list provided by the House of Representatives of the States General; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 70

subordinate courts

courts of appeal; district courts, each with up to 5 subdistrict courts; Netherlands Commercial Court

civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General

description

bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of:Senate or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial council members by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)House of Representatives or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by open-list proportional representation vote to serve up to 4-year terms)

election results

Senate - percent of vote by party - BBB 21.3%, VVD 13.3%, GL 9.3%, PvdA 9.3%, CDA 8.0%, D66 6.7%, PVV 5.3%, SP 4%, CU 4%, PvdD 4%, JA21 4%, Volt 2.7%, SGP 2.7%,  FvD 2.7%, other 2.6%; seats by party - BBB 16, VVD 10, GL 7, PvdA 7, CDA 6, D66 5, PVV 4, SP 3, CU 3, PvdD 3, JA21 3, Volt 2, SGP 2, FvD 2 other 2; composition - men 45, women 30, percentage women 40%House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - PVV 23.6%, GL/PvdA 15.5%, VVD 15.2%, NSC 12.8%, D66 6.2%, BBB 4.7%, CDA 3.3%, SP 3.1%, Denk 2.4%, FvD 2.2%, PvdD 2.3%, CU 2.1%, SGP 2.2%, other 6.4%; seats by party - PVV 37, GL/PvdA 25, VVD 24, NSC 20, D66 9, BBB 7, CDA 5, SP 5, Denk 3, PvdD 3, CU 3, FvD 3, SGP 3, other 6; composition - men 91, women 58, percentage women 38.7%; total States General percentage women 39.3%

elections

Senate - last held on 30 May 2023 (next to be held in May 2027)House of Representatives - last held on 22 November 2023 (next to be held on 30 November 2027)

lyrics/music

Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown

name

"Het Wilhelmus" (The William)

note

note: adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century, making it the oldest national anthem in the world; also known as "Wilhelmus van Nassouwe" (William of Nassau), it is in the form of an acrostic, where the first letter of each stanza spells the name of the leader of the Dutch Revolt

selected World Heritage Site locales

Schokland and Surroundings (c); Dutch Water Defense Lines (c); Van Nellefabriek (c); Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout (c); Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (c); Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) (c); Wadden Sea (n); Seventeenth Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (c); Colonies of Benevolence (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Lower German Limes (c)

total World Heritage Sites

13 (12 cultural, 1 natural); note - includes one site in Curacao

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day is observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; currently celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday

lion, tulip; national color: orange

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA Christian Union or CUCorrect Answer 2021 or JA21Democrats 66 or D66 Denk Farmer-Citizen Movement or BBB 50Plus Forum for Democracy or FvD Green Left (GroenLinks) or GL Labor Party or PvdA New Social Contract or NSC Party for Freedom or PVV Party for the Animals or PvdD People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD Reformed Political Party or SGP Socialist Party or SP Together or BIJ1 Volt Netherlands or Volt 

18 years of age; universal

milk, sugar beets, potatoes, pork, onions, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, goat milk (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

on alcohol and tobacco

3% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

on food

11.8% of household expenditures (2022 est.)

expenditures

$398.696 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

revenues

$399.616 billion (2022 est.)

Fitch rating

AAA (1994)

Moody's rating

Aaa (1986)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (2015)

Current account balance 2021

$124.924 billion (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

$93.836 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$112.952 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

high-income, core EU- and eurozone-member economy; trade-oriented with strong services, logistics, and high tech sectors; exiting mild recession triggered by inflation and weak export demand; tight labor market; low deficits and manageable public debt; strong ratings for innovation, competitiveness, and business climate

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

0.893 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

0.876 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

0.845 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

0.95 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

0.925 (2023 est.)

Exports 2021

$865.094 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$944.421 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$949.983 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, machinery, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 19%, Belgium 14%, France 9%, UK 6%, Italy 5% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

exports of goods and services

85% (2023 est.)

government consumption

25.3% (2023 est.)

household consumption

43.5% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-73.9% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

agriculture

1.5% (2023 est.)

industry

19.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

69.3% (2023 est.)

$1.118 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

25.7 (2021 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

highest 10%

21.4% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.6% (2021 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports 2021

$749.324 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$835.47 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$825.799 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment, computers (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Germany 14%, China 12%, US 9%, Belgium 9%, UK 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

-2.02% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.68% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.84% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

9.999 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

14.5% (2021 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

note

note: data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions

Public debt 2017

56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.187 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.238 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.24 trillion (2023 est.)

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

6.19% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4.33% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.12% (2023 est.)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$67,700 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$70,000 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$69,300 (2023 est.)

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0.22% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0.23% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.24% of GDP (2023 est.)

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$64.469 billion (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$63.353 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$69.83 billion (2023 est.)

24.11% (of GDP) (2022 est.)

note

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

4.21% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.52% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.56% (2023 est.)

female

8.5% (2023 est.)

male

9.4% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

8.9% (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke

20.014 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from consumed natural gas

55.73 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

110.348 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

186.092 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

consumption

10.61 million metric tons (2022 est.)

exports

16.123 million metric tons (2022 est.)

imports

24.908 million metric tons (2022 est.)

production

1.825 million metric tons (2022 est.)

proven reserves

3.247 billion metric tons (2022 est.)

consumption

111.757 billion kWh (2022 est.)

exports

22.811 billion kWh (2022 est.)

imports

18.544 billion kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

57.194 million kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.817 billion kWh (2022 est.)

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

biomass and waste

9.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

55.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

nuclear

3.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

14.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

wind

17.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

186.89 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

consumption

33.243 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

exports

43.026 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

imports

65.807 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

production

17.774 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

proven reserves

132.608 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.48GW (2023 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2023)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2023)

Percent of total electricity production

3.4% (2023 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

137.747 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

872,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2020 est.)

total

7,525,016 (2020 est.)

more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems that provide a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder operating in regional and local markets; 2 major nationwide commercial television companies, each with 3 or more stations, and many commercial TV stations in regional and local markets; nearly 600 radio stations with a mix of public and private stations providing national or regional coverage

.nl

percent of population

92% (2021 est.)

total

16.56 million (2021 est.)

domestic

fixed-line is 29 per 100 and mobile-cellular at 125 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

telecom infrastructure in the Netherlands continues to be upgraded as modernization schemes undertaken by telcos make steady progress; other fiber providers have been supported by regulatory measures which have encouraged municipal governments to intervene with telcos’ fiber builds, facilitating open access networks in a bid to make rollouts cheaper, and completed sooner; while the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are also closing down their Global System for Mobile Communication (MSM) and 3G networks and repurposing their spectrum and physical assets for LTE and 5G, the regulator has also encouraged GSM/3G roaming in the interim, thus safeguarding services such as machine to machine and other low data-use applications while individual MNOs disable their own GSM/3G networks; the country has one of the highest fixed broadband penetration rates in the world, with effective cross-platform competition between Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Hybrid Fiber Coazial (HFC), and fiber networks; in the third quarter of 2020 the number of cable broadband connections fell for the first time, while the DSL segment has long been eclipsed by fiber; by the end of 2021, over a quarter of fixed broadband connections were on fiber infrastructure, while DSL accounted for only about 29%; almost 49% of fixed connections provided data above 100Mb/s, while an additional 43.7% provided data of at least 30Mb/s (2022)

international

country code - 31; landing points for Farland North, TAT-14, Circe North, Concerto, Ulysses 2, AC-1, UK-Netherlands 14, and COBRAcable submarine cables which provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat) (2019)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

4.57 million (2022 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

118 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

20.737 million (2022 est.)

45 (2024)

note

note: Includes 3 airports in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba

PH

184 (2024)

by type

bulk carrier 11, container ship 36, general cargo 521, oil tanker 27, other 592

total

1,187 (2023)

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

5,886,510,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

43,996,044 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

238

number of registered air carriers

8 (2020)

14,000 km gas, 2,500 km oil and refined products, 3,000 km chemicals (2017)

key ports

Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Europoort, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen

large

2

medium

4

ports with oil terminals

12

small

5

total ports

18 (2024)

very small

7

total

3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified

total

139,027 km (2022)

6,237 km (2012) (navigable by ships up to 50 tons)

the Dutch military is charged with the three core tasks of defending the country’s national territory and that of its allies, enforcing the national and international rule of law, and providing assistance during disasters and other crises; it also has some domestic security duties, including in the Dutch Caribbean territories; the military operates globally but rarely carries out military operations independently and focuses on cooperating with the armed forces of other countries, particularly with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is heavily involved in NATO missions and operations with air, ground, and naval forces, including air policing missions over the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval flotillas, as well as standby units for NATO’s rapid response force; the military has previously deployed forces to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo and also regularly contributes to EU- and UN-led missions; Royal Netherlands Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATOthe Dutch Army has especially close ties with the German Army, including having its air mobile and mechanized brigades assigned to German divisional headquarters; in addition, the Army shares with the Germans command of a NATO high-readiness corps-level headquarters, which can be ready for deployment inside or outside NATO territory within 20 days; in 2020, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands formed a joint composite special operations component commandfounded in the late 1400s, the Royal Netherlands Navy is one of the oldest naval forces in the World and conducts a variety of missions worldwide; in addition to its close ties with NATO, the Navy cooperates closely with the Belgian Navy, including a joint staff known as the Admiralty Benelux; it has a command responsible for the activities of Dutch naval units in the Caribbean, which includes combating drug trafficking, environmental crime, and illegal fishing, as well as providing search and rescue and disaster relief capabilities; the Netherlands has naval bases on Curaçao and Aruba; since 1973, the Dutch Marine Corps has worked closely with the British Royal Marines, including jointly in the UK-Netherlands amphibious landing forcethe Dutch military is also part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a defense framework of 10 Northern European nations designed to provide security to the High North, North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea Region in response to a crisis (2024)

Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2024)

note

note 1: the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard are civilian in nature but managed by the Royal Netherlands Navynote 2: the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks; it has 21 brigades based in eight Dutch provinces, plus Curaçao in the Caribbean, a special missions security brigade, and separate security platoons to guard and protect domestic sites that are most likely to be the targets of attacks, such as government buildingsnote 3: the national police maintain internal security in the Netherlands and report to the Ministry of Justice and Security, which oversees law enforcement organizations, as do the justice ministries in Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten

approximately 45,000 active-duty personnel (19,000 Army; 8,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force; 6,000 Constabulary; 4,000 other) (2024)

note

note: the total figures include about 6,000 reservists on active duty; the Navy figures include about 2,300 marines

350 Lithuania (NATO); 200 Romania (NATO) (2024)

note

note: as of 2024, the Dutch military had close to 1,000 total military personnel deployed abroad

the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of weapons systems; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2024)

Military Expenditures 2020

1.4% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

1.4% of GDP (2021)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.5% of GDP (2022)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023)

Military Expenditures 2024

2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)

17 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; the military is an all-volunteer force; conscription remains in place, but the requirement to show up for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997; must be a citizen of the Netherlands (2024)

note

note: in 2023, women made up about 14% of the military's full-time personnel

a major transit hub for illicit substances, especially cocaine from South and Central America and methamphetamine from Mexico; homegrown synthetic drug makers and illegal chemical precursor manufacturers selling dangerous drugs, including synthetic opioids, via the internet to customers in the United States and worldwide  

refugees (country of origin)

53,496 (Syria), 19,204 (Eritrea), 7,106 (Turkey), 5,593 (Iran), 5,152 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 117,950 (Ukraine) (as of 21 February 2024)

stateless persons

4,570 (2022)

Netherlands Space Office (NSO; established 2009); Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON; advises NSO on scientific space research; established 1983) (2024)

has an active space program focused on the added value of space on science, the economy, and society, as well as the development of cutting edge space technologies and services based on satellite data; builds and operates satellites; researches and develops technologies related to astrophysics, telecommunications, remote sensing (RS), propulsion systems, atmospheric measuring instruments (such as spectrometers), planetary/exoplanetary research, and robotics; active member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and participates in the construction of ESA satellite launch vehicles (Arienne and VEGA) and in the ESA astronaut training program; participates in international space programs and with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Japan, the US, and members of the EU; has a robust commercial space sector tied in to the larger European space economy (2024)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide

carbon dioxide emissions

170.78 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

17.79 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

10.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

water and air pollution are significant environmental problems; pollution of the country's rivers from industrial and agricultural chemicals, including heavy metals, organic compounds, nitrates, and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities

party to

Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

global geoparks and regional networks

De Hondsrug; Schelde Delta (includes Belgium) (2024)

total global geoparks and regional networks

2 (2024)

agricultural land

55.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)

forest

10.8% (2018 est.)

other

34.1% (2018 est.)

Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 kmnote – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)

91 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural

31 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

5.94 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

2.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

rate of urbanization

0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

93.2% of total population (2023)

municipal solid waste generated annually

8.855 million tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,179,216 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

24.6% (2015 est.)