2020 Edition

Background

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."

Area

land

33,893 sq km

total

41,543 sq km

water

7,650 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Climate

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Coastline

451 km

Elevation

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

Geographic coordinates

52 31 N, 5 46 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

2,969 sq km (2019)

Land boundaries

border countries

Belgium 478 km; Germany 575 km

total

1,053 km

Land use

agricultural land

53.5% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 30% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.)

forest

10.9% (2023 est.)

other

35.5% (2023 est.)

Location

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

Major rivers (by length in km)

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage

Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)

Map references

Europe

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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 resources

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

Population distribution

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, but sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country

Terrain

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

Age structure

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

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.)

Birth rate

10.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

53.5% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

33 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

56.8 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

23.7 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP)

5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

12% national budget (2022 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.79 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

11.3% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

15.9% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

3.3 deaths/1,000 live births

male

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births

total

3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

83.5 years

male

80.3 years

total population

81.9 years (2024 est.)

Major urban areas - population

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

Maternal mortality ratio

4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

43.5 years

male

40.9 years

total

42.2 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.2 years (2020 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Dutch

noun

Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

Net migration rate

2.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

20.4% (2016)

Physician density

3.88 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Population

female

8,959,519

male

8,874,366

total

17,833,885 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.3% (2025 est.)

Religions

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.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 100% of population (2022 est.)

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

19 years (2021 est.)

male

18 years (2021 est.)

total

19 years (2021 est.)

Sex ratio

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.)

Tobacco use

female

16.4% (2025 est.)

male

21% (2025 est.)

total

18.7% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.62 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

93.2% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

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)

Capital

daylight saving time

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

etymology

the name is derived from the Dutch name of the local river, the Amstel, and the Dutch word dam, which has the same meaning in English; the river name is said to derive from the Germanic words ama (current) and stelle (place)

geographic coordinates

52 21 N, 4 55 E

name

Amsterdam

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

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

Constitution

amendment process

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

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

Country name

abbreviation

NL

conventional long form

Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional short form

Netherlands

etymology

the English name is derived from the country's Dutch name, which means "the lowlands" and describes the geographic area; only about half the Netherlands is more than 1 meter (3.3 ft) above sea level

local long form

Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

local short form

Nederland

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Joseph POPOLO (since 29 October 2025)

consulate(s) general

Amsterdam

email address and website

AmsterdamUSC@state.gov https://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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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.nl https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc

FAX

[1] (202) 362-3430

telephone

[1] (202) 244-5300

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch

chief of state

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013)

election/appointment process

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

head of government

Caretaker Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 3 June 2025)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of bright red (top), white, and cobalt blue history: the colors come from WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange; originally the upper band was orange, but the dye would turn red over time, so red was eventually made the permanent color

Government type

parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Independence

26 July 1581 

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (consists of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices, and 3 justices in exceptional service); 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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

States General (Staten-Generaal)

Legislative branch - lower chamber

chamber name

House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal)

electoral system

proportional representation

expected date of next election

October 2029

most recent election date

10/29/2025

number of seats

150 (all directly elected)

parties elected and seats per party

Democrats 66 (D66) (26); Party for Freedom (PVV) (26); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) (22); Green Left - Labour Party (PvdA) (20); Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) (18); JA21 (9); Other (29)

percentage of women in chamber

42.7%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

Legislative branch - upper chamber

chamber name

Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)

expected date of next election

May 2027

most recent election date

5/30/2023

number of seats

75 (all indirectly elected)

percentage of women in chamber

40%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century

lyrics/music

Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown

title

"Het Wilhelmus" (The William)

National color(s)

orange

National heritage

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)

National holiday

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)

National symbol(s)

lion, daisy

Political parties

Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA  Christian Union or CU Correct Answer 2021 or JA21 Democrats 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 

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

milk, sugar beets, potatoes, onions, pork, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, beef (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$455.334 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$451.11 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2022

$69.676 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$113.676 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$121.825 billion (2024 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, core EU- and eurozone-member economy; strong services, logistics, and tech sectors; strongly trade-oriented with heightened risks from global tensions; declining inflation aided by easing energy prices and wage growth; rising but manageable deficits and public debt; strong ratings for innovation, competitiveness, and business climate

Exchange rates

Currency

euros (EUR) per US dollar -

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.)

Exchange rates 2024

0.924 (2024 est.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$1.007 trillion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$1.022 trillion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$1.032 trillion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, vaccines, machinery, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2023)

Exports - partners

Germany 16%, Belgium 15%, France 11%, Italy 6%, USA 6% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

88.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

24.5% (2023 est.)

household consumption

42.1% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-77.4% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

20.1% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

-0.1% (2023 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.7% (2024 est.)

industry

17.9% (2024 est.)

services

70.3% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.228 trillion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021

25.7 (2021 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

21.4% (2021 est.)

lowest 10%

3.6% (2021 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$915.294 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$893.132 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$884.154 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, natural gas (2023)

Imports - partners

Germany 16%, Belgium 10%, China 10%, USA 10%, UK 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.5% (2024 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

10% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

3.8% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

3.3% (2024 est.)

Labor force

10.315 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

14.5% (2021 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2017

56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$1.263 trillion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$1.263 trillion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$1.276 trillion (2024 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

5% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

0.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2022

$71,300 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$70,700 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$70,900 (2024 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$63.353 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$69.83 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$79.129 billion (2024 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.6% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.6% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

7.9% (2024 est.)

male

8.4% (2024 est.)

total

8.2% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

12.796 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

13.586 million metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

24.663 million metric tons (2023 est.)

production

1.761 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

3.247 billion metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

108.141 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

25.206 billion kWh (2023 est.)

imports

19.547 billion kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

59.982 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

4.936 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

fossil fuels

46.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectricity

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

nuclear

3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

17.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

185.536 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

31.288 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

45.129 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

66.783 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

11.788 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

132.608 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Nuclear energy

Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors

0.48GW (2025 est.)

Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down

1 (2025)

Number of operational nuclear reactors

1 (2025)

Percent of total electricity production

3.2% (2023 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

137.747 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

840,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)

total petroleum production

70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

43 (2023 est.)

total

7.83 million (2023 est.)

Broadcast media

more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems with a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder in regional and local markets; 2 nationwide commercial TV 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

Internet country code

.nl

Internet users

percent of population

97% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

24 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

4.262 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

129 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

23.4 million (2024 est.)

Airports

44 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PH

Heliports

194 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

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

total

1,187 (2023)

Ports

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

Railways

total

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

Military - note

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 its operations independently, focusing instead on working through NATO and bilaterally with regional partners; it has particularly close ties with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK, including some combined military units and staffs the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is 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 contributes to EU- and UN-led missions; Royal Netherlands Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATO (2025)

Military and security forces

Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2025)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 43,000 active-duty professional military personnel (2025)

Military deployments

350 Lithuania (NATO); 150 Romania (NATO); approximately 800 deployed to Dutch territories in the Caribbean (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; 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 (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2021

1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military Expenditures 2024

2% of GDP (2024 est.)

Military Expenditures 2025

2.5% of GDP (2025 est.)

Military service age and obligation

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 (2025)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

310,239 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

4,428 (2024 est.)

Key space-program milestones

1960s - established space program 1974-1983 - developed advanced astronomical observatory satellites jointly with US, including the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite  1985 - first Dutch citizen in space on the US Space Shuttle 2023 - signed US-led Artemis Accords for space and lunar exploration 2025 - launched the first of four planned synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellites

Space agency/agencies

Netherlands Space Office (NSO; established 2009) (2025)

Space program overview

has a national space program focused on developing advanced space technologies and services based on satellite data; builds and operates a range of satellites, including communications and remote sensing (RS); researches and develops technologies related to astrophysics, atmospheric measuring instruments, planetary/exoplanetary research, propulsion systems, RS, robotics, and telecommunications; founding member of the ESA and active in the EU space community; hosts the ESA's main research and technology center; participates in building European satellite launch vehicles and a range of other European space programs, such as Copernicus Earth observation and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; participates in international programs, including the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array project; works with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Japan and the US; has a robust commercial space sector (2025)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

23.701 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

52.454 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

112.037 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

188.191 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

water pollution, including industrial and agricultural chemicals in rivers; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

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

total global geoparks and regional networks

2 (2024)

International environmental agreements

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

Methane emissions

agriculture

449 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

63.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

17.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

123.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

10 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

265.086 million cubic meters (2022)

industrial

5.784 billion cubic meters (2022)

municipal

2.185 billion cubic meters (2022)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

8.805 million tons (2024 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

28.3% (2022 est.)