| Area Total | 41,543 sq km |
| Climate | temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters |
| Natural Resources | natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land |
| Imports | $China 16.4%, Germany 15.3%, Belgium 8.5%, US 6.9%, UK 5.1%, Russia 4.3% (2017) – machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing |
| Exports | Germany 24.2%, Belgium 10.7%, UK 8.8%, France 8.8%, Italy 4.2% (2017) – machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, mineral fuels; food and livestock, manufactured goods |
| Government | parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Capital | Amsterdam; note – The Hague is the seat of government |
| Population | 17.2 million (July 2018 est.) |
| Ethnicity | Dutch 76.9%, EU 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.3%, Indonesian 2.1%, German 2.1%, Surinamese 2%, Polish 1%, other 4.8% (2018 est.) |
| Language | Dutch (official); Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish |
News about the Netherlands
- In Maastricht, the big concerns are housing and tourismby Molly Quell (DutchNews.nl) on March 14, 2026
The Netherlands goes to the polls to vote for 342 local councils on March 18 and Dutch News is focusing...
- Explosion outside Jewish school in Amsterdam: “targeted attack”by Senay Boztas (DutchNews.nl) on March 14, 2026
An explosion outside a Jewish school in Buitenveldert in Amsterdam on Friday night caused limited damage, according to Dutch police....
- Fewer people in NL are religious, Catholics are biggest groupby Robin Pascoe (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
The number of people considering themselves to be religious in the Netherlands has fallen again to 42%, national statistics office...
- Accidental Americans win lower fees campaign to end citizenshipby Molly Quell (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
A change in regulations from the US State Department has dropped the price for giving up American citizenship, following a...
- Longest-serving Dutch prisoner abroad is back in the Netherlandsby Robin Pascoe (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
Jaitsen Singh, the longest-serving Dutch prisoner abroad, has been brought back from the US to the Netherlands, eight months after...
- Local and left-wing politicians call for 30% ruling to goby Robin Pascoe (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
Some 40 local politicians from the Amsterdam area, including Amsterdam, Haarlem and Almere, have written to the national parliament calling...
- Podcast: The You Cannot Vote For Henk Krol Editionby Gordon Darroch (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
Want to support the DutchNews podcast and keep up our stocks of stroopwafels and orange tompouces? Click here to become...
- Dutch understand US-Israeli attack on Iran but do not support itby Robin Pascoe (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
The Dutch government does not support the US-Israeli attack on Iran but says it understands why it took place, prime...
- More men than women have unprotected sex, survey showsby Hanneke Sanou (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
Men in their 20s have unprotected sex with a casual date more often than women in that age group, and...
- Fire at Rotterdam synagogue was arson attack, four arrestedby Hanneke Sanou (DutchNews.nl) on March 13, 2026
Rotterdam police have arrested four teenagers from Tilburg in connection with the fire at a synagogue in Rotterdam in the...












