Factbook dossier
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."
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
total : 41,543 sq km land: 33,893 sq km water: 7,650 sq km
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
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
Population
total: 17,833,885 (2025 est.) male: 8,874,366 female: 8,959,519
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.)
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: 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
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.)
Environmental issues
water pollution, including industrial and agricultural chemicals in rivers; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities
Government type
parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Capital
name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 21 N, 4 55 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October time zone note: time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4 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) note: The Hague is the seat of government
Executive branch
chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013) head of government: Caretaker Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 3 June 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch 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 note: Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF resigned on 3 June 2025 after a party withdrew from his governing coalition, but he will continue in a caretaker capacity until new elections are held, probably in the fall of 2025
Legislative branch
legislature name: States General (Staten-Generaal) legislative structure: bicameral
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$1.276 trillion (2024 est.) $1.263 trillion (2023 est.) $1.263 trillion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Real GDP per capita
$70,900 (2024 est.) $70,700 (2023 est.) $71,300 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.3% (2024 est.) 3.8% (2023 est.) 10% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Exports - partners
Germany 16%, Belgium 15%, France 11%, Italy 6%, USA 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Imports - partners
Germany 16%, Belgium 10%, China 10%, USA 10%, UK 5% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
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) note 1: the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard are civilian in nature but managed by the Royal Netherlands Navy note 2: the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks note 3: the Netherlands (or National) Police maintain internal security 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
Military expenditures
2.5% of GDP (2025 est.) 2% of GDP (2024 est.) 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)