Country Information on the Netherlands 

Terrain

The Netherlands is largely an extremely flat country, with some parts even below sea level. Already back in the Middle Ages, the Dutch started to build dykes, canals and windmills to reclaim land. Thus, the Dutch were in a position to extend the country's surface by nearly a fifth. This especially refers to major parts of the surface in the north and the west of the country, where one frequently comes across canals, rivers, bays, and sandy dunes. The Southern and Eastern Netherlands are below sea surface, with a flat or gently undulating landscape. The country's lowest point is Prins Alexanderpolder (seven meters below sea surface), its highest elevation is Mount Vaalserberg (321m) in the far southeast. The Netherland's biggest rivers are River Rhine and its tributaries Waal, Lek, Maas, and Scheldt.

Climate

Strongly influenced by the country's proximity to the North Sea, maritime climatic conditions are predominant, with relatively cool summers and mild winters. In winter, temperatures are rarely below freezing point, if at all. All seasons see precipitation, with 700 to 800 mm on average, March being the driest month.

Fauna/Flora

Natural landscape in the Netherlands was strongly influenced by human activity. Intensive agricultural land use and the use of fertilizers resulted in a decrease of soil and groundwater quality.

Natural woodland habitats with animals like fallow deer and red deer, badgers and owls are restricted to shrinking forested areas dominated by birch trees covering only 8% of the country's surface. Ecological conservation of the original state was only possible in the case of a few marshlands, heathlands, and dunes in the coastal areas, providing a habitat for a number of bird species.

Numerous activities are going on to improve water quality of rivers and enlarge protected areas. Pollution of the adjacent North Sea areas is another big problem the Netherlands has to cope with.

History/Politics

In 300 BC, domination by Roman armies in the area of the present-day Netherlands came to a close when Germanic tribes invaded the region. Frisians, Saxons, and Franks settled the area. After the Frank victory over the other tribes, the population was Christianized and the entire area became part of Charlemagne's Empire. The centuries to follow the collapse of Charlemagne's Empire saw the region develop into the present-day Netherlands.

Between the 12th and 14th centuries, the country was becoming an important trading centre with powerful cities. Marriage policies and war made the Netherlands become part of the holdings of the Dukes of Burgundy in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Frisian part was ruled by Charles V, a member of the Spanish branch of the Habsburg dynasties. Charles gave Spain and the Netherlands to his son Philip II of Spain who was to reign his holdings in an autocratic way.

Until the mid-16th century, wars for independence between the Dutch and the Spanish were waging. This was also the time the Dutch started their first voyages of discovery leading to the establishment of trading posts in North America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The Netherlands finally became independent in the 17th century, a period of economic prosperity followed.

After the War of the Spanish Succession and internal conflict, the country was incorporated into the French Empire by Napoleon in 1806. The Congress of Vienna in 1815 restored the independence of the Netherlands.

The second half of the 19th century was characterized by liberalization in domestic politics, influenced by the revolutions in other European countries. In 1848, a new constitution was adopted which was to form the political basis for modern-day Dutch democracy.

In World War I, the Netherlands remained neutral. Neutral status of the Netherlands could not be maintained after the outbreak of World War II, the country was occupied by Germany and liberated by the Allies as late as 1945.

The Netherlands became a member of the United Nations, NATO, and the European Union. The years to follow were characterized by various alternating coalition governments. Prime minister Wim Kok has been in office since 1994, with Queen Beatrice being the current Queen of the Netherlands. January 2001 will mark the introduction of the Euro as the official currency of the Netherlands.

Economy

The country's economy is stable and thriving. In the year 2000, approximately 73% of the country's active population was employed in the services sector, 23% in manufacturing, and 4% in agriculture.

Agriculture in the Netherlands is done on a large-scale basis and export-oriented, with meat, vegetables and dairy products mainly being earmarked for foreign markets. While fish population has been decreasing as a result of seawater pollution and over-fishing, the traditional business of fishing is still an important part of the Dutch economy. There are also resources in natural gas and oil in the Netherlands.

Major industries are chemicals, electric devices, and oil refining. The country's unemployment rate amounted to 3% in 2000.

Culture

The 17th century marked the rise of Dutch cultural life to international fame. Masters like Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Frans Hals gained world-wide acclaim. The centuries to follow saw painters like van Gogh, Mondrian, and Karel Appeln dominate the scene. However, many foreign artists, like French philosopher and mathematician René Descartes and English philosopher John Locke liked the liberal atmosphere in the Netherlands and even moved to live there.