|
|
|
World > Europe > Netherlands
 |
Netherlands |
Introduction:
|
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany 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.
|
| Official name: |
Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Capital: |
name: Amsterdam
geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 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
note: The Hague (seat of governm |
| Government type: |
constitutional monarchy |
| Population: |
16,570,613 (July 2007 est.) |
| Languages: |
Dutch (official), Frisian (official) |
| Official Currency: |
Euro (EUR)
Current Euro Exchange Rates
Historical Euro Exchange Rates
Chart Euro Exchange Rates |
| Currency code: |
EUR |
| Area: |
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km |
| Climate: |
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters |
|
Map of Netherlands
|
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
|
|
-
-
-
-
|
|
|
|
|
