Country profile

Constitution 

The Netherlands is a Kingdom. It has been a constitutional monarchy since 1815 and a political democracy since 1848. The monarch is the head of the state [ i.e., King Willem Alexander.] The King has limited powers but can sway the formation of a new cabinet. The Dutch cabinet has executive agency.

The Netherlands has a bicameral parliament: the Lower House and the Upper House.

The Netherlands is a member of the European Union.

The Dutch economic system is a model of consensus. Trade unions and employers’ organizations have close relations and frequent contact. As a result, they maintain stability. The Government has minimal interference in industrial relations.

Location

The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four autonomous countries: the Netherlands and three islands located in the Caribbean: Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten. After the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, three islands of the Caribbean are considered municipalities of the Netherlands (e.g., Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba).

The Netherlands is located in the Western hemisphere of Europe, bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. Furthermore, the Netherlands has maritime borders with the United Kingdom (west), Belgium (south), Germany (west), and the Scandinavian countries (north).

The Netherlands is situated in the industrial heart of Europe, at the center of an excellent distribution network. It has an advanced transport infrastructure through the port in Rotterdam [e.g., the largest port in Europe] and an international airport near Amsterdam (Schiphol).

Logistics/ transport 

The Netherlands has a favorable geographical location within Europe, with its port in Rotterdam (the largest port in Europe) and its main airport near Amsterdam (Schiphol). This provides easy access to - and guarantees- fast delivery of goods across Europe and the rest of the world.

Moreover, various types of storage facilities are available throughout the country. The customs procedures are designed to facilitate fast and smooth handling of transit goods.

IT infrastructure and the internet 

The Netherlands has up-to-date communications technology, which includes the GigaPort Platform.

The Netherlands has one of the highest levels of internet penetration in the European Union, at about 96 percent. Moreover, it hosts one of the largest data transport hubs in the world, the Amsterdam Internet Exchange.

Language 

The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch, but the average Dutch person is multi-linguistic. The majority of the Dutch population speaks English, and many also speak German and/or French.

Other languages spoken in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are West Frisian and Papiamento.  

Population  

The population of the Netherlands consists of about 17.7 million inhabitants.  In the last century and a half, the population has increased more than fivefold. It is expected to grow to 18 million in 2028, mainly due to migration.

The average age of all inhabitants of the Netherlands is about 41.6 years (last measured in 2017), and the average life expectancy at birth was 79.7 years for men and 83.0 years for women (2021).