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Overview

Located in northwestern Europe near the North Sea, the Netherlands was once a powerful seafaring nation, but repeated wars weakened the empire by the 20th century. The Netherlands was neutral during the first World War, but was occupied by the Germans during World War II, and the country lost the majority of its Jewish population to the Nazis. After the war, the Netherlands granted independence to many of its colonies and was one of the founding members of NATO. The country grew economically during the Cold War and adopted many liberal social policies, including the legalization of drugs, euthanasia and same sex marriage. In the 21st century, the Netherlands has come into conflict with its Muslim population, as it has strengthened it immigration policies and made arrests in the murder of film director and publicist Theo van Gogh in 2004. The arrests and subsequent convictions of van Gogh’s attackers were reversed on appeal and led to greater debate about the nature of Islam in Dutch society.

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Basic Information

Lay of the Land: Low-lying, small, and packed. In northwestern Europe, the Netherlands is a checkerboard country of geometrical fields and towns punctuated by frequent lakes and waterways. Facing England to the west across the North Sea, bordered on the east by Germany and in the south by Belgium, the Netherlands forms part of the North European Plain and is divided into “low” and “high.” The “Low” – about half the country – is that area which is no more than one meter above the mean high-water level of the sea. Thus, although only 27% of the land (containing 60% of the population) is actually below sea level, fully half of it would be regularly flooded without the protection of the Netherlands’ vast network of coastal and inland dikes. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport(“ship harbor”) is 13 feet below sea level and probably the only airport in the world built on the site of a naval battle.

Population: 16.6 million

Religions: Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, Muslim 5.8%, other Protestant 3%, other 2.2%, non-religious 42%. Only 30% of Christians declare a belief in God.

Ethnic Groups: Dutch 80.7%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other European 5%, other 4.8%.

Languages: Dutch 75.8%, Limburgisch 5.5%, Western Frisian 4.3%, Gronings 3.6%, Zeeuws 1.3%, Vlaams 0.7%, Romani (Vlax, Sinte) 0.01%, Achterhoeks, Drents, Sallands, Stellingwerfs, Twents, Veluws. Dutch is the nation’s official language and Frisian is also recognized as an official language of the province of Friesland.

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History

The Netherlands was originally inhabited by Germanic tribes, before Julius Caesar discovered the region and claimed it as part of the Roman Empire in the 1st century BC. Most of the area was inhabited by Batavians, while the eastern part of the country had been settled by the Frisians.

Between the 4th and 8th centuries, the Franks conquered most of the area. Later, some portions of the Netherlands passed into the hands of the House of Burgundy and the Austrian Habsburgs.

During the 16th century, the Spanish ruled the Netherlands. But the Dutch revolted in 1558 under the leadership of Willem of Orange. When the Union of Utrecht was established in 1579, the seven northern Dutch provinces became the Republic of the United Netherlands.

During the 17th century, the Netherlands became a great seafaring power, colonizing many nations and establishing its influence throughout the world. This era saw the emergence of many of the country’s greatest artists, including Rembrandt and Frans Hals.

But wars with Spain, France and England in the 17th and 18th centuries weakened the Netherlands’ power internationally. During the American Revolutionary War, the Dutch United Provinces supported the breakaway colonies. In 1795, French troops ousted Willem V of Orange, the Stadhouder under the Dutch Republic and head of the House of Orange.

When Napoleon was defeated in 1815, the Netherlands and Belgium became the Kingdom of the United Netherlands. Willem I became king. In 1830, the Belgians withdrew from the union to form their own kingdom. King Willem II liberalized the constitution in 1848, which led to many of the gains the country enjoyed during the reign of Willem III.

The Netherlands remained neutral during World War I. Germany invaded the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, and occupied it for almost five years. Queen Wilhelmina established a government-in-exile in London, and declared war on Japan the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Nazis deported most of the Jewish population of the Netherlands to concentration camps and more than 75% of the country’s Jews died at the hands of the Nazis.

When the country was liberated in May 1945, the queen retuned from London. Many of the Netherlands’ colonies became independent or gained their autonomy after the war. Indonesia formally gained its independence in 1949, and Suriname became independent in 1975. The five islands of the Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, St. Eustatius, and a part of St. Maarten) remained part of the realm, but enjoy a large degree of autonomy.

The Netherlands was among the countries that founded the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1949.

Crown Princess Juliana acceded to the throne in 1948, when her mother abdicated. In 1952, the Netherlands joined the European Coal and Steel Community, which eventually became the European Union. In addition to its industrial sector, the Netherlands exported its agricultural products with increasing success.

In 1953, a major flood collapsed several dikes in the southwest portion of the country. This prompted the Dutch government to establish a large-scale program of public works to protect the country from further flooding. The project was completed over the next thirty years.

The 1960s and 1970s brought great social change to the Netherlands, when many of the old ways were abandoned, especially those relating to class and religious lines. Liberal social policies were adopted, including the legalization of drugs, euthanasia and same sex marriage, which has been permitted since 2001.

In April 1980, Queen Juliana abdicated in favor of her daughter, the current Queen Beatrix. In 1999, the Netherlands converted its currency to the euro. In recent years, the country has been instrumental in the integration of business among European countries.

On May 6, 2002, Pim Fortuyn, the country’s right-wing populist, called for a stricter policy on immigration. During national elections, his party won a substantial victory, but internal struggles caused them to lose support in the 2003 elections.

On November 2, 2004, film director and publicist Theo van Gogh was assassinated by a Dutch-Moroccan youth with radical Islamic beliefs. Van Gogh was perceived to have blasphemed Islam with his recent 11-minute film, Submission Part 1, which dealt with the abuse of women in Islam. Within a week, several arrests were made, and those accused were later found guilty of conspiracy with terrorist intentions. However, the verdict was later reversed on appeal. Since that time, debate has raged in the Netherlands, about immigration and the nature of Islam in Dutch society. Protection has been increased for many politicians, including Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who wrote the scenario for Submission and has been under permanent guard since she publicly renounced Islam in 2002.

History of Netherlands (History of Holland)

HistoryofHolland.com

History of the Netherlands (Wikipedia)

History of the Netherlands (History World)

History of the Netherlands: Primary Documents (Euro Docs)

Netherlands History (Google Book Search)

History of Jews in the Netherlands (by David Shyovitz, Jewish Virtual Library)

History of Dutch Comics

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Netherlands's Newspapers

Netherlands’ Newspapers

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History of U.S. Relations with Netherlands

In 1621, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands granted the Dutch West India Company a trade monopoly, as well as jurisdiction over Dutch interests in the Americas and West Africa. The company, which was essentially a conglomeration of merchants, founded the city of New Amsterdam (New York) and established the (Dutch) Reformed Church there in 1624.

One of the early Dutch governors tried to outlaw any house of worship besides the Reformed Church, but his advisory council in Amsterdam vetoed his proposal on the grounds that it would hinder commerce. The initial good fortune of the Dutch turned bad in 1664, when the English captured New Amsterdam and renamed it New York. The Dutch West India Company gave up its colonial interest in North America after the loss of New York and instead concentrated on the African slave trade and on Dutch colonies in the Atlantic, Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean and Suriname in South America.

By 1790 about 100,000 Dutchmen lived in the US, concentrated in communities where they spoke Dutch and worshipped in the Reformed Church. After the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, Dutch communities adopted the use of English and quickly assimilated into the mainstream culture. Only a few hundred Dutch immigrated annually up until the 1840s, when a split in the Dutch Reformed Church combined with a potato famine drove a new wave of Dutchmen to America.

A number of Dutch colonies sprang up on the midwestern frontier, where the Homestead Act granted land to anyone adventurous enough to claim it. Between 1845 and 1930, about 400,000 Dutchmen immigrated to the US. The restrictive, quota-based Immigration Act of 1924 limited any new arrivals until the Displaced Persons Act of 1948 allowed 80,000 citizens of a war-torn Netherlands to immigrate to the US.

The states with the largest Dutch populations are Michigan (480,515), California (417,258), New York (272,892), Florida (216,017), Illinois (195,816), Washington (142,357), Iowa (134,064), and New Jersey (119,306). All of these states are traditional Dutch strongholds, with the exception of Florida.

The United States first established diplomatic relations with the Netherlands during the American Revolution.

The United States and the Netherlands both joined NATO as charter members in 1949. During the Korean War, the Netherlands fought on the side of the US. The Netherlands has also supported American efforts in the Gulf War, the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

During the Kosovo air campaign of 1999, the Netherlands played a leading role. The country is also helping to support European Union peacekeeping forces in Bosnia.

Netherlands–United States Relations (Wikipedia)

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Current U.S. Relations with Netherlands

The Netherlands has deployed Patriot missiles in Iraq to protect NATO ally Turkey, and the Dutch also support and participate in NATO and EU training efforts in Iraq. The Dutch are active participants in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

The Dutch have worked with the United States at the World Trade Organization, the Organization of Economic Development, and within the EU to advance the shared goal of a more open, market-led global economy. The Dutch, like the United States, supported the accession of 10 new members to the EU in 2004, and accession negotiations for Turkey in 2005.

In the 2000 US census, 4,541,770 people identified themselves as being of Dutch ancestry.

In 2006, 446,785 Dutchmen visited the US. The number of tourists has increased sporadically, but is up overall since 2002, when 384,367 Dutchmen came to America.

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Where Does the Money Flow

From 2003 to 2007, US imports from the Netherlands were dominated by petroleum products, which have averaged approximately half a billion dollars annually. Other imports on the rise included nonmonetary gold, moving up from $235,000 to $15.3 million; electrical equipment, rising from $1.7 million to $4.2 million; and engines for civilian aircraft, increasing from $0 to $2.5 million.

During the same period, US imports from the Netherlands on the decline included photo and service industry machinery and trade tools, decreasing from $16.4 million to $71,000; jewelry, moving down from $8.9 million to $3.8 million; and gem diamonds (uncut or unset), decreasing from $1.4 million to $68,000.

American exports to the Netherlands were dominated by fuel oil, which increased from $85.9 million to $588.7 million, and jewelry, which rose from $238 million to $429.9 million. Other exports on the rise included petroleum products (other), moving up from $58.2 million to $247.6 million; excavating machinery, rising from $7.5 million to $20.5 million; and gem diamonds, increasing from $36.4 million to $73.1 million.

US exports on the decline included chemicals (organic), decreasing from $95.2 million to $55.5 million; electric apparatus, moving down from $13 million to $9.5 million; computer accessories, decreasing from $32.3 million to $10.8 million; and medicinal equipment, falling from $7.7 million to $6.6 million.

The Netherlands is the fourth-largest direct foreign investor in the United States, and the United States is the third-largest direct foreign investor in the Netherlands.

In 2007, the US sold $1.2 million of defense articles and services to the Netherlands. The US does not give foreign aid to the Netherlands.

Imports from Netherlands

Exports to Netherlands

Netherlands: Security Assistance

Trade in Goods (Imports, Exports and Trade Balance) with Netherlands (US Census Bureau)

Welcome to the US Commercial Service in the Netherlands (BUYUSA.gov)

Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency

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Controversies

Gates Insults Dutch with Afghanistan Comments

In January 2008, US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that NATO troops in Afghanistan did not have the skills required to battle insurgents, causing controversy among leaders in Canada and the Netherlands. The Dutch minister asked the US ambassador for an explanation. British officials called the remarks “bloody outrageous,” prompting an apology from Sean McCormack, a spokesman for the US State Department.

Gates: NATO ‘as a whole’ needs more training against insurgents (CNN)

Gates says NATO force unable to fight guerrillas (by Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times)

Senate Authorizes Military Force Against Netherlands

On August 3, 2001, President Bush signed into law the American Servicepersons Protection Act that authorized the use of military force to liberate any American citizen being held by the International Criminal Court. This came as a shock to the Dutch since the Court is located in The Hague. In June 2002, the US Senate passed a resolution supporting the Bush position and authorizing the president to use “all means necessary” on behalf of US detainees in The Hague. Dutch politicians reacted to the controversial ruling by saying they could not imagine a situation in which the US would have to use military action against the Netherlands or any of their other allies. Instead, they urged diplomatic and cooperative resolutions.

US Seeks to Ease Dutch Fears Over Court (Reuters)

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Human Rights

The State Department report for 2007 stated that the Netherlands’ government generally respected the human rights of its citizens. There were reports of societal discrimination and violence against some religious and ethnic minorities, violence against women and children, and trafficking in women and girls for sexual exploitation.

Muslims faced continuing societal resentment. Minor incidents of violence against Muslims included intimidation, brawls, vandalism, and graffiti with abusive language.

A number of outspoken politicians, mainly from the right, openly argued that Islam was incompatible with Dutch traditions and social values. Geert Wilders, whose Party of Freedom won nine seats in the November 2006 general elections on an anti-immigrant and anti-Islam ticket, was the most prominent of several politicians seen as encouraging public opinion against Muslims by claiming that Islam preached violence and hatred.

Anti-Semitic incidents continued to occur during the year, including verbal threats, cursing, and desecration of monuments and cemeteries. Anti-Semitism among right-wing extremists appeared to increase during the year. The independent Registration Center for Discrimination on the Internet described several hundred right-wing websites as extremist, including those of Stormfront.org, Polinico, National Alliance, and Holland Hardcore. The sites targeted not only Jews but also Muslims, blacks, and homosexuals.

Domestic violence was the most prevalent form of violence in society.

The law prohibits female genital mutilation (FGM). While the government’s National Public Health Council estimated that at least 50 girls a year underwent FGM, the FGM Committee established by the Ministry of Health claimed that the number was much higher.

Trafficking in persons was a problem. The Netherlands was a destination and transit country for trafficked persons. Trafficking within the country was also a problem.

Incidents of physical assault against minorities were rare, but members of minority groups experienced verbal abuse and intimidation and were at times denied access to public venues such as discotheques.

Members of immigrant groups also faced discrimination in housing and employment. The minority unemployment rate remained roughly three times that of the ethnic Dutch workforce.

There was increasing harassment of homosexuals in larger cities, primarily from some groups of Muslim youth.

The law prohibits forced or compulsory labor, including by children. But there were reports that adults and children were trafficked for sexual exploitation and adults for labor exploitation. There were reports that Chinese workers were exploited in Chinese restaurants.

US State Department

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

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Debate

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Past Ambassadors

John Adams

Appointment: Jan 1, 1781

Presentation of Credentials: [Apr 19, 1782]

Termination of Mission: Transmitted recall by note from London, Mar 30, 1788

Note: Commissioned also to Great Britain (see under United Kingdom); resident at London after 1785. Adams also received a second set of instructions dated Aug 16, 1781. Formally recognized on Apr 19, 1782. Adams, before leaving The Hague at the end of his longest period of residence there, presented Charles W.F. Dumas as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim on Oct 15, 1782. Dumas, although holding no commission from the United States, continued to act in this capacity, except during Adams’ later visits to the Netherlands, until 1790.

William Livingston

Note: Elected Jun 23, 1785, to be Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Netherlands; declined appointment.

John Rutledge

Note: Elected Jul 5, 1785 to be Minister Plenipotentiary to the United Netherlands; declined appointment.

William Short

Appointment: Jan 16, 1792

Presentation of Credentials: Jun 18, 1792

Termination of Mission: Left post Dec 19, 1792

John Quincy Adams

Appointment: May 30, 1794

Presentation of Credentials: Nov 6, 1794

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 20, 1797

Note: Continued to serve, without reaccreditation, after the proclamation of the Batavian Republic.

William Vans Murray

Appointment: Mar 2, 1797

Presentation of Credentials: Jun 20, 1797

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Sep 2, 1801

Note: Commissioned to the Batavian Republic.

William Eustis

Appointment: Dec 19, 1814

Presentation of Credentials: [Jul 20, 1815]

Termination of Mission: Had farewell audience, May 5, 1818

Note: Formally received on Jul 20, 1815.

Alexander H. Everett

Appointment: Jun 27, 1818

Presentation of Credentials: Jan 4, 1819

Termination of Mission: Had farewell audience, Apr 7, 1824

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Nov 30, 1818.

Christopher Hughes

Appointment: Mar 9, 1825

Presentation of Credentials: Jul 10, 1826

Termination of Mission: Superseded, Jan 28, 1830

Note: Nominated Dec 11, 1828, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; nomination tabled by the Senate.

William Pitt Preble

Appointment: Jun 1, 1829

Presentation of Credentials: Jan 28, 1830

Termination of Mission: Left post on or shortly before May 2, 1831

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Feb 10, 1830.

Auguste Davezac

Appointment: Oct 15, 1831

Presentation of Credentials: Dec 30, 1831

Termination of Mission: Superseded, Jul 13, 1839

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 3, 1832.

Harmanus Bleecker

Appointment: May 15, 1839

Presentation of Credentials: Jul 13, 1839

Termination of Mission: Superseded, Aug 22, 1842

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation. That commission is not of record, but is enclosed with an instruction of Mar 19, 1840.

Christopher Hughes

Appointment: May 12, 1842

Presentation of Credentials: Aug 22, 1842

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 28, 1845

Auguste Davezac

Appointment: Apr 19, 1845

Presentation of Credentials: Jun 28, 1845

Termination of Mission: Superseded, Sep 16, 1850

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Feb 3, 1846.

George Folsom

Appointment: May 4, 1850

Presentation of Credentials: Sep 16, 1850

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Oct 11, 1853

Note: The record copy is dated May 4, but the date is probably erroneous, as the Senate confirmed Folsom’s nomination on May 14, 1850.

August Belmont

Appointment: May 24, 1853

Presentation of Credentials: Oct 11, 1853

Termination of Mission: Promoted to Minister Resident

Note: Nominated Feb 25, 1856, to be Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary; nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it. Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Feb 8, 1854.

August Belmont

Appointment: Jun 29, 1854

Presentation of Credentials: Sep 26, 1854

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Sep 22, 1857

Henry C. Murphy

Appointment: Jun 1, 1857

Presentation of Credentials: Sep 24, 1857

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 8, 1861

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Jan 14, 1858.

James S. Pike

Appointment: Mar 28, 1861

Presentation of Credentials: Jun 8, 1861

Termination of Mission: Left post on or soon after May 29, 1866

Daniel E. Sickles

Appointment: May 11, 1866

Note: Declined appointment.

John A. Dix

Appointment: Jul 27, 1866

Note: Declined appointment.

Albert Rhodes

Presentation of Credentials: Oct 19, 1866

Termination of Mission: Superseded, Dec 1, 1866

Note: Not commissioned; letter of credence dated Sep 29, 1866.

Hugh Ewing

Appointment: Sep 24, 1866

Presentation of Credentials: Dec 1, 1866

Termination of Mission: Left post on or soon after Oct 31, 1870

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Mar 2, 1867.

Joseph P. Root

Note: Not commissioned; nomination withdrawn before the Senate acted upon it.

Charles T. Gorham

Appointment: Jul 12, 1870

Presentation of Credentials: Dec 15, 1870

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jul 9, 1875

Francis B. Stockbridge

Appointment: Jul 12, 1875

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate. Took oath of office, but did not proceed to post.

James Birney

Appointment: Jan 10, 1876

Presentation of Credentials: Mar 29, 1876

Termination of Mission: Left post on or soon after Apr 20, 1882

William L. Dayton

Appointment: Apr 26, 1882

Presentation of Credentials: Sep 26, 1882

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 8, 1885

Isaac Bell, Jr.

Appointment: Apr 2, 1885

Presentation of Credentials: Jun 8, 1885

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Apr 29, 1888

Robert D. Roosevelt

Appointment: May 16, 1888

Presentation of Credentials: Aug 10, 1888

Termination of Mission: Promoted to Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary

Robert D. Roosevelt

Appointment: Aug 10, 1888

Presentation of Credentials: Sep 26, 1888

Termination of Mission: Presented recall May 17, 1889

Samuel R. Thayer

Appointment: Mar 19, 1889

Presentation of Credentials: May 24, 1889

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Aug 7, 1893

William E. Quinby

Appointment: May 24, 1893

Presentation of Credentials: Aug 11, 1893

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jul 26, 1897

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Aug 25, 1893.

Stanford Newel

Appointment: May 11, 1897

Presentation of Credentials: Aug 19, 1897

Termination of Mission: Recommissioned to a combination of countries

Note: Newel’s second and third commissions were to the Netherlands and Luxembourg; resident at The Hague.

Stanford Newel

Appointment: Jun 5, 1903

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 30, 1905

Note: Commissioned during a recess of the Senate; recommissioned after confirmation on Nov 16, 1903.

David J. Hill

Appointment: Mar 15, 1905

Presentation of Credentials: Jul 15, 1905

Termination of Mission: Presented recall Jun 1, 1908