Netherlands

Introduction to Netherlands

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The current borders were formed in 1839.

The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. In many languages this is the official name of the Netherlands. It is, however, an ambiguous term as Holland is the name of a region in the western Netherlands. For more on this and other naming issues see below under 'naming conventions'.

The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated and geographically low-lying countries in the world (its name literally means "low country") and is famous for its dikes, windmills, wooden shoes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies (towards drugs and prostitution among other things) receive international attention. The country is host to the International Court of Justice.

During the 19th century, The Netherlands was slow to industrialise compared to neighboring countries, mainly due to its unique infrastructure of waterways and reliance on wind power. After remaining neutral in World War I, over 100,000 Dutch Jews were murdered in the Holocaust of World War II, along with significant numbers of Dutch Roma (gypsies). After the war, the Dutch economy prospered again, being a member of the Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg) and European Economic Community unions. The Netherlands was among the twelve founding members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and among the six founding members of the European Coal and Steel Community, which would later evolve into the European Union.

A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country. About half of its surface area is less than 1 m above sea level, and large parts of it are actually below sea level (see map showing these areas). An extensive range of dikes and dunes protect these areas from flooding. Numerous massive pumping stations keep the ground water level in check. The highest point, the Vaalserberg, in the south-eastern most point of the country, is 321 m above sea level. A substantial part of the Netherlands, for example, all of Flevoland and large parts of Holland, has been reclaimed from the sea. These areas are known as polders. This has led to the saying "God created the world, but the Dutch created the Netherlands."

In years past, the Dutch coastline has changed considerably due to human intervention and natural disasters. Most notable in terms of land loss are the 1134 storm, which created the archipelago of Zeeland in the south west, and the 1287 storm, which killed 50,000 people and created the Zuyderzee (now dammed in and renamed the IJsselmeer - see below) in the northwest, giving Amsterdam direct access to the sea. The St. Elizabeth flood of 1421 and the mismanagement in its aftermath destroyed a newly reclaimed polder, replacing it with the 72 km² Biesbosch tidal floodplains in the south-centre. The most recent parts of Zeeland were flooded during the North Sea Flood of 1953 and 1,836 people were killed, after which the Delta Plan was executed.

The disasters were partially man-made; the people drained relatively high lying swampland for use as farmland. This drainage caused the fertile peat to compress and the ground level to drop, locking the land users in a vicious circle whereby they would lower the water level to compensate for the drop in ground level, causing the underlying peat to compress even more. The vicious circle is unsolvable and remains to this day. Up until the 19th century peat was dug up, dried, and used for fuel, further adding to the problem.

To guard against floods, a series of defences against the water were contrived. In the first millennium, villages and farmhouses were built on man-made hills called terps. Later, these terps were connected by dikes. In the 12th century, local government agencies called "waterschappen" (English "water bodies") or "hoogheemraadschappen" ("high home councils") started to appear, whose job it was to maintain the water level and to protect a region from floods. (The water bodies are still around today performing the exact same function.) As the ground level dropped, the dikes by necessity grew and merged into an integrated system. In the 13th century, windmills came into use to pump water out of the areas by now below sea level. The windmills were later used to drain lakes, creating the famous polders. In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (English "Closure Dike") was completed, blocking the former Zuyderzee (Southern Sea) off from the North Sea and thus creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake). It became part of the larger Zuiderzee Works in which four polders totalling 1,650 km² were reclaimed from the sea.

After the 1953 disaster, the Delta project, a vast construction effort designed to end the threat from the sea once and for all, was launched in 1958 and largely completed in 2002. The official goal of the Delta project was to reduce the risk of flooding in Holland to once per 10,000 years. (For the rest of the country, the protection-level is once per 4,000 years). This was achieved by raising 3,000 km of outer sea-dikes and 10,000 km of inner, canal, and river dikes to "delta" height, and by closing off the sea estuaries of the Zeeland province. New risk assessments occasionally incur additional Delta project work in the form of dike reinforcements. The Delta project is the single largest construction effort in human history and is considered by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world.

Cultural notes about Netherlands

To get to know Netherlands' current popular culture and society, it's best to read the lyrics of a very popular song by Lange Frans & Baas B that apparently reflects the feelings of many people in the Netherlands: Het land van... ("The country of..."). It mentions several aspects of typical Dutch culture. One of them is an annual event called fietsvierdaagse.

The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch Masters" such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century are Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam, although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American artist. A (in)famous Dutch master art forger is Han van Meegeren.

The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and Spinoza, and all of Descartes' major work was done there. The Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens (1629-1695) discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented the pendulum clock.

In the Dutch Golden Age, literature flowered as well, with Joost van den Vondel and P. C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th century, Multatuli wrote about the bad treatment of the natives in Dutch colonies. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard van het Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. The Diary of Anne Frank was also written in the Netherlands.

See also: List of museums in The Netherlands, Sport in the Netherlands, Music of the Netherlands, List of Dutch people, Public holidays in the Netherlands

Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Huis ten Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China.

Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese and Delftware pottery are among the numerous items associated with the Netherlands.

Official Canadian government advisories for travelling to, in and around Netherlands

The murder in November 2004 of public figure Theo van Gogh has brought about a number of protests and attacks directed at Islamic institutions and mosques in the Netherlands. Recent security incidents have shown that even peaceful demonstrations can result in confrontations with police authorities and the public. In light of these events and the current potential for civil unrest, Canadian citizens should maintain a high level of personal security awareness in public areas, monitor local news reports, and avoid demonstrations and other large gatherings.

On September 9, 2005, the terrorism threat level for the railways sector was increased by the Dutch Ministry of the Interior to a "light threat." Although there is no concrete terrorist threat, several extra security measures are being taken for railroads and trains as well as for the metros in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Travellers are being asked not to leave their luggage unattended and to report suspicious situations to railway or metro staff. The Dutch government had previously stated that it has received information indicating a heightened terrorist threat against the Netherlands with regard to specific targets and locations. Dutch authorities have stepped up security measures at key locations, including government buildings and public areas.

Recent security incidents in Europe, such as the London bombings and the train bombing in Madrid, demonstrate that attacks can occur without warning and against civilian targets.

As of January 1, 2005, a new law requires that everyone over the age of 14 is able to show valid identification to law enforcement authorities at all times, upon request. Valid passports, Dutch residence permits, and driving licences issued in the Netherlands or elsewhere in the European Union or European Economic Area are considered acceptable. Anyone failing to produce appropriate identification upon request may be fined 50 Euros (25 Euros for persons aged 14 to 16). You should report the loss or theft of identification documents immediately to the nearest police station. Obtain a copy of the police report, keep it on your person, and apply for a replacement document as soon as possible.

Violent crime rarely occurs. However, tourists are frequently victims of robbery. Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and bag snatching, occurs in larger cities, particularly in Amsterdam where it is a major problem. Do not carry valuables or large sums of money. Do not leave baggage or personal belongings unattended in vehicles at any time. Passports and other valuable documents are often stolen from youth hostels in Amsterdam.