CapitalAmsterdam
Population17,833,885
Area41,543 km²
GDP per capita$70,900
LanguagesDutch , Frisian
Currencyeuros
Life Expectancy81.9 yr
Governmenta parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Introduction
Background
The independence of the Dutch United Provinces from Spain was proclaimed in 1581; throughout the 17th century, they emerged as a prominent maritime and trade power, establishing colonies and settlements globally. Following 18 years of French control, the Netherlands reclaimed its independence in 1813. Belgium separated and established its own kingdom in 1830. The Netherlands maintained a stance of neutrality during World War I but faced invasion and occupation by Germany during World War II. As a contemporary, industrialized country, the Netherlands is also a significant exporter of agricultural goods. It was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU) and took part in the euro's launch in 1999. In 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was disbanded, and the three smallest islands—Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba—were designated as special municipalities within the Netherlands' administrative framework. The larger islands, Sint Maarten and Curacao, along with Aruba, became constituent countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In 2018, the governing body of Sint Eustatius island council was disbanded and replaced with a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. The Dutch Government has stated that this intervention will be "as brief as possible and as long as necessary."
Geography
Area
land
33,893 sq km
water
7,650 sq km
total
41,543 sq km
Climate
temperate; marine; characterized by cool summers and mild winters
Terrain
predominantly coastal lowlands and reclaimed land (polders); with some hills in the southeast
Land use
other
35.5% (2023 est.)
forest
10.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
53.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 30% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.)
Location
Located in Western Europe, adjacent to the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Coastline
451 km
Elevation
lowest point
Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point
Mount Scenery (situated on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, which is now regarded as a part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles) rises to 862 m
mean elevation
30 m
Irrigated land
2,969 sq km (2019)
Map references
Europe
Land boundaries
total
1,053 km
border countries
Belgium 478 km; Germany 575 km
Maritime claims
contiguous zone
24 nm
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive fishing zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
flooding
volcanism: Mount Scenery (887 m), found on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also referred to as "The Quill," is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are situated at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles, which extends southward to Grenada
Geography - note
positioned at the confluence of three major European rivers (Rhine (Rijn), Meuse (Maas), and Scheldt (Schelde)); approximately a quarter of the nation is below sea level, and only about half of the land rises above one meter above sea level
Natural resources
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the area of New Jersey
Geographic coordinates
52 31 N, 5 46 E
Population distribution
the Randstad region, centered around the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated area; the northern part tends to have lower density, although significant communities are distributed across the entire country
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage
Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 km
note: [s] after the country name indicates river source; [m] after the country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Languages
Languages
Dutch (official), Frisian (official in the province of Fryslan)
major-language sample(s)
Het Wereld Feitenboek, een essentiële informatiebron. (Dutch)
The World Factbook, the essential reference for foundational information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.8% (comprising Dutch Reformed, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, Calvinist), Muslim 5%, other 5.9% (including Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 54.1% (2019 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years
1.02 male(s)/female
total population
0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.87 male(s)/female
Birth rate
10.68 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
40.9 years
total
42.2 years (2025 est.)
female
43.5 years
Population
male
8,874,366
total
17,833,885 (2025 est.)
female
8,959,519
Nationality
noun
Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective
Dutch
Tobacco use
male
21% (2025 est.)
total
18.7% (2025 est.)
female
16.4% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
93.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
15.2% (male 1,384,142/female 1,312,455)
15-64 years
64.1% (male 5,750,034/female 5,640,691)
65 years and over
20.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,709,924/female 1,975,132)
Ethnic groups
Dutch 75.4%, EU (excluding Dutch) 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.4%, Surinamese 2.1%, Indonesian 2%, other 9.3% (2021 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
56.8 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio
23.7 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio
3 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
33 (2025 est.)
Physician density
3.88 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
11.3% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
15.9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Net migration rate
2.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.62 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
5.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
12% national budget (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
3.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total
3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
3.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
0.3% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.79 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
The region referred to as the Randstad, centered around the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated area; the northern part is generally less dense, although significant communities are present throughout the country.
Life expectancy at birth
male
80.3 years
female
83.5 years
total population
81.9 years (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
4 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: rural
rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: total
total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
improved: urban
urban: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: rural
rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban
urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer
3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine
2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
total
8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits
1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Major urban areas - population
1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
20.4% (2016)
Mother's mean age at first birth
30.2 years (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
53.5% (2023 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male
18 years (2021 est.)
total
19 years (2021 est.)
female
19 years (2021 est.)
Environment
Climate
temperate; maritime; mild summers and cool winters
Geoparks
global geoparks and regional networks
De Hondsrug; Schelde Delta (incorporating Belgium) (2024)
total global geoparks and regional networks
2 (2024)
Land use
other
35.5% (2023 est.)
forest
10.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
53.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 30% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 22.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
93.2% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane emissions
other
17.4 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste
123.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
energy
63.1 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture
449 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
8.805 million tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
28.3% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
contamination of water, comprising industrial and agricultural chemicals in waterways; air pollution resulting from vehicular and refining operations
Total water withdrawal
municipal
2.185 billion cubic meters (2022)
industrial
5.784 billion cubic meters (2022)
agricultural
265.086 million cubic meters (2022)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
188.191 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas
52.454 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke
23.701 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
112.037 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
10 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
91 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified
none of the selected agreements
Government
Flag
description: consists of three equal horizontal stripes of vivid red (top), white, and cobalt blue
history: the colors are derived from WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange; initially, the upper stripe was orange, but due to the dye fading to red over time, red was ultimately established as the official color
Capital
name
Amsterdam
etymology
the name originates from the Dutch term for the local river, the Amstel, combined with the Dutch word dam, which translates to the same in English; the river's name is believed to stem from the Germanic terms ama (current) and stelle (place)
time zone note
time references pertain exclusively to continental Netherlands; for the Caribbean constituent countries, the time zone is UTC-4
time difference
UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, commences on the last Sunday of March; concludes on the last Sunday of October
geographic coordinates
52 21 N, 4 55 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
5 years
Constitution
history
many amendments were made prior to the enactment of the "Basic Law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands" on 24 August 1815; it has been revised 8 times, with the latest revision occurring in 1983
amendment process
introduced as an Act of Parliament by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after the first reading of the Act; passage necessitates a second reading by both the First Chamber and the newly elected Second Chamber, followed by a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers, and ratification by the king
Country name
etymology
the English name is derived from the nation's Dutch title, which translates to "the lowlands" and accurately depicts the geographic area; approximately half of the Netherlands is situated more than 1 meter (3.3 ft) above sea level
abbreviation
NL
local long form
Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form
Nederland
conventional long form
Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form
Netherlands
Independence
26 July 1581
Legal system
a civil law system influenced by the French legal framework; the constitution does not allow for judicial review of acts passed by the States General
Government type
a parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (composed of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices, and 3 justices serving in exceptional capacities); the court is organized into criminal, civil, tax, and ombudsman chambers
subordinate courts
courts of appeal; district courts, each with as many as 5 subdistrict courts; Netherlands Commercial Court
judge selection and term of office
justices are appointed by the monarch from a list provided by the House of Representatives of the States General; justices serve for life or until mandatory retirement at the age of 70
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
chief of state
King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013)
head of government
Caretaker Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 3 June 2025)
election/appointment process
the monarchy is hereditary; post-elections of the Second Chamber, the monarch typically designates the leader of the majority party or coalition as prime minister; the monarch also appoints deputy prime ministers
National holiday
King's Day (the birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)
National color(s)
orange
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
13 (12 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Schokland and Surroundings (c); Dutch Water Defense Lines (c); Van Nellefabriek (c); Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout (c); Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (c); Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) (c); Wadden Sea (n); Seventeenth Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (c); Colonies of Benevolence (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Lower German Limes (c)
Political parties
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA
Christian Union or CU
Correct Answer 2021 or JA21
Democrats 66 or D66
Denk
Farmer-Citizen Movement or BBB
50Plus
Forum for Democracy or FvD
Green Left (GroenLinks) or GL
Labor Party or PvdA
New Social Contract or NSC
Party for Freedom or PVV
Party for the Animals or PvdD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD
Reformed Political Party or SGP
Socialist Party or SP
Together or BIJ1
Volt Netherlands or Volt
Legislative branch
legislature name
States General (Staten-Generaal)
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Het Wilhelmus" (The William)
history
adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century
lyrics/music
Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown
National symbol(s)
lion, daisy
Administrative divisions
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal)
term in office
4 years
number of seats
150 (all directly elected)
electoral system
proportional representation
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
10/29/2025
expected date of next election
October 2029
percentage of women in chamber
42.7%
parties elected and seats per party
Democrats 66 (D66) (26); Party for Freedom (PVV) (26); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) (22); Green Left - Labour Party (PvdA) (20); Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) (18); JA21 (9); Other (29)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)
term in office
4 years
number of seats
75 (all indirectly elected)
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
5/30/2023
expected date of next election
May 2027
percentage of women in chamber
40%
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 362-3430
chancery
4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 244-5300
chief of mission
Ambassador Birgitta TAZELAAR (since 15 September 2023)
consulate(s) general
Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco
email address and website
[email protected]
https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[31] (70) 310-2207
embassy
John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar
telephone
[31] (70) 310-2209
mailing address
5780 Amsterdam Place, Washington DC 20521-5780
chief of mission
Ambassador Joseph POPOLO (since 29 October 2025)
consulate(s) general
Amsterdam
email address and website
[email protected]
https://nl.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
Economy
Budget
revenues
$451.11 billion (2023 est.)
expenditures
$455.334 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
Exports 2022
$1.007 trillion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$1.022 trillion (2023 est.)
Exports 2024
$1.032 trillion (2024 est.)
Imports
Imports 2022
$915.294 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$893.132 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2024
$884.154 billion (2024 est.)
Industries
agroindustries, engineering and metal products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
Labor force
10.315 million (2024 est.)
Public debt
Public debt 2017
56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022
0.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
0.4% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2024
0.4% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
euros (EUR) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
0.876 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
0.845 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
0.95 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
0.925 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
0.924 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
high-income, core economy within the EU and eurozone; robust sectors in services, logistics, and technology; highly trade-dependent with increased risks stemming from global tensions; decreasing inflation supported by falling energy prices and wage increases; rising yet manageable deficits and public debt; strong evaluations in innovation, competitiveness, and business environment
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2022
3.6% (2022 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023
3.6% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2024
3.6% (2024 est.)
Exports - partners
Germany 16%, Belgium 15%, France 11%, Italy 6%, USA 6% (2023)
Imports - partners
Germany 16%, Belgium 10%, China 10%, USA 10%, UK 5% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2022
$71,300 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$70,700 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2024
$70,900 (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2022
5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
0.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2024
1% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products
milk, sugar beets, potatoes, onions, pork, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, beef (2023)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, vaccines, machinery, crude petroleum, broadcasting equipment (2023)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, cars, natural gas (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2022
$69.676 billion (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$113.676 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2024
$121.825 billion (2024 est.)
Taxes and other revenues
24.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$1.228 trillion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
42.1% (2023 est.)
government consumption
24.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
-0.1% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
20.1% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
88.5% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-77.4% (2023 est.)
Population below poverty line
14.5% (2021 est.)
Average household expenditures
on food
11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
on alcohol and tobacco
3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
10% (2022 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
3.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
3.3% (2024 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
-1.5% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$1.263 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$1.263 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
$1.276 trillion (2024 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male
8.4% (2024 est.)
total
8.2% (2024 est.)
female
7.9% (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$63.353 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$69.83 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
$79.129 billion (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
17.9% (2024 est.)
services
70.3% (2024 est.)
agriculture
1.7% (2024 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%
3.6% (2021 est.)
highest 10%
21.4% (2021 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021
25.7 (2021 est.)
Energy
Coal
exports
13.586 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports
24.663 million metric tons (2023 est.)
production
1.761 million metric tons (2023 est.)
consumption
12.796 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves
3.247 billion metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production
70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves
137.747 million barrels (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption
840,000 bbl/day (2024 est.)
Electricity
exports
25.206 billion kWh (2023 est.)
imports
19.547 billion kWh (2023 est.)
consumption
108.141 billion kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
59.982 million kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
4.936 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural gas
exports
45.129 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports
66.783 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
production
11.788 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption
31.288 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves
132.608 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Nuclear energy
Number of operational nuclear reactors
1 (2025)
Percent of total electricity production
3.2% (2023 est.)
Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors
0.48GW (2025 est.)
Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down
1 (2025)
Electricity access
electrification - total population
100% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
185.536 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
24.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
17.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
nuclear
3.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
46.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity
0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste
8.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
97% (2023 est.)
Broadcast media
over 90% of households have access to cable or satellite television services that offer a diverse array of both domestic and international channels; the public broadcasting system consists of several broadcasters, including 3 that operate on a national level while the others serve regional and local audiences; there are 2 national commercial television networks, each possessing 3 or more affiliated stations, along with numerous commercial TV stations at regional and local levels; nearly 600 radio stations exist, featuring a combination of public and private entities
Internet country code
.nl
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
4.262 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
24 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
23.4 million (2024 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
129 (2024 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
7.83 million (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
43 (2023 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
2
small
5
medium
4
key ports
Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Europoort, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen
very small
7
total ports
18 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
12
Airports
44 (2025)
Railways
total
3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified
Heliports
194 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
1,187 (2023)
by type
bulk carrier 11, container vessel 36, general cargo ship 521, oil tanker 27, other 592
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
PH
Military & Security
Military - note
The Dutch armed forces are tasked with three primary responsibilities: safeguarding the national territory and that of allied nations, enforcing both national and international legal frameworks, and providing aid during emergencies and crises. Additionally, it has certain domestic security responsibilities, including those in the Dutch Caribbean territories. While the military engages in global operations, it seldom operates autonomously, preferring to collaborate through NATO and engage bilaterally with regional partners. It maintains particularly strong relationships with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which include shared military units and joint staff operations.
The Netherlands has been a NATO member since 1949, and its military participates in NATO missions and operations involving air, ground, and naval forces. This includes air policing missions over the Benelux nations and Eastern Europe, participation in NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval task forces, alongside standby units for NATO’s rapid response force. The military has previously deployed personnel to NATO-led missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo, and also contributes to missions led by the EU and UN. Detachments of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee have been integrated into international police units deployed by NATO (2025).
Military deployments
350 in Lithuania (NATO); 150 in Romania (NATO); approximately 800 stationed in Dutch territories in the Caribbean (2025).
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2021
1.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022
1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2024
2% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2025
2.5% of GDP (2025 est.)
Military and security forces
Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (which includes the Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2025).
Military service age and obligation
Individuals can voluntarily enlist in the military at 17 years of age; the armed forces operate as an all-volunteer entity. Although conscription remains legally in effect, the mandate for individuals to report for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997 (2025).
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
The military's equipment inventory comprises a combination of domestically manufactured and modern equipment sourced from Europe and the United States. The Netherlands possesses a sophisticated domestic defense industry specializing in armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems. It also collaborates with the US and other European nations in the joint development and production of advanced weaponry (2025).
Military and security service personnel strengths
Approximately 43,000 active-duty professional military personnel (2025).
Terrorism
Terrorist group(s)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)
Transnational Issues
Illicit drugs
USG identification
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees
310,239 (2024 est.)
stateless persons
4,428 (2024 est.)
Space
Space agency/agencies
Netherlands Space Office (NSO; founded in 2009) (2025)
Space program overview
maintains a national space program aimed at enhancing sophisticated space technologies and services derived from satellite data; constructs and manages a variety of satellites, encompassing communications and remote sensing (RS); engages in research and development of technologies related to astrophysics, atmospheric measurement tools, planetary/exoplanetary studies, propulsion systems, RS, robotics, and telecommunications; is a founding member of the ESA and plays an active role in the EU space community; serves as the host for the ESA's primary research and technology facility; contributes to the development of European satellite launch vehicles and participates in numerous other European space initiatives, including the Copernicus Earth observation program and the Galileo global navigation satellite system; is involved in international endeavors, such as the International Space Station and the Square Kilometer Array project; collaborates with various foreign space agencies and industries, including those from Japan and the United States; boasts a strong commercial space sector (2025)
Key space-program milestones
1960s - initiation of space program
1974-1983 - collaborated with the US to develop advanced astronomical observatory satellites, such as the Astronomical Netherlands Satellite and the Infrared Astronomical Satellite
1985 - first Dutch national to travel to space aboard the US Space Shuttle
2023 - endorsed the US-led Artemis Accords pertaining to space and lunar exploration
2025 - successfully launched the first of four intended synthetic aperture radar (SAR) remote sensing satellites
