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The Netherlands

Netherlands
Nederland  (Dutch)
Flag of the Netherlands
Coat of arms of the Netherlands
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Je maintiendrai" (French)
"Ik zal handhaven" (Dutch)
"I will uphold"
Anthem: "Wilhelmus" (Dutch)
"'William"
Location of the  European Netherlands  (dark green)– in Europe  (green & dark grey)– in the European Union  (green)
Location of the  European Netherlands  (dark green)

– in Europe  (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union  (green)
Location of the  Dutch special municipalities  (green)
Location of the  Dutch special municipalities  (green)
Capital
and largest city 		Amsterdam
52°22′N 4°53′E / 52.367°N 4.883°E / 52.367; 4.883
Official languages ​
  •  • National
  •  • Regional
Recognised
regional languages		 Limburgish, Dutch Low Saxon
Ethnic groups (2015)
Demonym Dutch
Sovereign state  Kingdom of the Netherlands
Government Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch
Willem-Alexander
Mark Rutte
Legislature States General
Senate
House of Representatives
Independence from Spanish Empire
26 July 1581
30 January 1648
• Kingdom established
 16 March 1815
15 December 1954
Area
• Total
 41,543 km2 (16,040 sq mi) (134th)
• Water (%)
 18.41
Population
• 2016 estimate
 17,000,059 (65th)
• Density
 411.9/km2 (1,066.8/sq mi) (20th)
GDP (PPP) 2016 estimate
• Total
 $865.908 billion (27th)
• Per capita
 $50,846 (15th)
GDP (nominal) 2016 estimate
• Total
 $769.930 billion (17th)
• Per capita
 $45,210 (15th)
Gini (2015) Negative increase 26.2
low · 9th
HDI (2014) Increase 0.922
very high · 5th
Currency
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
AST (UTC-4)
• Summer (DST)
 CEST (UTC+2)
AST (UTC-4)
Date format dd-mm-yyyy
Drives on the right
Calling code
ISO 3166 code NL
Internet TLD .nl, .bq
  1. ^ The official motto is in French. The literal translation into English is "I will maintain"; a better translation, however, is "I will hold firm" or "I will uphold" (namely, the integrity and independence of the territory).
  2. ^ In 1816 the motto was abbreviated to "God zij met ons" (Dutch). (Used on the edges of coins.)
  3. ^ While Amsterdam is the constitutional capital, The Hague is the seat of the government.
  4. ^ West Frisian has official status in Friesland. Dutch Low Saxon and Limburgish are recognised as regional languages by the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Papiamento is recognised by the Dutch government in relation to Bonaire, and English in relation to both Sint Eustatius and Saba.
  5. ^ The euro is used in the European part of the Netherlands and replaced the Dutch guilder in 2002. The US dollar is used in the Caribbean Netherlands and replaced the Netherlands Antillean guilder in 2011.
  6. ^ CET and CEST are used in the European Netherlands, and AST is used in the Caribbean Netherlands.
  7. ^ 599 was the country code designated for the now dissolved Netherlands Antilles. The Caribbean Netherlands still use 599–7 (Bonaire), 599–3 (Sint Eustatius) and 599–4 (Saba).
  8. ^ .nl is the common internet top level domain name for the Netherlands. The .eu domain is also used, as it is shared with other European Union member states. .bq is designated, but not in use, for the Caribbean Netherlands.

– in Europe  (green & dark grey)
– in the European Union  (green)

The Netherlands (Listeni/ˈnɛðərləndz/; Dutch: Nederland [ˈneːdərˌlɑnt]; Frisian: Nederlân) is the main constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a densely populated country located in Western Europe with three island territories in the Caribbean. The European part of the Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the northwest, sharing maritime borders with Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The Caribbean part of the Netherlands has maritime boundaries with France (Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin), the United Kingdom (Anguilla), Venezuela, Saint Kitts and Nevis and the United States (US Virgin Islands). The three largest cities in the Netherlands are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Amsterdam is the country's capital, while The Hague holds the Dutch seat of parliament and government. The port of Rotterdam is the world's largest port outside East-Asia, and by far the largest port in Europe.
The name Holland is only used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands.


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