World map divided by countries: Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg

Author: Zhou Min
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-01-01
Features:
Nationality: The Kingdom of the Netherlands
Flag: Rectangular in shape with a length-to-width ratio of 3:2. It consists of three parallel, equal horizontal rectangles in red, white, and blue from top to bottom. The blue represents the nation's coastal location and symbolizes the people's happiness; the white symbolizes freedom, equality, and democracy, as well as the people's simple character traits; and the red represents revolutionary victory.
Coat of Arms: The coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau. It is in the form of a mantle, with a royal crown at the top. Inside the mantle is a shield bearing a blue shield with a lion wearing a three-leaf crown, one claw gripping a silver Roman sword, and the other clutching a bundle of arrows, symbolizing that unity is strength. Above the shield is a crown, with a lion on each side. Below the shield is a blue ribbon inscribed with the motto of William the Great, "Perseverance."
National Flower: Tulip
National Bird: Flamingo
National Stone: Diamond
National Leaders: Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard (Beatrix), ascended to the throne in April 1980. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, took office in May 2003.
Windmills near Rotterdam. More than half of the Netherlands lies below sea level, with one-third of its area only 1 meter above sea level. To reclaim land from the sea and expand living space, the Dutch invented windmills as early as 1229. At their peak, there were as many as 9,000 windmills nationwide. With the advancement of technology, windmills gradually "retired," but most have been preserved intact to attract tourists.
Natural Geography: 41,528 square kilometers, located in western Europe, bordering Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. It is surrounded by the North Sea to the west and north, situated in the delta of the Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt rivers, with a coastline of 1,1075 kilometers. The country is crisscrossed with rivers, with the main ones being the Rhine and Meuse rivers. In the northwest, there is the IJsselmeer. The western coast is a lowland, the eastern part is a rolling plain, and the central and southeastern parts are highlands. "Netherlands" in German is called "Niederlande," meaning "low country," as more than half of its territory is below or almost at sea level. The climate of the Netherlands is maritime temperate deciduous forest climate. Due to the low-lying and marshy terrain, the Dutch adopted wooden shoes, which were invented by the French Gauls, and over the centuries have given them a distinct Dutch character. To protect their small homeland and avoid being "washed away" by rising sea levels, the Dutch have long fought against the sea, reclaiming land from the ocean. As early as the 13th century, they built dikes to hold back the sea and then used wind-powered watermills to pump out the water inside the dikes. Over the centuries, the Netherlands has built 1,800 kilometers of sea dikes, adding more than 600,000 hectares of land. Today, 20% of the Netherlands' territory is artificially reclaimed land. The phrase "Perseverance" inscribed on the Dutch coat of arms perfectly captures the national character of the Dutch people.
Population: 16.197 million, over 90% are Dutch, with the Frisians being the other major ethnic group. The official language is Dutch, while Friesland province speaks Frisian. 31% of residents are Catholic, and 21% are Protestant.
Capital: Amsterdam, with a population of 735,000 (2003).
Government Seat: The Hague, with a population of 458,000 (2003).
Administrative Divisions: The country is divided into 12 provinces, with 489 municipalities (2003). The names of the provinces are as follows: Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland, Utrecht, North Holland, South Holland, Zeeland, North Brabant, Limburg, and Flevoland.
On September 10, 2003, the new Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ms. Xue Hanqin, presented her credentials to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and returned to the embassy in a golden carriage provided by the royal family. According to local customs, whenever an ambassador presents credentials, the Dutch queen assigns a courtier to lead a horseback escort with one golden and one black carriage to the embassy to welcome the ambassador and counselor. After presenting the credentials, the same ceremony is repeated to return to the embassy.
Brief History: Before the 16th century, the Netherlands was long under feudal division. In the early 16th century, it came under Spanish rule. In 1568, a 80-year war of resistance against Spanish rule broke out. In 1581, the seven northern provinces established the Dutch Republic (officially known as the United Provinces of the Netherlands). Spain formally recognized Dutch independence after 48 years. In the 17th century, the Netherlands was a major maritime colonial power. After the 18th century, the Dutch colonial system gradually disintegrated. In 1795, French troops invaded. In 1806, Napoleon's brother became king, and the Netherlands was declared a kingdom. In 1810, it was annexed by France. In 1814, it separated from France and the following year established the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands in 1830). In 1848, it became a constitutional monarchy. During World War I, it maintained neutrality. In the early stages of World War II, it declared neutrality. In May 1940, it was occupied by German troops, and the royal family and government fled to the UK, establishing a government-in-exile. After the war, the Netherlands abandoned its neutrality policy and joined NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC), which later became the European Union.
Politics: The Constitution was promulgated on March 29, 1814, and amended in 1848, establishing the Netherlands as a hereditary constitutional monarchy. Legislative power belongs to the King and the Parliament, while executive power belongs to the King and the Cabinet. The Council of State is the highest advisory body, with the Queen as its chairperson, and other members appointed by the Queen. The Parliament consists of two chambers. The second chamber holds legislative power, while the first chamber has the right to approve or reject bills but cannot propose or amend them.
Economy: The Netherlands is a developed capitalist country and one of the top ten economies in the West. It has relatively scarce natural resources, but its natural gas reserves are abundant. In 2001, natural gas production was approximately 74.3 billion cubic meters, sufficient for self-sufficiency and even export. The Netherlands has a developed industrial sector, with major industries including food processing, petrochemicals, metallurgy, machinery manufacturing, electronics, steel, shipbuilding, printing, and diamond processing. In the past two decades, the Netherlands has focused on developing high-tech industries such as space, microelectronics, and biotechnology. Traditional industries mainly include shipbuilding and metallurgy. Rotterdam is the largest oil refining center in Europe. The Netherlands is one of the world's major shipbuilding countries. The Netherlands also has a developed agricultural sector, being the third-largest agricultural product exporter in the world. The Dutch have developed animal husbandry on land unsuitable for farming, with an average of one cow and one pig per person, placing them among the world's most advanced countries in animal husbandry. They grow potatoes on sandy soil and develop potato processing, accounting for more than half of the world's potato trade. Flowers are a pillar industry in the Netherlands. The country has 110 million square meters of greenhouses for growing flowers and vegetables, earning it the nickname "Garden of Europe." The Netherlands sends beauty to every corner of the world, with flower exports accounting for 40%–50% of the international flower market. The Netherlands has a developed financial services and insurance industry, as well as a thriving tourism sector.
Transportation: The Netherlands has highly developed land, sea, and air transportation. The country is crisscrossed with rivers, with waterways reaching every corner. Amsterdam, known as the "Venice of the North," has more than 160 waterways and over 1,000 bridges. The port of Rotterdam, located at the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse rivers, is the largest port in the world. Amsterdam Airport is one of the major airports in the Netherlands and Europe, having won multiple titles of the world's best airport. The Dutch have fully utilized their unique geographical advantages to develop transportation, with land, sea, and air transportation accounting for 30% of the total transportation market in the EU.
Press and Publishing: Newspaper circulation began in 1618. Currently, there are nearly 90 daily newspapers (including 8 national dailies) and about 4,000 comprehensive and specialized journals. Major newspapers include De Telegraaf, Trouw, De Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad, De Standaard, De Waarheid, Financieele Pers, Elsevier Weekblad, and Vrij Nederland. The Dutch News Agency is a semi-official news organization. The Netherlands has five national radio stations, 10 regional radio stations, and 150 local radio stations. Television and radio coverage is 100%, with 76% of households able to receive cable TV. There are 35 broadcasting organizations nationwide, with the Dutch Broadcasting Association allocating broadcasting time based on the number of members in each organization. The eight largest broadcasting organizations have the majority of broadcasting time in three semi-official national television programs. In recent years, commercial television in the Netherlands has developed rapidly.
Foreign Policy: The Netherlands is a member of the EU and NATO. Its foreign policy focuses on Europe while emphasizing the importance of the presence of the United States in Europe for the security and stability of the continent. It advocates strengthening NATO while West European countries formulate a common foreign and security policy to reinforce NATO's European security pillar.
Nationality: The Kingdom of the Netherlands
Flag: Rectangular in shape with a length-to-width ratio of 3:2. It consists of three parallel, equal horizontal rectangles in red, white, and blue from top to bottom. The blue represents the nation's coastal location and symbolizes the people's happiness; the white symbolizes freedom, equality, and democracy, as well as the people's simple character traits; and the red represents revolutionary victory.
Coat of Arms: The coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau. It is in the form of a mantle, with a royal crown at the top. Inside the mantle is a shield bearing a blue shield with a lion wearing a three-leaf crown, one claw gripping a silver Roman sword, and the other clutching a bundle of arrows, symbolizing that unity is strength. Above the shield is a crown, with a lion on each side. Below the shield is a blue ribbon inscribed with the motto of William the Great, "Perseverance."
National Flower: Tulip
National Bird: Flamingo
National Stone: Diamond
National Leaders: Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard (Beatrix), ascended to the throne in April 1980. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, took office in May 2003.
Windmills near Rotterdam. More than half of the Netherlands lies below sea level, with one-third of its area only 1 meter above sea level. To reclaim land from the sea and expand living space, the Dutch invented windmills as early as 1229. At their peak, there were as many as 9,000 windmills nationwide. With the advancement of technology, windmills gradually "retired," but most have been preserved intact to attract tourists.
Natural Geography: 41,528 square kilometers, located in western Europe, bordering Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. It is surrounded by the North Sea to the west and north, situated in the delta of the Rhine, Meuse, and Scheldt rivers, with a coastline of 1,1075 kilometers. The country is crisscrossed with rivers, with the main ones being the Rhine and Meuse rivers. In the northwest, there is the IJsselmeer. The western coast is a lowland, the eastern part is a rolling plain, and the central and southeastern parts are highlands. "Netherlands" in German is called "Niederlande," meaning "low country," as more than half of its territory is below or almost at sea level. The climate of the Netherlands is maritime temperate deciduous forest climate. Due to the low-lying and marshy terrain, the Dutch adopted wooden shoes, which were invented by the French Gauls, and over the centuries have given them a distinct Dutch character. To protect their small homeland and avoid being "washed away" by rising sea levels, the Dutch have long fought against the sea, reclaiming land from the ocean. As early as the 13th century, they built dikes to hold back the sea and then used wind-powered watermills to pump out the water inside the dikes. Over the centuries, the Netherlands has built 1,800 kilometers of sea dikes, adding more than 600,000 hectares of land. Today, 20% of the Netherlands' territory is artificially reclaimed land. The phrase "Perseverance" inscribed on the Dutch coat of arms perfectly captures the national character of the Dutch people.
Population: 16.197 million, over 90% are Dutch, with the Frisians being the other major ethnic group. The official language is Dutch, while Friesland province speaks Frisian. 31% of residents are Catholic, and 21% are Protestant.
Capital: Amsterdam, with a population of 735,000 (2003).
Government Seat: The Hague, with a population of 458,000 (2003).
Administrative Divisions: The country is divided into 12 provinces, with 489 municipalities (2003). The names of the provinces are as follows: Groningen, Friesland, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland, Utrecht, North Holland, South Holland, Zeeland, North Brabant, Limburg, and Flevoland.
On September 10, 2003, the new Chinese Ambassador to the Netherlands, Ms. Xue Hanqin, presented her credentials to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and returned to the embassy in a golden carriage provided by the royal family. According to local customs, whenever an ambassador presents credentials, the Dutch queen assigns a courtier to lead a horseback escort with one golden and one black carriage to the embassy to welcome the ambassador and counselor. After presenting the credentials, the same ceremony is repeated to return to the embassy.
Brief History: Before the 16th century, the Netherlands was long under feudal division. In the early 16th century, it came under Spanish rule. In 1568, a 80-year war of resistance against Spanish rule broke out. In 1581, the seven northern provinces established the Dutch Republic (officially known as the United Provinces of the Netherlands). Spain formally recognized Dutch independence after 48 years. In the 17th century, the Netherlands was a major maritime colonial power. After the 18th century, the Dutch colonial system gradually disintegrated. In 1795, French troops invaded. In 1806, Napoleon's brother became king, and the Netherlands was declared a kingdom. In 1810, it was annexed by France. In 1814, it separated from France and the following year established the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Belgium gained independence from the Netherlands in 1830). In 1848, it became a constitutional monarchy. During World War I, it maintained neutrality. In the early stages of World War II, it declared neutrality. In May 1940, it was occupied by German troops, and the royal family and government fled to the UK, establishing a government-in-exile. After the war, the Netherlands abandoned its neutrality policy and joined NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC), which later became the European Union.
Politics: The Constitution was promulgated on March 29, 1814, and amended in 1848, establishing the Netherlands as a hereditary constitutional monarchy. Legislative power belongs to the King and the Parliament, while executive power belongs to the King and the Cabinet. The Council of State is the highest advisory body, with the Queen as its chairperson, and other members appointed by the Queen. The Parliament consists of two chambers. The second chamber holds legislative power, while the first chamber has the right to approve or reject bills but cannot propose or amend them.
Economy: The Netherlands is a developed capitalist country and one of the top ten economies in the West. It has relatively scarce natural resources, but its natural gas reserves are abundant. In 2001, natural gas production was approximately 74.3 billion cubic meters, sufficient for self-sufficiency and even export. The Netherlands has a developed industrial sector, with major industries including food processing, petrochemicals, metallurgy, machinery manufacturing, electronics, steel, shipbuilding, printing, and diamond processing. In the past two decades, the Netherlands has focused on developing high-tech industries such as space, microelectronics, and biotechnology. Traditional industries mainly include shipbuilding and metallurgy. Rotterdam is the largest oil refining center in Europe. The Netherlands is one of the world's major shipbuilding countries. The Netherlands also has a developed agricultural sector, being the third-largest agricultural product exporter in the world. The Dutch have developed animal husbandry on land unsuitable for farming, with an average of one cow and one pig per person, placing them among the world's most advanced countries in animal husbandry. They grow potatoes on sandy soil and develop potato processing, accounting for more than half of the world's potato trade. Flowers are a pillar industry in the Netherlands. The country has 110 million square meters of greenhouses for growing flowers and vegetables, earning it the nickname "Garden of Europe." The Netherlands sends beauty to every corner of the world, with flower exports accounting for 40%–50% of the international flower market. The Netherlands has a developed financial services and insurance industry, as well as a thriving tourism sector.
Transportation: The Netherlands has highly developed land, sea, and air transportation. The country is crisscrossed with rivers, with waterways reaching every corner. Amsterdam, known as the "Venice of the North," has more than 160 waterways and over 1,000 bridges. The port of Rotterdam, located at the mouth of the Rhine and Meuse rivers, is the largest port in the world. Amsterdam Airport is one of the major airports in the Netherlands and Europe, having won multiple titles of the world's best airport. The Dutch have fully utilized their unique geographical advantages to develop transportation, with land, sea, and air transportation accounting for 30% of the total transportation market in the EU.
Press and Publishing: Newspaper circulation began in 1618. Currently, there are nearly 90 daily newspapers (including 8 national dailies) and about 4,000 comprehensive and specialized journals. Major newspapers include De Telegraaf, Trouw, De Volkskrant, NRC Handelsblad, De Standaard, De Waarheid, Financieele Pers, Elsevier Weekblad, and Vrij Nederland. The Dutch News Agency is a semi-official news organization. The Netherlands has five national radio stations, 10 regional radio stations, and 150 local radio stations. Television and radio coverage is 100%, with 76% of households able to receive cable TV. There are 35 broadcasting organizations nationwide, with the Dutch Broadcasting Association allocating broadcasting time based on the number of members in each organization. The eight largest broadcasting organizations have the majority of broadcasting time in three semi-official national television programs. In recent years, commercial television in the Netherlands has developed rapidly.
Foreign Policy: The Netherlands is a member of the EU and NATO. Its foreign policy focuses on Europe while emphasizing the importance of the presence of the United States in Europe for the security and stability of the continent. It advocates strengthening NATO while West European countries formulate a common foreign and security policy to reinforce NATO's European security pillar.