The Netherlands
THE NETHERLANDS
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Major Cities:
The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, Leiden, Maastricht, Eindhoven, Groningen, Nijmegen
Other Cities:
Alkmaar, Amersfoort, Apeldoorn, Arnhem, Breda, Bussum, Delft, Dordrecht, Enschede, Gouda, s'Hertogenbosch, Kinderdijk, Schiedam, Tilburg, Zaanstad, Zwolle
EDITOR'S NOTE
This chapter was adapted from the Department of State Post Report 2000 for The Netherlands. Supplemental material has been added to increase coverage of minor cities, facts have been updated, and some material has been condensed. Readers are encouraged to visit the Department of State's web site at http://travel.state.gov/ for the most recent information available on travel to this country.
INTRODUCTION
In 1782, while posted to the Netherlands, John Adams wrote: "I love the People where I am. They have Faults but they have deep Wisdom and great Virtues and they love America and will be her everlasting Friend." He was negotiating recognition for the U.S., financial support for the Revolution, and a bilateral Treaty of Amity and Commerce. The Netherlands was the second country after France-to recognize the U.S. as a sovereign-independent nation and is our longest continuous diplomatic partner. The two countries share a remarkable common heritage. Exploring the Dutch heritage is one of the pleasures of a posting to the Netherlands. However, the Netherlands is not a country devoted to its past at the expense of its future.
The Dutch are committed to a strong and modern Europe with continuing ties to the Atlantic Alliance. A tour in the Netherlands can mean challenging and interesting work that it puts Europe n on your doorstep. Throughout the Netherlands, more than 700 museums and numerous parks are filled with impressive works of past and contemporary artists. Theater, music, and sports fans will find ample opportunity to pursue their interests. Sightseers will find their pastime pleasant, popular, and inexpensive. Overall, the comfortable living conditions, the nearness of many interesting areas in Western Europe, and the friendliness of the Dutch make the Netherlands a desirable site. Most of the Dutch speak English. What John Adams said in 1782 about the Dutch loving America remains true.
MAJOR CITIES
The Hague
The Hague is the seat of the government, court, and parliament (States General), although Amsterdam is the capital. With more than a half-million inhabitants, The Hague is the country's third largest city. It is attractive, clean, and well maintained with a relaxed-small city type of atmosphere. The city derives its name from the older and longer version, Gravenhage, meaning "The Count's (craven's) Hedge." This hedge surrounded the original hunting lodge of Count Willem II of Holland. After 1248, he erected a stronghold of which the present "Hall of Knights" formed a part. It included the site of the present parliament buildings. These, together with the inner and outer courtyards and the "Hofvijver" (artificial lake), form the medieval heart of the town. A mile away is the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration. It was completed in 1913 from funds donated principally by the American steel millionaire, Andrew Carnegie. The Hague has no large industries, consequently industrial air pollution is slight. Many U.S. firms, including Exxon, Dow Chemical, Cargill, Sarah Lee/Douwe Egberts, and IBM are represented in The Hague-Rotterdam-Amsterdam area. As a result, the American community numbers in the hundreds. Some 75 foreign missions are also located in The Hague. Scheveningen, an adjacent beach area, attracts many tourists, particularly Germans, during the summer. The area is undergoing a revitalization centered around a renovated century old hotel, The Kurhaus. This fine old hotel has a respected restaurant, and overlooks the sea.
Food
Virtually any food item available in the U.S. can be found in the Netherlands. Supermarkets are popular and widely available in all Dutch cities. Neighborhood stores are small and specialize in certain types of goods. Fish, meat, fruits and vegetables, poultry, and groceries are sold in separate stores. Fresh vegetables and fruits are available in many areas from wagon or truck vendors or in open markets. Local foods are of high quality, and Dutch cheese, canned hams, beer, and chocolate have international reputations. Locally grown fresh vegetables are excellent. As a result of the many greenhouses in the Netherlands, a good selection is available year round and many are also imported.
Standard varieties of fresh fruits are found year round as well, and frozen and canned vegetables and fruits are staples of Dutch life. Beef, pork, lamb, veal, and poultry are readily available. Cuts are different, but some butchers will prepare special cuts according to your specifications. Meat prices are higher than those in the U.S., but good quality eggs, fish, milk, and other dairy products are reasonably priced. Smoked and preserved fish, meats, ham, sausage, and bacon are popular. Coffee in the Netherlands is delicious, but of a different blend than American coffee. Excellent breads and rolls are delivered daily. Canned baby foods are available, though not of the same consistency or wide variety as American brands. Some American baby foods are sold in local stores, but prices are high.
Pets are popular in the Netherlands and there are a wide variety of pet foods.
Clothing
The climate of the Netherlands requires a basic wardrobe of fall and winter-weight clothing for the entire family. Northern Europe has hot summer days. The winters are damp and cold. Good rain gear is essential and available at reasonable prices on the local market. Local department stores and smaller shops carry a wide and attractive variety of European and American clothing. Fabrics, especially woolens, are of excellent quality. Both clothing and fabrics, however, are expensive. Suits for both men and women can be made to order but are expensive. The military exchange at Schinnen is better priced but carries a limited variety and supply of clothing and shoes. The quality runs from average to poor. Often basic items are not in stock. The exchange does offer a tailoring concessionaire that makes good suits for both men and women at reasonable prices.
Men: The Dutch tend to dress informally for work and recreation, but the usual attire for informal dinner parties, unless otherwise stated, is a business suit.
Women: Because of the damp-chilly climate, suits are worn most of the year. Dresses or skirts, slacks, and blouses with sweaters are the normal daytime wear. Dressy suits and afternoon and cocktail dresses are worn at informal dinners, luncheons, teas, and receptions. Anything smaller than a women's dress size 10 or shoe size 6 is very difficult to find here. Northern European women are taller than their American counterparts and have wider feet. Since many European streets and sidewalks are paved with bricks or cobblestones, shoes with wider heels are more comfortable and safer.
Children: Good children's clothing is available locally though not always in American-preferred styles or colors and at slightly higher prices. Jeans and running shoes are usually available at the military exchange. Mail order catalog buying is satisfactory.
Supplies and Services
Most household supplies, toiletries, cosmetics, home medicines, liquor, and tobacco products can be found locally.
Shoe repair, drycleaning, laundry, and automobile and electronic repair vary in quality but are good. Barbers and beauty shops are comparable in price and quality to American ones. Dry-cleaning is expensive.
Domestic Help
Highly trained and specialized servants, such as cooks and butlers, are in short supply. However, with persistence, it is possible to find satisfactory domestic help. Because of high demand and limited supply, domestic help is expensive. If a servant is employed by a family for three or more days a week, the employer must buy Dutch health insurance for the employee. Extra help for entertaining is available, but not easy to find.
Religious Activities
English language services are held in many places of worship in The Hague, including the American Protestant Church, the International Roman Catholic Parish of The Hague, the Church of the Latter-day Saints, St. John and St. Philip Episcopal Church and the Liberal Jewish Congregation. Some churches outside the Hague include St. James Anglican Church in Voorschoten, Trinity International Church in Wassenaar, and Scots International Church in Rotterdam. Many of the churches have active youth and women's groups, and religious education is offered by some. The American Protestant Church offers youngsters a summer school.
Education
The American School of The Hague (ASH) offers a complete elementary, middle, and high school program headed by American principals. The school is a large modern airy structure located in the elegant suburb of Wassenaar, one of the loveliest areas of Greater The Hague. The American School of The Hague contains fully equipped classrooms, science laboratories, gyms, a theater, and playing fields. With the exception of native foreign language instructors, the faculty is almost entirely American trained and recruited from American school systems. Students are fairly evenly divided between Americans and non-Americans with a slight tilt towards non-Americans. Average class size is 15 students.
Kindergarten or its equivalent is a prerequisite for entering first grade. The school is divided into three segments: kindergarten and grades 1 through 4 (elementary school); grades 5 through 8 (middle school); and grades 9 through 12 (high school). In the high school, a minimum schedule of six subjects is required each year. Required subjects include a full college preparatory program in English, history, and social studies, mathematics, science, foreign language, health, and physical education.
The high school curriculum includes: English 14, Basic English, English as a Foreign Language, Journalism, French 15, Spanish 14, conversational Dutch, German 13, Latin, a full sequence of mathematics including calculus; Earth science, basic and general biology, chemistry, and physics; ancient and medieval history, modern European history, U.S. history, intellectual history, humanities, government, and economics; art, mechanical drawing, drama, photography, crafts, chorus, jazz band, concert band, instrumental lessons, typing, business education, and health and physical education. More than 10 advanced placement classes are offered. Honors classes are available in most subjects.
The school is a testing center for the College Board and administers the following tests: Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), and Advanced Placement (AP) examinations for which university credit may be granted. The high school program permits its graduates to compete academically with students graduating from better schools in the U.S. The high school students consistently score higher on the SAT exams than the U.S. national average and have been accepted, upon graduation, at many universities in the U.S. including the Ivy League. Approximately 95 percent each year go on to higher education with the majority attending 4-year universities worldwide.
The American School of The Hague does provide limited services for students with learning disabilities, but students who cannot be mainstreamed in a regular classroom for at least 75% of the day will not be accepted. Wheelchairs can be accommodated in the current facilities. Parents whose children have learning or physical disabilities should provide full information to the school early so that an admission decision can be made. Computer skills are taught beginning in kindergarten. The nursery program is patterned after those found in private U.S. nursery schools. The session is a half-day and the size of the group is limited. To enroll, the child must be at least 3 years old. Only 1 year of kindergarten is reimbursable per child under U.S. Government education allowances. Bus transportation to and from school is available to all students.
Special Educational Opportunities
Some limited opportunities for university level education exist in The Hague area. In Leiden, a 10 minute train ride from The Hague, Webster University of Webster Groves, Missouri, has established one of its extended campuses. Fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, it offers B.A., M.A., and M.B.A. degrees. The emphasis is on business. An M.B.A. is also offered by Erasmus University in Rotterdam, an arm of the University of Rochester.
Adults wishing to attend courses at Dutch universities, or to enroll as matriculating students, will need a good command of Dutch besides the necessary educational preparation. Other types of adult education are available in The Hague. Day and evening art classes are offered at the Vrije Academic, where beginners are accepted by interview with the academy's director. Other institutions are also available for art students.
Occasionally, the American School of The Hague offers evening courses in such subjects as European culture, calligraphy, computer skills, art, and languages. Instruction in most sports as well as gymnastics and all kinds of dance is available to both adults and children. A Dutch music conservatory, which is located in The Hague, houses a youth orchestra and provides good musical instruction for both adults and children.
Sports
The Dutch are great lovers of sports, and nearly every Dutch family belongs to one sports club or another. Clubs usually focus on a single sport, but multisport clubs-where soccer, field hockey, racket sports and even golf are played-do exist. Part of each weekend is spent at the club playing, watching, or socializing. Sports are not part of the normal Dutch school curriculum so clubs are important to the Dutch youngster, and sports fields are busy every afternoon after school. These clubs are open to foreigners, and some American children play in Dutch leagues.
American youngsters participate in sports organized by the American School and the American Baseball Foundation. The school offers intramural or interscholastic soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, track and field cross-country, and volleyball to older children. The American Baseball Foundation offers opportunities for younger children and adults to participate in baseball, basketball, soccer, and flag football programs. The Foundation, a private organization with clubhouse and playing fields in the Wassenaar area, concentrates its efforts on providing practically the same extracurricular athletic environment that exists in the U.S. Its programs are well organized and an integral feature of American community life. The Foundation also offers fields for adult sports. A softball league and organized volleyball exist.
Racket sports are popular in the Netherlands. Outdoor tennis courts are inexpensive, and several reasonably priced indoor tennis facilities exist. The city has adequate facilities for badminton but limited ones for squash. Racquetball also is played in a suburban indoor tennis center.
For golfers, the closest course is The Hague Country Club in Wassenaar, where a courtesy membership is available to Ambassadors. Private courses are expensive in the Netherlands, although open to all golfers with official handicaps. At least two public courses, with reasonable green fees are within an hour's drive of The Hague. Golfers should bring equipment to the Netherlands with them, since golf equipment is expensive.
Scheveningen has an 18-lane, duck-pin bowling alley with automatic pin setters. Rental shoes are available. If you have a bowling ball, bring it, since alley balls can be worn and chipped. An active bowling league exists. Cycling is a popular sport in the Netherlands, as are wind surfing and running. The land is flat, making cycling and running pleasant, and wind is always available for the surfer. An indoor/outdoor ice skating rink is open in The Hague from October to March, and inexpensive lessons can be arranged. Canals are seldom frozen long enough for much outdoor skating. Locally made and imported ice skates are available.
Several attractive and well-maintained public beaches are within reach. They are seldom used for swimming due to cool summer temperatures and treacherous currents but are covered from Easter to Labor Day with Northern Europeans in search of the sun. For serious swimming, large public and private indoor pools that also offer swimming lessons at moderate prices are available. The public pools are affordable, have large indoor swim areas for both children and adults. Fishing is popular here and licenses are easy to obtain.
Local stores sell good sports equipment, including tennis shoes. Roller skates, scooters, and bicycles for adults and children, as well as many attractive toys for children of all ages, are available. Sporting goods are more expensive than in the U.S.
Touring and Outdoor Activities
Sightseeing in the Netherlands is a pleasant, popular, and inexpensive pastime on foot, or by car, bicycle, bus, or train. Separate bicycle lanes are provided in many areas and add to the safety and enjoyment of this type of touring. Bicycle lanes often run parallel and adjacent to the sidewalk. Be wary of inadvertently walking in bicycle territory. Since this is a small country, most points of interest are easily reached.
For a major change of scenery, you must travel to the southeastern part of Holland or to a neighboring country, since the Netherlands' topography is flat or only slightly rolling. Short trips can easily be taken to nearby beaches, lakes, dunes, and woods. The many lakes, canals, and rivers provide ample opportunity for sailing and motor-boating. You can rent sailboats, rowboats, and canoes at various places on the banks of these waterways. Boating and sailing are popular sports and membership in one of the numerous yacht clubs can be arranged easily. Since the climate is healthy, little need arises to seek relief except to escape the monotony of the cloudy and rainy winter months.
Entertainment
The Hague is one of the quieter seats of government in Europe, but many possibilities for entertainment exist. And if The Hague seems lacking in excitement, Amsterdam is only an hour away. Many excellent theater, concert, opera, and dance companies perform regularly in The Hague. The Residentie 2 Orkest is the local symphony and offers season tickets and individual concerts in a new concert hall, the Dr. Anton Philipszaal, opened in 1988. The acoustics are excellent. A new dance theater, Lucent Danstheater, opened at the same time as the concert hall, where excellent Dutch and visiting dance troupes perform regularly.
Theaters, notably the Circus Theater, host many musical productions, often from England or the U.S. The Anglo-American Theater Group, a community theater company, is active, always welcomes new members, and produces shows of high quality. Tickets for the theater, operas, concerts, and other events are a little cheaper than in the U.S. and are available only a few days before a performance. When special attractions are offered, such as the Holland Festival with all its theater, music, and dance, or the North Sea Jazz Festival, both early summer events, advance reservations are essential. A number of movie theaters exist in The Hague, and movies are presented in the original language, with Dutch subtitles. American movies are popular and arrive in The Hague only a few months after their American openings.
Many restaurants of all kinds are found in The Hague. Especially popular are Indonesian restaurants that feature "rice tables," meals consisting of many courses of spicy meat and vegetables. Places serving national specialties, such as pea soup and pancakes, are also popular. Meals in hotels and restaurants are the same price range as in the U.S. Wines are more expensive. Good beer and locally produced spirits are available at every bar and restaurant.
Four events in The Hague are of special interest: the colorful ceremony opening parliament on the third Tuesday of September, celebration of the Queen's birthday on April 30, the ceremony opening the herring fishing season at Scheveningen in late May, and the arrival of Sint Nicolaas or Sinterklaas at the harbor in November. Besides movies, the boardwalk at Scheveningen with lots of activities, a video arcade, zoos nearby in both Amsterdam and Rotterdam, and amusement parks in Wassenaar and Rijswijk are fun diversions. Children's theater, a puppet museum, and the Omniversum, Europe's first space theater, also are of special interest to youngsters.
Social Activities
Social life in The Hague is much the same as social life in the U.S. People entertain in their homes, go out to dinner, play sports and card games, or go to the movies with friends. Friends are developed through people met in the office, at church, in the neighborhood, through your children, and through other friends. A number of clubs of various sorts offer another channel for meeting people. Women can join the American Women's Club of The Hague, whose membership is open to all American women living in the Netherlands. Meetings are held monthly and the club is active in local philanthropic work. It also offers excellent opportunities to travel within Holland and Europe.
The International Women's Contact Group, which started in 1979, is also active and is, as the name implies, international, offering American women the opportunity to meet Dutch women and women of other embassies.
For children, the activities of the American Baseball Foundation, the churches, schools, and scout troops give structure to afterschool time.
Getting to know the Dutch is one of the pleasures of a the Netherlands, but this requires positive effort. The Dutch are devoted to their families and to the friends they have known over many years, and are unlikely to search for friends among the foreign community. They are friendly, however, and speak excellent English, so getting acquainted is straightforward. Entertaining is mainly done at home, and dinner parties are always popular.
Among the Dutch, it is proper and customary to invite guests for after-dinner coffee or for coffee and dessert. The Dutch entertain and enjoy being entertained chiefly on week-nights, preferring to devote the weekend to their families.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is one of the most important and culturally rich cities in the world. Located at the junction of the Amstel and IJ rivers at the base of the IJsselmeer, Amsterdam is the country's leading financial and commercial center and the city closest to Schiphol, one of Europe's busiest airports.
The earliest recorded date in Amsterdam's history is 1275, the date of a document granting certain tax exemptions to the city's people. During the later Middle Ages, the city grew in importance. It reached its "Golden Age" in the 17th century as a financial and cultural center of the Western World. Although the 18th and 19th centuries were a period of economic and political retrogression, completion of the North Sea Canal in 1876 favorably reversed this process and restored the city's position as a major seaport. Although many modern buildings can be seen on the outskirts, the center of Amsterdam retains the character of its Golden Age, due to the city's policy of preserving the facades of the stately houses, warehouses, churches, and other fine buildings of that period.
Central Amsterdam's renowned necklace of canals glistens with the beauty of the past, and offers many of the city's finest restaurants and hotels. Just outside of this inner ring stand newer housing areas, including sections such as Olympia Plein, which was built for the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. These areas are characterized by pleasing facades, convenient shopping, and general livability. Beyond this, and often close to the highways surrounding the city, stand high-rise structures built to ease the housing demands of the most densely populated land in the world.
Although Amsterdam has many impressive buildings such as the palace, the Stadsschouwburg, the Rijksmuseum, and the Concertgebouw, it has few of the monumental royal and official buildings that mark many other capital cities. Its charm derives from its 17th century bourgeois mercantile and residential buildings, its many canals, and its hundreds of bridges that make Amsterdam a splendid walking or biking city.
Education
The International School of Amsterdam (ISA), founded in 1964, is a private coeducational school. It offers an educational program from toddlers (age 2) through high school. About 40 nationalities are represented among the student body. The school term extends from August to June, and the curriculum is that of U.S. public and private elementary, middle, and high schools. Instruction is in English.
The school is housed in a new modern complex with classrooms, gymnasium, theater, library, auditorium, science laboratories, and areas for recreation and sports. The student population varies between 600-700. ISA is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and by the European Council of International Schools. It is located to the south of Amsterdam in Amstelveen, with excellent highway connections to all areas. The school maintains an efficient bus fleet serving many residential areas. Cost of bus service for schoolchildren is not included in the normal tuition.
Sports
Sports facilities in Amsterdam for popular U.S. sports are limited. Amsterdam has no public tennis or golf facilities; all are operated commercially or by private clubs. Individual membership in a tennis club confers the right to play daily during the April to October season. Often a long waiting list exists to become a member. For a few hundred dollars a year, you can rent indoor courts from October to April for a designated hour each week. Group instruction and special rates are available for children.
The two modern duckpin bowling alleys in Amsterdam are expensive. The city also has six large indoor swimming pools and six outdoor public pools. All offer group instruction for children.
Sailing and windsurfing are popular at numerous facilities in and around Amsterdam. Soccer is the major national spectator sport. Amsterdam boasts a well known team, Ajax, and has numerous soccer clubs with a full schedule of games from September through June. Foreign boys may be admitted to the amateur clubs. Teams play every Sunday, weather permitting. Members are also expected to attend one or more practice sessions a week, scheduled in the late afternoon or early evening.
Baseball enjoys some popularity and several Dutch amateur clubs in and around Amsterdam accept foreign boys. Games are regularly scheduled on Saturdays. As with soccer, members are expected to attend one practice or training session a week. Clubs also have softball teams for girls. Membership fees for both soccer and baseball teams are nominal, but uniforms must be purchased. Amsterdam has an American-style professional football team, the Admirals. Cycling is a popular pastime and a practical means of transportation; good cycling lanes and paths abound in the city and in nearby parks.
Entertainment
As the cultural and entertainment center of the Netherlands, Amsterdam offers a wide variety of entertainment. An abundance of theaters and concert halls exist in the city. The outstanding Concertgebouw is world famous and season subscriptions are available for a variety of performances, including those by the Nederland Philharmonisch Orkest, Dixieland bands, and chamber music groups.
The newly-opened Stopera is home to the excellent National Ballet and the Dutch Opera company. Art lovers will find a wealth of exhibits among the city'; 42 museums. The most famous are the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, located on the Museumpleit near the American Consulate General For those seeking lighter entertainment the downtown has a variety of nightclub; as well as theaters where American and foreign films are shown.
Social Activities
An American Women's Club is active it Amsterdam. Its main activities include monthly meetings featuring interesting speakers; trips to local towns, museums, and foreign countries; a variety of classes; and coffee get-togethers. It also distributes an informative monthly magazine.
Rotterdam
Rotterdam the nation's second largest city, with a metropolitan population of nearly 1.1 million, is 18 miles upstream from where the combined Rhine and Maas (Meuse) Rivers empty into the North Sea. It is about 15 miles from The Hague and 45 miles from Amsterdam. The surrounding countryside is low and flat, with much of the area below sea level. The lowest point in the country, nearly 30 feet below sea level, is in the eastern part of the city.
Little is left of old Rotterdam, which prospered as a major commercial city during the Middle Ages. In May 1940, protected only by the Royal Netherlands Marines Corps, it fell to German invaders and, within hours after capitulation, the city center was demonstratively destroyed by the most intense aerial bombardment known to that time. Therefore, the downtown area is almost entirely new and modern in style. In rebuilding after the war's end, Rotterdam constructed the first pedestrian-only shopping mall in the world.
The rest of the city, built largely in the half-century before World War I, lacks the ancient structures of historical and architectural interest that typify other old Dutch cities. Two of the best examples in that respect, Delft and Gouda, are close by; several other picturesque towns also are in the vicinity.
The burgomaster and city fathers describe Rotterdam as a port with an attached city. Its character and importance derive from its position as the gateway of the water routes to the Ruhr industrial area and southern Germany, to Switzerland, and to eastern France and Belgium. The Port of Rotterdam, the largest in the world in terms of geography (nearly 27.5 miles of river and 25,000 acres of port area) and cargo tonnage (handing 30 percent of the European Union's freight shipped by sea), is sometimes referred to as "the locomotive of the Dutch economy." Indeed, it is in a class by itself, handling nearly 60 percent as much tonnage as any other port anywhere. Over 32,000 seagoing vessels bring goods to Rotterdam each year, and more than 190,000 barges carry most of it on to other destinations.
Life revolves around the port, its man-made waterway (the Nieuwe Waterweg), and industrial appendages. The city is the home port for several major shipping lines, including the Holland-Amerika Line. It is also an important center for a number of American lines such as Lykes, Sea Land, Sea Train, and United States Lines. It is frequently visited by units of the U.S. Navy.
A big share of the tonnage handled is crude oil and refined products, and the port area is the site of the world's largest refinery and petro-chemical complex. The port and its industrial properties are noteworthy not only for their extent, but for the way in which they have been integrated with the environment to preserve adjacent water and recreational areas. Total U.S. industrial investment in the area is estimated at $5.5 billion.
Vast amounts of grains, ores, coal, and most of the Japanese cars bound for dealers in Europe pass through the Port of Rotterdam. The city is continuing to expand port facilities, and new growth is now concentrated on the Maasvlakte, a delta built from reclaimed land at the mouth of the river. Among other projects is a huge new container terminal. The Rotterdam Maritime Museum recently opened on the waterfront, featuring indoor and outdoor exhibits.
Education
The American International School of Rotterdam was founded in 1959. It provides education from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. The school, which follows the American system, emphasizes a core academic curriculum with a variety of supportive courses and an active athletic program. It is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the European Council of International Schools.
The enrollment has a distinctly international flavor; British, American (a minority), Scandinavian, Japanese, and many other nationalities are represented. Transportation is provided, at extra cost, if requested. Further information may be obtained from American International at Hillegondastraat 21, 3051 PA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Students in grades nine through 12 usually attend the American School of The Hague.
For adults, an M.B.A. is offered by Erasmus University, an arm of the University of Rochester.
Recreation
Rotterdam offers more than commercial activity. There are several attractions in and around the city, among them Blijdorp Zoo, where the animals live in a natural environment, and where Rivierahal, Europe's largest covered zoo complex, is located; the gigantic Euro-mast tower; harbor boat tours; Ahoy, a large sports palace and exhibition center; the historic town of Delfshaven (now part of the Rotterdam metropolis, but once the port of Delft); and a variety of shopping promenades and malls.
Sailing, boating, and wind surfing are popular sports in Rotterdam, and bicycle paths are everywhere. The city has 19 public swimming pools, most of them indoors. A few stables exist, and an important European riding competition is held here each August. To play tennis, soccer, field hockey, softball, etc., it is necessary to join a sports club offering the appropriate facilities. A WCT tennis tournament with world stars is held here each year.
The Rotterdam Golf Club, an 18-hole course, was opened a few years ago. A private, nine-hole golf course is also available, where foreigners are welcome to play on a greens-fee basis. Other five-to-nine-hole courses are in the vicinity. There are a couple of American-style bowling alleys in the city.
The World Trade Center Club and the Yacht Club (known as the Maas Club) are popular among Americans. The former is in the heart of the business district, and the latter offers a nice view of the harbor from the main tugboat pier. A social membership at the Maas Club is not expensive, and offers regular duplicate bridge evenings as well as dining facilities.
Entertainment
Movies and television programs are aired in their original languages, with Dutch subtitles. Dutch, Belgian, German, British, and French TV stations broadcast numerous, and fairly recent American and British programs via the widespread cable system.
The city's modern concert hall, the Doelen, is noted for its excellent acoustics, and offers frequent performances of classical and modern symphonic, chamber, and solo music by resident and visiting artists. The Doelen is the home of the outstanding Rotterdam Philharmonic. Chamber and sacred music recitals are held at St. Lawrence Church and at the so-called Pilgrims Church in Delfshaven, where the Pilgrims prayed before setting sail for England and America.
The country has two excellent ballet companies, the Nationale Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, both of which have toured the U.S. They perform often in Rotterdam. There is no repertory opera company, but The Netherlands Opera Foundation annually produces a dozen operas (each in its original language), with guest singers, and tours the nation's principal cities.
Frequent performances are given by well-known pop stars and rock groups. These are usually held at the Ahoy Complex in the south part of the city, which is also the venue of boxing matches, six-day bike races, trade and consumer fairs, circuses, etc. Several legitimate theaters exist, but plays are given only in Dutch.
The American-Netherlands Club of Rotterdam (ANCOR), a women's club whose membership is American, Dutch, and other nationalities, was organized in 1955. It maintains a lending library, has monthly meetings, occasional bridge parties, an annual dinner-dance, and organizes tours of cultural or scenic interest. A local chapter of the International Toastmistress Club also exists.
Many American business representatives belong to the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands, which has monthly speaker-luncheons, business seminars, a pre-Christmas cocktail party, and other functions. An informal monthly luncheon gathering of younger business representatives is also held.
Rotterdam residents are welcome to join the American Association of The Netherlands, a countrywide social organization centered on the American business community of The Hague area (which includes Rotterdam). This organization sponsors occasional speaker-luncheons, wine tastings, a golf tournament, and an annual charity ball to raise funds for American youth activities. Rotary, Lions, and other civic groups, and Boy and Girl Scouts also have chapters here.
Rotterdam has a wide variety of restaurants. Many serve typical Dutch cuisine but, increasingly, international fare is offered at a number of these, as well as in hotel dining rooms.
Utrecht
Utrecht, a picturesque city characterized by numerous sunken canals, is located in the central part of the Netherlands on the Oude Rijn River, a branch of the Lower Rhine. Situated about 35 miles west of The Hague and 20 miles south of Amsterdam, Utrecht is a transportation, financial, and industrial center that manufactures cement, machinery, processed minerals, food products, and chemicals. The capital of Utrecht province, the city is the site of a major trade fair, and has a population of close to 230,000.
Founded and fortified by the Romans about A.D. 48, Utrecht was made an episcopal see for St. Willibrord, the Apostle to the Frisians, in the seventh century. The area around the city was ruled by bishops of the Holy Roman Empire, which resulted in frequent struggles between the prelates and the merchants of Utrecht. The city received a liberal charter in 1122, but had sporadic trouble with the bishops until 1527.
Utrecht was the center of the Netherlands' weaving industry and a major commercial city in the Middle Ages, and was incorporated by Charles V into the rest of the Hapsburg-held Netherlands. In 1577, Utrecht joined the rebellion against Philip II of Spain. On January 23, 1579, the seven provinces of the North Netherlands, called the United Provinces, formed the nucleus of the Dutch republic, drawing up a common defense in the Union of Utrecht. During the 17th century, Utrecht became a center of Jansenism, the Roman Catholic movement whose purpose was a return of people to greater personal holiness. In 1713, the series of treaties that ended the War of the Spanish Succession—the Peace of Utrecht—were signed here.
Major landmarks in Utrecht, a city rich in antiquities, include the Dom Tower of a 15th-century Catholic cathedral; numerous other medieval churches; and a 350-year-old university. Castle De Harr, near the village of Maarssen (four miles outside of Utrecht) was first built in 1165. The medieval structure is complete with towers, battlements, parapets, a moat and drawbridge. Within can be found Chinese porcelains, Flemish tapestries, and hand-carved fireplace mantles. Zuilen Castle is also nearby.
Utrecht has several museums of interest, including an archiepiscopal museum, the Dutch Railway Museum (featuring steam locomotives and model trains), and the National Museum Van Speelklok tot Pierement, a museum dedicated to musical clocks and street organs.
Schools for Foreigners
The International School Beverweerd is located less than 10 miles from Utrecht in Werkhoven. Founded in 1934, it follows a combined U.S., Dutch, and International Baccalaureate curriculum for grades eight through 13. English is the language of instruction in the International section, although Dutch, French, German, and Spanish may be studied as foreign languages. About 80 percent of the school's graduates go on to attend college.
The school year extends from September through June. International School has a current enrollment of 66, most of whom are Dutch. There is also a planned, seven-day boarding program; about two-thirds of the students are boarders. The campus is situated on 45 acres; facilities include six buildings, 10 classrooms, sports fields, science and computer laboratories, and a 2,500-volume library.
The address of International School Beverweerd is Beverweerdseweg 60, 3985RE Werkhoven, The Netherlands.
Haarlem
Haarlem, situated in the west, on the Spaarne River near the North Sea, is 10 miles west of Amsterdam and 40 miles north of The Hague. The capital of North Holland Province, Haarlem has a population of 150,000, and is an industrial center with shipyards, machinery plants and textile mills. However, Haarlem is best known as a center of an important tulip and flower-growing region, as well as the export point for bulbs, especially tulips. Haarlem's flower market is breathtaking in color and scope. The city is also the site of a monument commemorating the legendary boy of Haarlem who stopped a leak in the dike with his finger.
Chartered as a city in 1245, Haarlem was invaded by the Spanish during the revolt of the Netherlands in 1573. The city was the center of Dutch art during the 15th and 17th centuries; such painters as Frans Hals (1580-1666), Jacob van Ruisdael (1628-1682), and Adriaen van Ostade (1610-1685) worked here.
Haarlem has numerous historic buildings, including the 15th-century Church of St. Bavo, or Groote Kerk, which has a world-renowned organ; the Stadhuis (city hall), previously a palace of the counts of Holland, and constructed in the 13th century; many medieval gabled houses; and several museums, including the Frans Hals Museum and the Teyler Science Museum.
Leiden
Leiden (sometimes spelled Leyden) lies on the Old Rhine River, just north of The Hague. With a current population of approximately 105,000, Leiden is best known as the site of one of the world's great universities. Founded in 1575 by William the Silent, the University of Leiden is the oldest in the Netherlands. During the 17th and 18th centuries, it was a center for the study of Protestant theology, classical and oriental languages, science, and medicine. Herman Boerhaave, the famous Dutch physician, taught here. Today, the university is noted for its Asian studies, physics, and astronomy.
The history of Leiden began in Roman times. Since the 16th century, when weavers came here from Flanders, Leiden has had an important textile industry. The city was instrumental in the revolt of the Netherlands against Spanish rule late in the 16th century. In 1574, William the Silent (the founder of Dutch independence) saved Leiden from starvation and surrender during the Spanish siege by cutting the dikes and allowing the surrounding land to flood; this incident is commemorated each year on October 3 with a public distribution of bread and herring.
The city became a printing center in 1580, when a press was established by the Elzevir family. Many of the pilgrims who set sail from England for America in 1620 had lived in Leiden earlier, and Americans often come here as tourists to visit Pieterskerk, where those pilgrims worshiped. Leiden was the birthplace of painters Jan van Goyen (1596-1656), Jan Steen (1626-1679), Lucas van Leyden (1494-1533), and Rembrandt (van Rijn) (1607-1669).
Today, Leiden is an important industrial city, manufacturing food products, textiles, and medical equipment. Its historical landmarks include a fortress dating to the 10th century; two churches—the 14th-century Pieterskerk and the 15th-century Hooglandsche Kerk; many museums; and numerous buildings from the 17th century.
Maastricht
Maastricht, the oldest city in the Netherlands, is the capital of Limburg Province in the southernmost part of the country, near the borders of Belgium and Germany. Situated on the Maas River and the Albert Canal system, the city derives its name from the Latin Trajectum ad Mosam, meaning Maas ford. The name signifies that the river was forded at the site of the city during ancient times. With a population today of more than 114,000, Maastricht is an important industrial center, as well as a rail and river transportation point. Chief manufactured products include steel, textiles, ceramics, paper, glass, printed materials, and chemicals.
Maastricht was an episcopal see from 382 to 721, and the city's Cathedral of St. Servaas (Servatius), founded in the sixth century, is the oldest church in the Netherlands; extensive restoration work is now underway, and all but the treasury of relics is temporarily closed to visitors. In 1284, Maastricht was dominated by the dukes of Brabant and the prince-bishop of Liège, and was a strategic fortress for many years. Because of its location as a border town, it has been subject to frequent sieges in various wars. The Spanish captured it in 1579; the Dutch recovered it in 1632; and it fell to the French several times, notably in 1673 and 1794. Occupied by the Germans in 1940, Maastricht was retaken by Americans on September 15, 1944.
The city has many historic landmarks, including the Romanesque Basilica of Our Gracious Lady, which dates from the 11th and 12th centuries; at night the grotto at the entrance to the church is beautified by candles and shaded lighting, and it is not uncommon to see the enclosure filled with supplicants late in the evening. Other places of historic interest are the 13th-century bridge across the Maas River, separating the old and new sections of the city; the 17th-century town hall; and the recently restored area of twisting, cobblestone streets and centuries-old buildings, which had deteriorated into a slum area but is now a charming district of galleries, shops, and good restaurants.
Of particular interest to Americans is the nearby U.S. military cemetery—the only one in the Netherlands—where 8,301 U.S. soldiers were buried. While some of those GIs were returned to the U.S. for reburial, the 65.5 acres in the Dutch countryside are granted in perpetuity as a token of appreciation by the people of the Netherlands.
Every five years since the end of World War II, a reunion of the veterans of the battle that freed Maastricht and of the later German counterattack known as the Battle of the Bulge (fought a few miles south in Belgium), is held in Maastricht. The 50th anniversary was held in 1994.
There are several museums in Maastricht, among them the Bonnefanten, with collections of ancient and modern art, archaeology, and historical artifacts; the Natural History Museum; the Africa Center; a museum of glass and ceramics; and the Santjes en Kantjes, a museum of devotional objects.
Maastricht has an airport on the motorway at Beek.
Eindhoven
Eindhoven, with a population of 191,500, is situated on the Dommel River in the southern Netherlands province of North Brabant. About 65 miles south of Amsterdam, Eindhoven is a rail junction and industrial center that produces electrical and radio apparatus, steel, and textiles.
Chartered in 1232, Eindhoven was a small town for many centuries. The city expanded rapidly after the founding of the Philips Electrical Works in 1891. Eindhoven was taken by Allied troops in September 1944 in a major airborne operation which also involved the cities of Nijmegen and Arnhem. The city has a noted technical university, which opened in 1956.
The Regionale Internationale School, founded in 1965 with an American curriculum, enrolls students from kindergarten through grade six. The address is: Humperdincklaan 4, 5654 PA Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Groningen
Groningen is located in northeast Netherlands 90 miles from Amsterdam. It is the capital, and bears the name of the Netherlands' northernmost province, and is the site of a famous university, founded in 1614. An important transportation and trade center, the city produces foodstuffs, furniture, machinery, and clothing. The area is also known for dairy farming and horse breeding.
Groningen, once a Roman camp, came under the power of the bishops of Utrecht in the 11th century, rising to prominence a century later by supplying ships for the Crusades. In 1284, it became part of the medieval commercial confederation of German merchants-the Hanseatic League. Groningen was taken by the Allied forces during World War II in April 1945.
Architecturally interesting, and enhanced by splendid gardens, Groningen is a picturesque city with many fine churches—in particular, the 15th-century Martinikerk (honoring St. Martin, patron saint of tourists), and the 17th-century Nieuwe Kerk—and several museums. Groningen has a current population of 167,800.
Nijmegen
Nijmegen is one of the Netherlands' oldest cities. It was founded in Roman times, flourished in the eighth and ninth centuries under Charlemagne, and was chartered in 1184. The six peace treaties of Nijmegen, ending the Dutch war with Louis XIV of France, were signed here in 1678-79. In World War II, Allied airborne forces recaptured Nijmegen from the Germans in September 1944; they failed, however, to rescue the troops caught in nearby Arnhem.
Located in eastern Netherlands near the German border, Nijmegen has a population today of 146,450. A rail and water transportation point, Nijmegen is also an industrial center that produces paper, clothing, soap, and metal products.
Still standing in Nijmegen are a 13th-century church, a town hall dating from the 16th century, a 17th-century weigh house, and the remains of a palace built by Charlemagne. The Catholic University of Nijmegen was founded in 1923.
OTHER CITIES
Twenty miles north of Amsterdam lies the city of ALKMAAR . An important market town, Alkmaar is world famous as the site of the weekly Edam cheese market, held in front of the 16th-century weigh house. Chartered in 1254, Alkmaar's successful defense against the Spanish troops in 1573 was the turning point in the revolt of the Netherlands. The current population is 92,700. Edam, with a population of 19,300, is situated between Amsterdam and Alkmaar on IJesselmeer Lake. A picturesque town noted for its cheese and fisheries, Edam also attracts many tourists.
AMERSFOORT is situated on the Eem River, 25 miles southeast of Amsterdam in the central region. Development here dates to the 10th century when the area was fortified. The river, formerly called the Amer, gave the city its name, which means "ford on the Amer." Amersfoort, today a livestock and market gardening center, still has medieval street patterns, as well as landmarks such as the 13th-century St. George's Church. The gothic Tower of Our Lady is all that remains of a church built in 1450. Educational institutions here include a Jensenist college and a school for bell ringers. Amersfoort has a government archaeological research station and regional museum. The city's population is approximately 129,000.
The garden city of APELDOORN lies in the east-central area, about 50 miles east of Amsterdam. Known for its sanitariums and nearby Hogue Veluwe National Park, this also is a manufacturing hub, producing chemicals, refrigeration components, pharmaceuticals, and paper products. In the vicinity is Het Loo, the summer home of the Dutch royal family. Here, queen mother Wilhelmina (1880-1962) lived following her 1948 abdication. Built as a hunting lodge, Het Loo was first used by William III in 1686. Apeldoorn has an estimated population of 155,000.
ARNHEM is a port on the Lower Rhine and the capital of Gelderland Province in eastern Netherlands. Located about 50 miles southeast of Amsterdam, it is a transportation and industrial center that manufactures textiles, metal goods, and electrical equipment. A city as early as the ninth century, Arnhem was the site of a serious defeat of British airborne troops in September 1944. The debacle was immortalized in the book and film A Bridge Too Far. The current population is 141,000.
BREDA , in southern Netherlands at the confluence of the Mark and Aa Rivers, is 55 miles south of Amsterdam. A transportation and industrial center, Breda produces canned foods, machinery, and textiles. Founded before the 11th century, Breda was captured by the Spanish in 1624. A famous painting by Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Veláquez (1599-1660) depicts the surrender of the garrison. The city has a 13th-century Gothic church—Groote Kerk—and a castle that is now a military academy. The population is 163,300.
BUSSUM is a southeastern suburb of Amsterdam about 10 miles outside the capital, with roughly 34,000 residents. Today the home of the country's television studios, as well as an industrial district, Bussum was initially an extension of Naarden, a fortress town. Cocoa and chocolate have been produced here since 1840. The city acts as a resort for the Gooiland region, with its lakes and forests.
DELFT , situated in the western Netherlands just south of The Hague, is a city with a population of 97,000. It has a variety of industries, but is particularly known for its ceramics—the world-renowned china, tiles, and pottery called delft-ware. The delftware manufactured here in the 17th century was an imitation of Chinese and Japanese porcelain. Delft was an important pottery center from the mid-17th to the end of the 18th century but, by 1850, the industry had nearly disappeared. It was decades later that delftware again became an important product here. Delft was founded in the 11th century, chartered in 1246, and was important commercially until overtaken by Rotterdam in the 17th century. It was in Delft that William the Silent was assassinated in 1584, during the bitter struggle against Spain. Jan Vermeer was born here in 1632, and his famous painting, View of Delft, still characterizes the city today—a city of narrow canals and arched bridges, and picturesque, gabled houses. Historic buildings include the 13th-century Gothic Oude Kerk (old church); the Nieuwe Kerk (new church), dating from the 15th century; and a well-preserved 17th-century town hall. Delft is the site of a technical university.
DORDRECHT is located 40 miles south of Amsterdam in South Holland Province, and has a population of over 120,250. An important river port and rail junction, the city has shipyards and manufactures clothing, chemicals, and heavy machinery. Dordrecht (or Dort) was founded in the 11th century, and was the site of the meeting of the Estates of Holland that proclaimed William the Silent stadholder in 1572. The city has a Gothic church—Groote Kerk—more than 500 years old, and an art museum.
The industrial city of ENSCHEDE is located 80 miles east of Amsterdam just west of the German border in eastern Netherlands. A textile and machinery manufacturing center and a rail junction, Enschede produces textiles, beer, pharmaceuticals, and rubber goods. Historically, the city was first mentioned in 1118; it was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1862, but later rebuilt. Enschede has a natural history museum and a technical university founded in 1961. The current population is approximately 144,550.
GOUDA , noted worldwide for its cheese, has been a town since receiving a charter in 1272. During the Middle Ages, it was a center for textile trade. Gouda is, according to the Dutch, "Holland's tourist heart." Each Thursday morning in summer, at De Waag and the old crafts market, visitors and residents throng the area to watch the farm-cheese weighing. Other popular tourist attractions are Sint Janskerk, with its spectacular enameled window frames, Gouda's unique four-century-old Gothic town hall, and the Catharina Gasthuis Museum. Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536), the highly respected Dutch humanist, pursued his early studies here at Gouda before entering the Catholic priesthood.
S'HERTOGENBOSCH , the capital of North Brabant Province in south central Netherlands, is 45 miles from Amsterdam. Located at the confluence of the Dommel and Aa Rivers, s'Hertogenbosch is an industrial and transportation center with a large cattle market. Chartered as a city in 1184, and a fortress until 1876, it is the site of the beautiful Gothic St. John's Cathedral. The artist Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516) was born here.
KINDERDIJK , close to Rotterdam, is a small town of particular interest because of its windmills, many of them dating to about 1740. On Saturdays during July and August, when wind and water permit, all mills are in operation. Another unique town in the area is Schoonhaven, with its 17th-century ramparts and its white-brick town hall, built in 1452.
Known for its widely exported gin, SCHIEDAM is located seven miles west of Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Maas River. With a population of about 85,000, the city has shipyards and manufactures glass, chemicals, and machinery. Schiedam's historical structures include the ruins of a 13th-century castle, a 14th-century church, and a town hall built in the 16th century.
Situated just north of the Belgian border, TILBURG is in southern Netherlands, 50 miles southeast of The Hague. With a population of 197,400, Tilburg's growth occurred late in the 19th century with the expansion of industry. Today, the city manufactures textile machinery, textiles, leather, and dyes. The Catholic School of Economics is located in Tilburg. The former royal residence of King William of the Netherlands serves as the city's town hall.
Seven communities merged in 1974 to form the industrial city of ZAANSTAD , six miles northwest of Amsterdam. Zaandam, Koog aan de Zaan, Zaandijk, Wormerveer, Krommenie, Assendelft, and Westzaan comprise the city now, with a population of 138,000. Russia's Peter the Great (1672-1725) came to Zaandam to learn shipbuilding in 1697; the house where the tsar stayed can be seen today. Other sights are 17th-century windmills, and a mill museum in the Koog aan de Zaan area. Zaanstad acts as a rail junction, in addition to being a center for the lumber industry.
The historic city of ZWOLLE is the capital of Overijssel Province, 50 miles northwest of Amsterdam on the Zwarte River. Its commercial traditions date to its founding in 1230. The city was a member of the Hanseatic League (a medieval commercial confederation of German merchants) until its fortifications were ruined in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the late 1600s. The Sassenpoort Gate is one section of the ramparts still standing. Critically located at the juncture of the Netherlands' principal canal systems and at a rail crossing, Zwolle maintains its commercial dominance. Economic activities here center on shipbuilding, chemicals, and industrial products. St. Michael's Church, the Church of Our Lady, and the town hall were all erected in the 1400s. Thomas à Kempis (ca. 1380-1471), the famous priest and writer, spent the better part of his life in the Augustinian Monastery of Mt. St. Agnes, three miles outside of town. Zwolle has a provincial museum and approximately 109,000 residents.
COUNTRY PROFILE
Geography and Climate
The Netherlands is bordered on the north and west by the North Sea, on the south by Belgium, and on the east by the Federal Republic of Germany. It covers about 14,000 square miles, and is almost one-third the size of Virginia. The land is low and flat except in the southeast, where some hills rise to 1,000 feet. About one-third of its area is below sea level, making the famous Dutch dikes a requisite to land use. Continuing reclamation of land from the sea into new areas (polders ) provides fertile land for this densely populated country.
The warmest period falls between June and September; the other months are cool or cold. Despite an occasional warm spell in summer, temperatures rarely exceed 75°F. Winter is long, often dreary, and the damp cold is penetrating.
Population
The Netherlands has a population of 15.6 million, making it Europe's most densely populated nation. The Dutch are mostly of Germanic heritage with some Gallo Celtic mixture. A proud people, they have clung tenaciously to their small homeland against the constant threat of destruction by the North Sea. In the process, they have created farmlands and cities from the sea bed. Religion influences Dutch history, institutions, and attitudes. It is closely interrelated with social and political life, though to a diminishing degree. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Constitution. Although church and state are separate, a few historical ties remain: e.g., the royal family belongs to the Dutch Reformed Church (Protestant). Religion remains important to most Netherlanders. Slightly more than 30% of the population are Roman Catholic, 30% are Protestant and about 40% have no religious affiliation.
History
Julius Caesar found the Netherlands inhabited by Germanic tribes, one of which, the Batavi, did not submit to Rome until 13 B.C., and then only as an ally. The area was part of Charlemagne's empire in the eighth century, later passed into the hands of the House of Burgundy and the Austrian Hapsburgs, and eventually fell under harsh Spanish rule in the 16th century. The Dutch revolted in 1568 under William of Orange and, 11 years later, the seven northern provinces formed the Union of Utrecht and became the Republic of the United Netherlands.
During its "golden era" of the 17th century, the Netherlands became a great sea and colonial power. Its importance declined, however, during the 18th-century wars with Spain and France. In 1795, French troops ousted William V.
Following Napoleon's defeat, the Netherlands and Belgium became the Kingdom of the United Netherlands under King William I, head of the House of Orange. The Belgians withdrew from the Union in 1830 to form their own kingdom. In 1840, William I abdicated in favor of William II, who was largely responsible for the liberal revision of the constitution in 1848. During the long reign of William III, from 1849 to 1890, the Netherlands prospered. Wilhelmina, William III's 10-year-old daughter, succeeded her father in 1898.
The Netherlands was neutral during World War I, and again proclaimed neutrality at the start of World War II. Nonetheless, German troops overran the country in May 1940. Queen Wilhelmina and Crown Princess (later Queen) Juliana then fled to London, where a government-in-exile was established. They subsequently moved to Canada. The German Army in the Netherlands capitulated May 5, 1945. Juliana succeeded her mother upon Wilhelmina's abdication in 1948.
Juliana, in turn, relinquished the throne to her daughter, Beatrix, the present queen, on April 30, 1980.
Public Institutions
The Netherlands Government is based on the principles of ministerial responsibility and parliamentary government common to most constitutional monarchies in Western Europe. It is composed of three basic institutions: a) the Crown (Monarch, Council of Ministers, and Council of State); b) the States General (parliament); and c) the Courts.
Although her functions are largely ceremonial, the Queen maintains an influence in the government. It is derived from the traditional respect for the House of Orange and her personal qualities. Ministers collectively form a Council of Ministers, or Cabinet, which implements government policies and initiates legislation. The ministers are responsible to but not members of the States General (parliament), which consists of the First Chamber (Upper House) and the Second Chamber (Lower House), that meet separately except for ceremonial occasions. In addition to their legislative authority, both chambers exercise oversight of the Council of Ministers through questioning and investigation. However, only the Second Chamber may initiate legislation and amend bills submitted by the Council of Ministers. The First Chamber's 75 members are indirectly elected by the provincial legislatures. The Second Chamber has 150 members, who are elected directly nationwide for 4 year terms on the basis of proportional representation.
Arts, Science, and Education
Education in the Netherlands is excellent. Many foreign students are enrolled in the 13 schools of higher education. The University of Leiden, the School of Economics of the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, the medical school in Utrecht, and the Technical University at Delft have played important roles in the development of other European universities. Webster University in Leiden offers an English language undergraduate degree program and an MBA program. It also has a small program in Amsterdam and Utrecht. Extension courses from the University of Maryland and other American colleges or universities are available by correspondence.
The International Court of Justice in The Hague and the Universities of Leiden and Amsterdam offer summer courses in international law that are attended by many Americans. Music schools and art academies also enjoy excellent reputations. Culturally, the Netherlands offers a wealth of opportunities. The Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, and the Van Gogh Museums in Amsterdam are world famous. Boymansvan Beuningen Museum in Rotterdam and the Kroller Muller Museum in Otterloo have excellent collections of modern art. The small but exquisite Mauritshuis in The Hague features 17th century Dutch and Flemish paintings. The performing arts in the Netherlands are well regarded internationally. Het Nationale Ballet, the Netherlands Dance Theater, the Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Residentie Orchestra, and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, have frequently toured the U.S. and Europe. In return, American music and dance troupes frequently perform in the Netherlands. The American performing arts are always well represented at the yearly Holland and the North Sea Jazz Festivals. Theater is abundantly available in the Netherlands, although in Dutch, and many avant-garde theater groups perform off-Broadway plays.
Commerce and Industry
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy that depends heavily on foreign trade. More than two-thirds of the Dutch Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is generated through merchandise and services trade. The Dutch are strong proponents of free trade and historically one of our staunchest allies in international economic and financial institutions. The Netherlands has a number of large multinational corporations, including Philips Electronics NV, Royal Dutch Shell, Unilever, Akzo/Nobel, DSM, Heineken and Albert Heijn Holding. More than 1,600 companies established in the Netherlands are either wholly or partly American owned. This has made the United States the largest investor in the Netherlands. The U.S. is the single most important market for Dutch products outside of Europe. The Netherlands, Japan, and the United Kingdom are the top three direct investors in the United States.
The Netherlands has for decades been among the ten largest customers for U.S. products worldwide and among the three largest customers for U.S. products in Europe. Over the years, the U.S. developed its largest worldwide merchandise trade surplus with the Netherlands. Agricultural commodities account for roughly 50 percent of U.S. exports to the Netherlands. Other important U.S. exports to the Netherlands include machinery, medical equipment, aircraft and avionics, computers and software, and business equipment.
The Netherlands has stable industrial relations. For several decades, the Netherlands has enjoyed a large current account surplus from its trade and overseas investments. It is a net exporter of natural gas. The Dutch have developed their country's harbors at the mouth of the Rhine and Maas rivers into an European transportation hub centered on the Port of Rotterdam and supported by Schipol International Airport in Amsterdam. Excellent rail, canal, and road transportation complete the system making the Netherlands an important trans-shipment point for goods with destinations within the entire European continent. The single European internal market and the European Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) make the Netherlands an attractive distribution center for U.S. exporters.
The private sector is the cornerstone of the Dutch economy. Current economic performance is clearly better than that in other European countries with respect to unemployment and inflation. Relatively strong economic performance is attributed to the Dutch "Polder" Model, in which consensus among government, industry and trade unions results in successful and of deregulation, wage restraint, liberalization, privatization and tax reform. The government has gradually reduced its role in the economy in favor of privatization and deregulation. The State continues to dominate the energy sector, and plays a large role in public transport, aviation and telecommunications sectors. The Netherlands is firmly committed to the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); public finances are well within the official EMU targets.
Agriculture. Both windmills and polders have been important to Dutch agriculture in the creation of arable land.
Dutch agriculture, due to severely limited availability of farmland, is primarily a conversion industry. It utilizes large ports to import feed-stuffs, transforms them into dairy and meat products, and exports about three-fourths of these products to fellow members of the European Community. Livestock (including dairy) production accounts for more than half of total production by value, followed by horticulture (mainly flowers) and arable crops. Production of milk and milk products, slaughter hogs, and vegetables are of greatest value. The U.S. enjoys a trade surplus in agricultural trade with the Netherlands. Major imports from the U.S. in order of importance typically include: soybeans, feedgrain substitutes, tobacco, fresh citrus, and high quality beef. Dutch agricultural exports to the U.S. consist mostly of beer, cut flowers, flower bulbs, cocoa products, and dairy products.
Transportation
Automobiles
The Netherlands boasts an excellent free public highway system, comparable to the interstate system in the U.S. A personal car is still the cheapest method of transportation for a family. It makes trips in Holland and Europe affordable. If sold in the Netherlands, American cars must be converted to conform to Dutch laws. Nonetheless, they are popular; service and parts are available in The Hague. The availability of super lead-free, Euro (lead-free) and leaded gasoline throughout the Netherlands makes taking an American car a practical alternative. The roads in the Netherlands are good. The Dutch drive on the right and follow other customary European traffic rules. The Dutch recognize U.S.-issued licenses. You can obtain an international drivers license upon presentation of a valid U.S. drivers license through a local automobile club. An international drivers license in itself is not a valid document for driving. It must always be used in addition to a valid drivers license.
Cars imported into the Netherlands must have license plates. The Netherlands does not issue temporary tags. A car imported into the Netherlands without plates may not be used until the Dutch registration is received. The procedure can take two to three months. Third party or liability insurance is required by law and must be obtained through a company licensed by the Netherlands Government. Dutch insurance rates are high, but a 75 percent reduction is granted if a letter from the previous insurance company is submitted with certification that the applicant had no claims during the preceding 10 years. Smaller reductions are granted for shorter, claim free periods. These companies can write collision, comprehensive, and other types of coverage but the cost is high. You can also insure through one of the American companies authorized in Europe.
Rental cars are readily available.
Biking is a common method of transportation in Dutch society. Holland boasts an extensive dedicated network of bike paths which separate cyclists from cars. Bikes, from cheap to very expensive, may be rented at most railway stations in Holland. Either biking or using public transportation avoids the common problems of congestion and parking in the urban areas of the Netherlands.
Local
The public transportation system in the Netherlands is excellent. Trams and buses service points within cities on frequent schedules. Using public transportation avoids the problems of congested roads and the scarcity or parking. Public transportation is not expensive and you can save money by buying multiple ride tickets or monthly passes. Trams and buses do not run between 1 am and 5 am. Taxicabs, although plentiful and available by night or day, do not cruise and are expensive. Taxis line up in front of the train stations, some hotels, and after cultural events, but often one must phone for cab service. Most Dutch cities are connected by rail and most regions are accessible by other sorts of public transportation.
Regional
Schiphol International Airport is located about 45 minutes from The Hague, 35 minutes from Amsterdam, and is serviced by several U.S. airlines. There are direct flights aboard U.S. carriers to major East Coast, Southern, Great Lakes' and West Coast cities. Many airlines fly between the principal European cities, and daily express rail service is available between The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, and Paris. Air travel within Europe remains expensive.
Communications
Telephone and Telegraph
The Netherlands telecommunications system is good but can lead to some frustrations for North American users. It may take as long as three weeks to establish phone service in The Hague, although the universal availability of mobile cell phones has considerably shortened this lead time. Direct-dial telephone service is available to the U.S. and throughout Western Europe, or calls can be booked through the long distance operator. Long distance and information services operators are multilingual. You can use a calling card to call numbers in the U.S. Calls placed this way are billed against a Master Card or Visa in dollars.
Radio and TV
Radio and TV are enriched in the Netherlands by programs from many of the surrounding countries. It's possible to find radio programs in French, German, and English as well as Dutch on a normal AM receiver. BBC at 648 on the AM dial offers English language news throughout the day. Good classical and jazz music stations can be found in addition to popular music, rock music and talk stations. Eight Dutch TV channels are on the air: Nederland 1, 2 and 3, Veronica, SBS-6 RTL-5 and 5 and TV West. Much of their programming is in English. English language TV shows are broadcast with Dutch subtitles, and commercials are few. Cable TV provides access to Belgian, West German, French, and British stations as well. The number of English-language channels broadcasting to Europe has increased greatly, bringing more music and American programming to the Netherlands. Cable is universally available. CNN Europe is available by cable throughout Holland. NBC World is also available in Amsterdam and Wassenaar.
Newspapers, Magazines, and Technical Journals
Most Dutch bookstores offer a variety of books in English. International editions of Time, Newsweek, Life, USA Today, and the Herald Tribune are sold locally. Popular U.S. magazines-particularly women's magazines such as Vogue, Ladies' Home Journal, and Glamour are sold at newsstands, but at double U.S. prices. The U.S. Army Base at Schinnen has a small bookstore that offers a mixed batch of American paperbacks, reference books of various sorts, and children's books. The American Women's Club of The Hague maintains a library of about 3,000 volumes with a special children's book section. It also carries a good range of newly released fiction and nonfiction books. In addition to these sources, most Dutch public libraries have some English language books.
Health and Medicine
Medical Facilities
Dutch doctors and hospitals are good. A general practitioner can treat the entire family, make house calls when necessary, and refer a patient to a specialist when needed. Access to specialists is restricted, however and delays in treatment are to be expected. Specialists are well trained in their fields and all specialties are represented. Good diagnostic clinics and laboratories are available. Common medical supplies may be obtained on short notice. The Dutch rely little on pain medication or tranquilizers and avoid using antibiotics unless they are clearly convinced of their necessity. Hospitals are well spaced throughout the cities, making them easy to find in an emergency. Most of the larger city hospitals are modern, with up-to-date equipment. Although dental training and techniques differ from those in the U.S., dental work, including orthodontics, is usually good and compares favorably with U.S. prices. Eye testing and care is readily available; glasses are expensive.
Community Health
Dutch cities are as clean as our cleanest American cities. Garbage is collected once or twice a week and the water supply is good. Public eating places, butcher shops, and dairies are inspected regularly. Although most Temperate Zone diseases occur, no particular ailment is peculiar to this area. Sporadic cases of typhoid and mild epidemics of influenza occur. Some jaundice, sinusitis, and poliomyelitis exist here, as in other European countries. People with lung, bronchial, and skin disorders suffer in this climate.
Preventive Measures
All standard immunizations are available at local hospitals and medical facilities. Vitamin supplements may be useful, particularly in winter when sunshine is minimal.
LOCAL HOLIDAYS
Jan. 1…New Year's Day
Mar/Apr.…Good Friday*
Mar/Apr.…Holy Saturday
Mar/Apr.…Easter*
Mar/Apr.…Easter Monday*
Apr. 30… Queen's Birthday
May 5…Liberation Day
May/June…Ascension Day*
May/June…Pentecost
May/June…Whitmonday
Dec. 25 & 26…Christmas
*variable
NOTES FOR TRAVELERS
Passage, Customs and Duties
United, Delta and Northwest are the American carriers currently flying to Schipol Airport from the U.S. Daily flights depart New York, Boston or Washington, D.C.
A passport is required. A visa is not required for U.S. citizens for visits up to 90 days. For further information on entry requirements for the Netherlands, travelers may contact the Embassy of the Netherlands at 4200 Linnean Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 244-5300, or the Dutch consulate in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, or San Francisco. Additional information is available at http://www.netherlandsembassy.org and the Netherlands Bureau for Tourism in New York at http://www.goholland.com.
Seat belt and child seat use is compulsory. Driving is on the right side of the road. The maximum speed limit on highways is 120 km/h, with a highway speed limit of 100 km/h posted in most urban areas. Secondary roads have a speed limit of 80 km/h. The speed limit in towns and cities is 50 km/h, with 30 km/h posted in residential areas. Drivers must yield the right-of-way to drivers from the right at intersections or traffic circles, unless otherwise posted. The maximum allowable blood alcohol level in the Netherlands is 0.5. Use of cellular telephones while driving is discouraged.
Lanes at the center of many urban two-way streets are reserved for buses, trams, and taxis. In cities, pedestrians should be very mindful of trams, which often cross or share bicycle and pedestrian paths. Motorists must be especially mindful of the priority rights of bicyclists. Pedestrians should also pay particular attention not to walk along bicycle paths, which are often on the sidewalk and usually designated by red pavement.
Americans living in or visiting the Netherlands are encouraged to register at the Consulate General in Amsterdam and obtain updated information on travel and security in the Netherlands. The U.S. Embassy is located in The Hague, at Lange Voorhout 102; telephone (31)(20) 310-9209. However, all requests for consular assistance should be directed to the Consulate General in Amsterdam at Museumplein 19, telephone (31)(20) 664-5661, (31)(20) 679-0321, or (31)(20) 575-5309. The after-hours emergency telephone number is (31)(70) 310-9499. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate General web site at http://www.usemb.nl answers many questions of interest to Americans visiting or residing in the Netherlands.
Pets
No restrictions exist on importing pets. Dogs and cats must have a health certificate issued by a veterinarian in the animal's country of origin (this includes U.S. Army veterinarians stationed in the county of origin). The certificate must state in Dutch, German, French, or English that the dog or cat has been vaccinated against rabies using a vaccine approved in the country of manufacture, the manufacturer, and the type of vaccine (live or dead). The certificate must also provide a complete description of the animal (species, age, breed, gender, weight, color, and markings), the owner's name, and the owner's address. The certificate must also state that the rabies vaccine was administered at least 30 days, but not more than 1 year, before the date of arrival in the Netherlands.
Arrangements can be made through KLM to receive pets and to see that they are placed in a kennel until you can pick them up. A fee of is imposed for transport to the kennel, and kennels' charges are comparable to those in the U.S.
Currency, Banking and Weights and Measures
As a member of the European Community, the monetary unit in The Netherlands is the euro, which is divided into 100 cent. Coins in circulation are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 cent and 1 & 2 euro. Bank notes are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros. The exchange rate approximates 1.15 euro to $1 US.
RECOMMENDED READING
The following titles are provided as a general indication of the material available on this country:
At Home in Holland. American Women's Club: The Hague, 1984.
Erickson, Patricia G. Roaming Round Holland. City of Rotterdam Information Department: Rotterdam, 1985.
Lijphart, Arend. The Politics of Accommodation: Pluralism and Democracy in the Netherlands. University of California Press: Berkeley, 1968.
Mulisch, Harry. The Assault. Pantheon: 1985.
Newton, Gerald. The Netherlands: An Historical and Cultural Survey, 1795-1977. Ernest Benn Ltd.: London, 1978.
Schama, Simon. The Embarrassment of Riches: An Interpretation of Dutch Culture in the Golden Age. Alfred A. Knopf: New York, 1987.
Voorhoeve, Joris. Peace, Profits and Principles: A Study of Dutch Foreign Policy. M. Nijhoff: Dordrecht/Boston, 1979.