Europe · Western Europe

Netherlands

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Flag of Netherlands
Local Time
--:--:--
UTC+01:00
🏛️ Capital
Amsterdam
👥 Population
18,100,436
📐 Area
41,865 km²
💱 Currency
euro (€)
🗣️ Languages
Dutch
📞 Calling Code
+31
🕐 Time Zones
UTC+01:00
🌐 Region
Europe / Western Europe

About Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country that defies expectations at every turn — a small nation that punches far above its weight in art, culture, engineering, and sheer livability. As you cycle past tulip fields flushing pink and gold in spring, or glide along Amsterdam's seventeenth-century canals lined with elegant gabled townhouses, you quickly understand why this flat, water-managed land captures the imagination of travelers worldwide. The Dutch have spent centuries in a creative dialogue with nature, turning swamps and sea into one of the world's most prosperous and innovative societies.

Amsterdam is a world-class city where world-class museums — the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, the Anne Frank House — sit alongside vibrant street markets, cozy brown cafés, and a legendary nightlife scene. But the Netherlands rewards those who venture beyond the capital. The Hague is home to grand political architecture and Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring; Rotterdam dazzles with audacious modern architecture rising from postwar ashes; and Delft enchants with its blue-and-white pottery tradition and picturesque canals.

Life in the Netherlands moves at a pleasantly brisk pace — by bicycle. With more bikes than people and a dense network of dedicated cycle paths connecting every city, town, and village, two wheels are genuinely the best way to explore. You'll find the Dutch to be direct, friendly, and effortlessly multilingual. Whether you come for the flowers, the art, the food, or simply to experience one of Europe's most open and tolerant societies, the Netherlands will leave you wanting to return.

History & Background

The Dutch Republic that emerged in the late sixteenth century after the Eighty Years' War of independence from Spanish Habsburg rule became one of the world's first true republics and a pioneer of free trade, religious tolerance, and financial innovation. The seventeenth-century Dutch Golden Age saw Amsterdam become the epicenter of global commerce and finance, the Dutch East India Company establish a trade empire stretching from Brazil to Japan, and Dutch artists produce masterworks that still define Western painting. This era of dizzying prosperity left an architectural and cultural legacy still visible across every Dutch city.

The Napoleonic Wars brought temporary annexation into France, before the Kingdom of the Netherlands was established in 1815. The neutral Netherlands was occupied by Nazi Germany from 1940 to 1945, a trauma that claimed the lives of 75 percent of the country's Jewish population including Anne Frank, and left deep scars on the national psyche. Postwar reconstruction — epitomized by Rotterdam's near-total rebuilding after wartime bombing — and the creation of the European Union, of which the Netherlands was a founding member, launched a new era of prosperity and international leadership in diplomacy and international law.

Culture & People

Dutch culture is shaped by a heritage of merchant pragmatism, Calvinist frugality, and a fiercely guarded tradition of personal freedom and tolerance. The Golden Age of the seventeenth century — when the Dutch East India Company made Amsterdam the richest city on earth — produced a cultural flowering that gave the world Rembrandt, Vermeer, and Spinoza. That spirit of inquiry and openness still defines Dutch society today, making the Netherlands one of the world's most progressive countries in areas from social policy to sustainable urban design.

Everyday Dutch culture centers on gezelligheid — a word roughly translated as coziness or conviviality — felt most strongly in a warm brown café (bruine kroeg) over a glass of Heineken or jenever gin. King's Day on April 27 transforms every city and village into an orange-clad street festival of music, flea markets, and canal parties that is utterly infectious. Windmills at Kinderdijk, clogs, Delftware tiles, and wooden tulip bulbs may feel like clichés, but each represents genuine historical craft traditions that Dutch artisans continue to celebrate and preserve with evident pride.

Food & Cuisine

Dutch cuisine is honest, hearty, and deeply rooted in the country's agricultural and maritime heritage. Stroopwafels — two thin waffle cookies sandwiching a layer of caramel syrup — are the nation's snack ambassador, best enjoyed warm from a street market stall with the caramel softened by a cup of coffee balanced on top. Haring, raw salted herring eaten whole with chopped onions and pickles, is a quintessential Dutch street food debated passionately between traditionalists and the uninitiated. Stamppot, mashed potato combined with kale, sauerkraut, or other vegetables and topped with rookworst sausage, is the winter comfort food that sustains Dutch families through grey northern European months.

Beyond traditional fare, the Netherlands reflects its colonial history through the prominence of Indonesian cuisine, a legacy of the Dutch East Indies. Rijsttafel — a feast of rice accompanied by dozens of small Indonesian dishes — remains a beloved restaurant experience in Amsterdam and across the country. Dutch cheese culture is equally celebrated: Gouda and Edam are world-famous exports, but local markets in Gouda and Alkmaar still host traditional cheese-weighing ceremonies where rounds of aged cheese are carried on wooden stretchers by white-clad porters, keeping centuries of trade tradition delightfully alive.

Top Attractions

  • Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam — The Netherlands' greatest museum houses Rembrandt's Night Watch and an unparalleled collection of Dutch Golden Age masterpieces in a stunning neo-Gothic palace.
  • Anne Frank House, Amsterdam — The preserved secret annex where Anne Frank hid during World War II is a profoundly moving memorial to the Holocaust and a testament to human courage.
  • Keukenhof Gardens — Open only in spring, this 32-hectare park near Lisse displays over seven million flowering bulbs in breathtaking landscaped displays.
  • Kinderdijk Windmills — A UNESCO World Heritage site featuring nineteen iconic eighteenth-century windmills still standing in the polder landscape southeast of Rotterdam.
  • Delft Old Town — A perfectly preserved medieval city of canals, cobblestones, and blue-and-white pottery workshops that inspired Johannes Vermeer's masterpieces.
  • Rotterdam Architecture — Europe's largest port city showcases cutting-edge modern architecture including the Cube Houses, Markthal, and the iconic Erasmus Bridge.

Practical Travel Tips

  • Rent a bicycle as your primary mode of transport — it is the fastest, cheapest, and most authentic way to explore Dutch cities and countryside alike.
  • Purchase an OV-chipkaart (public transit card) for seamless travel on trains, trams, buses, and metros; it saves money compared to single-journey tickets.
  • Book Amsterdam museum tickets well in advance online, especially for the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and Anne Frank House, which sell out days or weeks ahead.
  • The Dutch weather is famously unpredictable — pack a waterproof jacket regardless of the season and consider it your most important travel item.
  • Respect cycling infrastructure: never walk in cycle lanes (usually marked in red) and look both ways for bikes before stepping off any kerb.
  • Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory; rounding up the bill or leaving 5–10% at restaurants is standard practice.

Visa Overview

The Netherlands is a member of the Schengen Area, meaning EU and EEA citizens enter freely with a national identity card. Citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and many other countries may visit visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. From 2025, non-EU visitors from visa-exempt countries need to register under the ETIAS system before travel. Travelers requiring a Schengen visa should apply at the Dutch embassy or consulate in their home country well in advance of travel dates.

Getting Around

The Netherlands has one of Europe's most efficient and extensive public transport networks. High-speed Intercity Direct trains connect Amsterdam to Rotterdam in under 45 minutes, while intercity trains reach virtually every town. Amsterdam has an integrated metro, tram, and bus network. The national railway (NS) runs frequently and punctually. Cycling infrastructure is world-class — rental bikes are available in every city. Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam is a major international hub with direct connections worldwide and a fast train link to Amsterdam Centraal.

Safety Notes

The Netherlands is one of Europe's safest destinations. Petty theft — particularly bicycle theft and pickpocketing in busy Amsterdam areas like Dam Square and Centraal Station — is the main concern. Secure your bike with two locks, keep valuables hidden, and stay aware in crowded tourist areas. The red-light district in Amsterdam is generally safe but exercise normal urban caution. Emergency services are highly reliable; dial 112 for police, fire, or ambulance. Water from the tap is safe to drink throughout the country.

Live Exchange Rates

Current exchange rates for currencies used in Netherlands.

euro (EUR) €
Updated: 2026-08-20
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 13.498135
AAVE 0.012207
ADA 6.274808
AED 4.289988
AFN 76.455547
AGIX 20.529179
AKT 2.272266
ALGO 14.189848
ALL 92.685141
AMD 424.027941
AMP 3,045.105625
ANG 2.092390
AOA 1,072.800048
APE 9.083432
APT 2.088233
AR 0.628490
ARB 13.355611
ARS 1,748.796683
ATOM 0.782760
ATS 13.760300
AUD 1.643352
AVAX 0.172446
AWG 2.090968
AXS 1.295990
AZM 9,928.939944
AZN 1.985788
BAKE 1,679.319615
BAM 1.955830
BAT 18.681877
BBD 2.336277
BCH 0.005530
BDT 142.135736
BEF 40.339900
BGN 1.955830
BHD 0.439220
BIF 3,474.425125
BMD 1.168138
BNB 0.001869
BND 1.485327
BOB 13.417154
BRL 6.049165
BSD 1.168138
BSV 0.072958
BSW 3,223.258550
BTC 0.000017
BTCB 19.735463
BTG 2.662160
BTN 111.698989
BTT 4,293,633.870463
BUSD 1.167363
BWP 15.712392
BYN 3.531873
BYR 22,892.119768
BZD 2.346397
CAD 1.612335
CAKE 0.724865
CDF 2,677.850523
CELO 18.665735
CFX 26.670481
CHF 0.932977
CHZ 91.379841
CLP 1,076.533162
CNH 7.856221
CNY 7.856620
COMP 0.063387
COP 3,566.077193
CRC 525.908198
CRO 23.443031
CRV 4.477219
CSPR 437.376052
CUC 1.167965
CUP 30.951080
CVE 110.2700
CVX 0.722160
CYP 0.585274
CZK 24.169588
DAI 1.167995
DASH 0.036762
DCR 0.098876
DEM 1.955830
DFI 1,173.949573
DJF 207.474605
DKK 7.475781
DOGE 15.559342
DOP 68.222254
DOT 1.475899
DYDX 10.619105
DZD 155.028351
EEK 15.646640
EGLD 0.411187
EGP 59.168004
ENJ 46.163995
EOS 17.699426
ERN 17.522076
ESP 166.3860
ETB 189.840962
ETC 0.177060
ETH 0.000517
EURC 1.007090
FEI 1.166659
FIL 1.735227
FIM 5.945730
FJD 2.570325
FKP 0.858509
FLOW 40.402035
FLR 181.679512
FRAX 1.178113
FRF 6.559570
FTT 5.628028
GALA 810.679960
GBP 0.858509
GEL 3.043474
GGP 0.858509
GHC 129,258.080826
GHS 12.925808
GIP 0.858509
GMD 86.563737
GMX 0.171685
GNF 10,251.220328
GNO 0.009637
GRD 340.750000
GRT 83.486314
GT 0.167849
GTQ 8.891317
GUSD 1.170061
GYD 242.978961
HBAR 16.482536
HKD 9.160613
HNL 31.229263
HNT 6.739420
HOT 3,459.133937
HRK 7.534500
HT 10.285845
HTG 151.930830
HUF 363.912152
ICP 0.503691
IDR 20,795.129467
IEP 0.787564
ILS 3.479186
IMP 0.858509
IMX 11.165802
INJ 0.251490
INR 111.698989
IQD 1,521.432984
IRR 1,605,485.093482
ISK 142.210760
ITL 1,936.270000
JEP 0.858509
JMD 183.506639
JOD 0.828210
JPY 184.981804
KAS 43.807615
KAVA 28.379937
KCS 0.160141
KDA 248.775858
KES 151.206276
KGS 102.263782
KHR 4,704.545984
KLAY 47.524124
KMF 491.967750
KNC 11.038440
KPW 1,051.169108
KRW 1,627.923719
KSM 0.379386
KWD 0.360072
KYD 0.970366
KZT 538.830177
LAK 26,188.725142
LBP 104,412.210169
LDO 3.447439
LEO 0.125630
LINK 0.111452
LKR 384.367548
LRC 146.833407
LRD 211.504891
LSL 18.807871
LTC 0.024865
LTL 3.452800
LUF 40.339900
LUNA 26.419400
LUNC 23,121.482124
LVL 0.702800
LYD 7.391687
MAD 10.810712
MANA 17.424385
MBX 56.487447
MDL 20.024216
MGA 5,003.343056
MGF 25,016.715279
MINA 27.334818
MKD 61.674485
MKR 0.000804
MMK 2,452.453344
MNT 4,202.281258
MOP 9.435431
MRO 465.248150
MRU 46.524815
MTL 0.429300
MUR 54.867428
MVR 18.057908
MWK 2,016.268235
MXN 19.797147
MXV 2.259844
MYR 4.722522
MZM 74,543.965010
MZN 74.543965
NAD 18.807871
NEAR 0.670043
NEO 0.641778
NEXO 1.564265
NFT 4,147,709.312915
NGN 1,573.132375
NIO 42.861444
NLG 2.203710
NOK 10.896422
NPR 178.802157
NZD 1.965174
OKB 0.011409
OMR 0.449610
ONE 1,619.106291
OP 13.152159
ORDI 0.317301
PAB 1.168138
PAXG 0.000261
PEN 3.914147
PEPE 403,253.666827
PGK 5.244348
PHP 71.979185
PI 12.998716
PKR 322.928610
PLN 4.318860
POL 14.310295
PTE 200.482000
PYG 6,989.685768
QAR 4.252024
QNT 0.019769
QTUM 1.618321
ROL 52,463.807106
RON 5.246381
RPL 0.751167
RSD 117.347658
RUB 98.112485
RUNE 2.738814
RVN 448.100204
RWF 1,712.919923
SAND 28.281148
SAR 4.380519
SBD 9.345534
SCR 16.944618
SDD 70,107.285017
SDG 701.072850
SEK 11.024123
SGD 1.485327
SHIB 246,536.287597
SHP 0.858509
SIT 239.640000
SKK 30.1260
SLE 26.764891
SLL 26,764.891300
SNX 5.698820
SOL 0.013769
SOS 662.486214
SPL 0.194690
SRD 44.162051
SRG 44,162.051242
SSP 6,622.133568
STD 24,659.830261
STN 24.659830
STX 8.955080
SUI 1.655196
SVC 10.221211
SYP 15,185.884647
SZL 18.807871
THB 38.354550
THETA 7.772011
TJS 10.714711
TMM 20,438.152755
TMT 4.087631
TND 3.385351
TOP 2.782662
TRL 56,017,507.438721
TRX 3.497140
TRY 56.017507
TTD 7.896346
TUSD 1.169893
TVD 1.643352
TWD 37.189827
TWT 2.920863
TZS 3,091.766548
UAH 52.172341
UGX 4,340.252567
UNI 0.319007
USD 1.168138
USDC 1.167877
USDD 1.168659
USDP 1.169374
USDT 1.168573
UYU 46.737715
UZS 13,720.168830
VAL 1,936.270000
VEB 90,679,061,617.2383
VED 904.759628
VEF 90,475,962.821118
VES 904.759628
VET 240.660059
VND 30,514.748068
VUV 138.166522
WAVES 5.923568
WEMIX 6.035916
WOO 105.900228
WST 3.145984
XAF 655.957000
XAG 0.017462
XAU 0.000260
XAUT 0.000261
XBT 0.000017
XCD 3.162080
XCG 2.092390
XCH 0.824540
XDC 41.993825
XDR 0.853050
XEC 166,599.965148
XEM 2,495.030510
XLM 6.801196
XMR 0.002735
XOF 655.957000
XPD 0.000879
XPF 119.331742
XPT 0.000648
XRP 1.052739
XTZ 5.362280
YER 276.931742
ZAR 18.807871
ZEC 0.002081
ZIL 480.563218
ZMK 21,882.679521
ZMW 21.882680
ZWD 422.749282
ZWG 31.154616
ZWL 77,846.793734

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Cities in Netherlands 368
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's-Gravenzande 's-Hertogenbosch 't Harde Aalsmeer Aalten Aarle-Rixtel Aerdenhout Alkmaar Almelo Almere Alphen aan den Rijn Amersfoort Amstelveen Amsterdam Anna Paulowna Annen Apeldoorn Appelscha Appingedam Arnhem Assen Asten Baarn Bakkeveen Barendrecht Barneveld Bedum Beilen Bennekom Bergen Bergen op Zoom Berkel en Rodenrijs Best Beuningen Beverwijk Bilthoven Bladel Blauwestad Blerick Bodegraven Bolsward Borculo Borger Borgercompagnie Borne Boskoop Bovensmilde Boxmeer Boxtel Breda Brielle Brunssum Buitenpost Bunschoten-Spakenburg Burgh-Haamstede Burgum Bussum Capelle aan den IJssel Castricum Coevorden Cuijk Culemborg Dalfsen Damwâld De Bilt De Knipe De Lier De Lutte De Meern De Rijp Dedemsvaart Delft Delfzijl Den Burg Den Haag Den Helder Den Horn Denekamp Deurne Deventer Diemen Doesburg Doetinchem Dokkum Dongen Dordrecht Drachten Drachtstercompagnie Driebergen-Rijsenburg Dronten Drunen Druten Duiven Duivendrecht Easternijtsjerk Edam Ede Eelde Eemshaven Eibergen Eijsden Eindhoven Elburg Emmeloord Emmen Enkhuizen Enschede Epe Erica Ermelo Etten-Leur Franeker Geldermalsen Geldrop Geleen Gemert Gennep Gieten Goes Goirle Goor Gorinchem Gorredijk Gouda Grave Groenlo Groesbeek Groningen Haaksbergen Haarlem Hardenberg Harderwijk Haren Harlingen Hattem Heeg Heemskerk Heemstede Heerde Heerenveen Heerhugowaard Heerlen Heesch Heiloo Hellevoetsluis Helmond Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht Hengelo Hillegom Hilvarenbeek Hilversum Hoek van Holland Hoevelaken Hoofddorp Hoogeveen Hoogezand Hoogvliet Hoorn Horst Houten Huissen Huizen Hulst IJlst IJsselstein Joure Julianadorp Kaatsheuvel Kallenkote Kampen Katwijk Kerkrade Klazienaveen Kollum Kollumersweach Koog aan de Zaan Krimpen aan den IJssel Landgraaf Laren Leek Leerdam Leeuwarden Leiden Leiderdorp Leidschendam Lelystad Lemmer Lemmer Leusden Lichtenvoorde Lisse Lisserbroek Lochem Losser Lutten Maarsbergen Maarssen Maassluis Maastricht Mantgum Medemblik Menaldum Meppel Middelburg Middelharnis Middelstum Mierlo Mijdrecht Monnickendam Monnickendam Monster Muiden Naaldwijk Nieuw-Vennep Nieuwegein Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel Nijkerk Nijmegen Nijverdal Nooitgedacht Noordwijk Nootdorp Nuenen Nunspeet Oegstgeest Oentsjerk Oirschot Oisterwijk Oldenzaal Ommen Oostburg Oosterbeek Oosterhout Oosterwolde Oosterwolde Oosterzee Opende Oss Oud-Annerveen Oud-Beijerland Ouddorp Oude Pekela Oudebildtzijl Oudenbosch Oudeschans Papendrecht Pijnacker Purmerend Putten Raalte Reusel Rheden Rhenen Ridderkerk Rijen Rijpwetering Rijssen Rijswijk Roden Roermond Roosendaal Rosmalen Rotterdam Ruinen Ruinerwold Schagen Schiedam Schijndel Schildwolde Schoonhoven Schoorl Sint-Oedenrode Sittard Sliedrecht Sneek Soest Someren Son en Breugel Spijkenisse Stadskanaal Staphorst Steenbergen Steenwijk Stein Stiens Stiens Ter Apel Terneuzen Terwispel Tholen Tiel Tilburg Tubbergen Twello Uden Uithoorn Uithuizen Ulrum Urk Ursem Utrecht Vaals Vaassen Valkenburg Valkenswaard Veendam Veenendaal Veghel Veldhoven Velp Velserbroek Venlo Venray Vianen Vlaardingen Vleuten Vlijmen Vlissingen Volendam Voorburg Voorschoten Voorthuizen Vriezenveen Vroomshoop Vught Waalwijk Waddinxveen Wageningen Wapenveld Warffum Wassenaar Wateringen Weert Weesp Weiteveen Werkendam Westerbork Westervoort Weteringbrug Wezep Wierden Wijchen Wijk bij Duurstede Wildervank Winschoten Winsum Winterswijk Wirdum Woerden Wolvega Yerseke Zaandam Zaltbommel Zandvoort Zeewolde Zeist Zevenaar Zevenbergen Zevenbergen Zevenbergschen Hoek Zierikzee Zoetermeer Zuidhorn Zuidlaren Zundert Zutphen Zwijndrecht Zwolle

Visa Requirements

Check what visa a citizen of Netherlands needs to enter any country.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capital of Netherlands?
The capital of Netherlands is Amsterdam.
What currency does Netherlands use?
Netherlands uses the euro (€) as its official currency.
What language is spoken in Netherlands?
The official language(s) of Netherlands include Dutch.
What is the population of Netherlands?
Netherlands has a population of approximately 18,100,436 people.
What region is Netherlands in?
Netherlands is located in Europe, specifically in the Western Europe subregion.
What is the international calling code for Netherlands?
The international dialing code for Netherlands is +31.
What time zones does Netherlands observe?
Netherlands observes the following time zone(s): UTC+01:00.
What is the current time in Netherlands?
The local time in Netherlands is currently --:--. This time applies to the primary time zone.
What is the total area of Netherlands?
Netherlands covers a total area of 41,865 km².
How many states or provinces does Netherlands have?
Netherlands is divided into 16 states or provinces.
What are the public holidays in Netherlands in 2026?
You can view the complete list of public holidays for Netherlands in 2026 on the Holidays 2026 page.
What are the visa requirements for citizens of Netherlands?
Visa requirements for citizens of Netherlands vary by destination. Use our Visa Requirements Checker below to look up requirements for any destination country.