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: 2026-10-06
⌕
Currency CodeRate
1INCH 10.608241
AAVE 0.006171
ADA 4.161934
AED 4.118660
AFN 72.460655
AKT 1.465468
ALGO 8.732446
ALL 91.989070
AMD 405.727713
AMP 1,748.994906
ANG 2.016678
AOA 1,027.296046
APE 6.999848
APT 1.365981
AR 0.248783
ARB 5.501155
ARS 1,704.571807
ATOM 0.615972
ATS 13.760300
AUD 1.609305
AVAX 0.098774
AWG 2.007461
AXS 0.856337
AZM 9,532.767365
AZN 1.906553
BAKE 4,369.313127
BAM 1.955830
BAT 10.631939
BBD 2.242973
BCH 0.003548
BDT 137.864349
BEF 40.339900
BGN 1.955830
BHD 0.421679
BIF 3,369.419033
BMD 1.121487
BNB 0.001435
BND 1.434921
BOB 13.453226
BRL 5.605999
BSD 1.121487
BSV 0.056163
BSW 2,725.375557
BTC 0.000013
BTCB 16.051116
BTG 1.699940
BTN 108.131566
BTT 3,016,625.452665
BUSD 1.121298
BWP 15.435293
BYN 3.421347
BYR 21,984.180652
BZD 2.255418
CAD 1.600203
CAKE 0.458590
CDF 2,591.751047
CELO 10.783645
CFX 20.438569
CHF 0.932799
CHZ 67.044077
CLP 1,091.239189
CNH 7.517347
CNY 7.519754
COMP 0.045755
COP 3,587.231293
CRC 513.177605
CRO 16.514903
CRV 3.042173
CSPR 439.659822
CUC 1.121642
CUP 26.863878
CVE 110.2700
CVX 0.506634
CYP 0.585274
CZK 24.463972
DAI 1.121943
DASH 0.019784
DCR 0.060815
DEM 1.955830
DFI 1,227.076303
DJF 199.513566
DKK 7.474044
DOGE 11.827797
DOP 67.211933
DOT 0.906420
DYDX 7.675739
DZD 150.757464
EEK 15.646640
EGLD 0.250927
EGP 58.797387
ENJ 33.876847
EOS 11.035868
ERN 16.822300
ESP 166.3860
ETB 182.423161
ETC 0.126382
ETH 0.000415
EURC 0.999865
FEI 1.121976
FIL 0.939528
FIM 5.945730
FJD 2.523450
FKP 0.848714
FLOW 35.445689
FLR 155.586909
FRAX 1.132841
FRF 6.559570
FTT 4.341424
GALA 462.881888
GBP 0.848714
GEL 2.910805
GGP 0.848714
GHC 131,849.332597
GHS 13.184933
GIP 0.848714
GMD 83.002400
GMX 0.127730
GNF 9,860.299925
GNO 0.009236
GRD 340.750000
GRT 38.516210
GT 0.100181
GTQ 8.558540
GUSD 1.123799
GYD 234.109722
HBAR 11.140446
HKD 8.800813
HNL 30.071355
HNT 2.161290
HOT 2,448.876391
HRK 7.534500
HT 30.747849
HTG 146.546883
HUF 367.353061
ICP 0.321648
IDR 20,091.703308
IEP 0.787564
ILS 3.429679
IMP 0.848714
IMX 6.116253
INJ 0.147953
INR 108.131566
IQD 1,466.162699
IRR 2,017,023.336678
ISK 136.931326
ITL 1,936.270000
JEP 0.848714
JMD 177.470237
JOD 0.795134
JPY 177.319834
KAS 26.141289
KAVA 16.177140
KCS 0.147729
KDA 114.869096
KES 145.578960
KGS 98.083740
KHR 4,543.259052
KLAY 26.927501
KMF 491.967750
KNC 7.829578
KPW 1,009.478040
KRW 1,505.555528
KSM 0.218902
KWD 0.346658
KYD 0.932308
KZT 510.589182
LAK 25,164.737290
LBP 101,138.597165
LDO 2.448232
LEO 0.126117
LINK 0.081085
LKR 369.902566
LRC 109.234129
LRD 191.380468
LSL 18.671511
LTC 0.016099
LTL 3.452800
LUF 40.339900
LUNA 21.961564
LUNC 21,209.834242
LVL 0.702800
LYD 7.195580
MAD 11.193193
MANA 10.844874
MBX 37.919202
MDL 20.099417
MGA 4,966.439858
MGF 24,832.199290
MINA 8.324022
MKD 61.526524
MKR 0.000558
MMK 2,354.196389
MNT 4,031.941572
MOP 9.064837
MRO 449.009103
MRU 44.900910
MTL 0.429300
MUR 53.160967
MVR 17.337808
MWK 1,941.102220
MXN 20.271139
MXV 2.304429
MYR 4.582006
MZM 71,583.650468
MZN 71.583650
NAD 18.671511
NEAR 0.214615
NEO 0.442490
NEXO 1.318806
NFT 4,699,773.629305
NGN 1,482.655537
NIO 41.229400
NLG 2.203710
NOK 10.763871
NPR 173.091604
NZD 2.003623
OKB 0.008601
OMR 0.431614
ONE 7.657077
OP 8.342663
ORDI 0.246485
PAB 1.121487
PAXG 0.000271
PEN 3.861416
PEPE 259,313.271560
PGK 5.052607
PHP 70.481319
PI 12.847459
PKR 310.091379
PLN 4.380629
POL 10.255433
PTE 200.4820
PYG 6,551.713160
QAR 4.082212
QNT 0.004335
QTUM 1.144086
ROL 53,453.489720
RON 5.345349
RPL 0.586493
RSD 117.454412
RUB 95.146752
RUNE 1.444511
RVN 457.092628
RWF 1,653.038689
SAND 17.054630
SAR 4.205575
SBD 9.048929
SCR 15.884446
SDD 67,309.460509
SDG 673.094605
SEK 11.264961
SGD 1.434921
SHIB 191,584.200289
SHP 0.848714
SIT 239.6400
SKK 30.1260
SLE 25.855752
SLL 25,855.752319
SNX 4.479217
SOL 0.009348
SOS 638.072572
SPL 0.186914
SRD 42.286573
SRG 42,286.572867
SSP 6,422.345815
STD 24,673.623397
STN 24.673623
STX 2.992747
SUI 0.939690
SVC 9.813008
SYP 14,583.587879
SZL 18.671511
THB 37.748853
THETA 4.843238
TJS 10.321759
TMM 19,678.602765
TMT 3.935721
TND 3.356411
TOP 2.701042
TRL 55,149,771.421778
TRX 3.337406
TRY 55.149771
TTD 7.593297
TUSD 1.122374
TVD 1.609305
TWD 35.642923
TWT 1.964525
TZS 2,958.916291
UAH 50.510969
UGX 4,508.539856
UNI 0.126587
USD 1.121487
USDC 1.121792
USDD 1.122284
USDP 1.128155
USDT 1.122055
UYU 45.303674
UZS 13,192.165783
VAL 1,936.270000
VEB 97,650,599,824.6105
VED 976.505998
VEF 97,650,599.824611
VES 976.505998
VET 128.513582
VND 29,153.459089
VUV 134.816226
WAVES 3.759191
WEMIX 5.856152
WOO 81.929906
WST 3.121314
XAF 655.957000
XAG 0.018536
XAU 0.000272
XAUT 0.000272
XBT 0.000013
XCD 3.035776
XCG 2.016678
XCH 0.716611
XDC 33.372595
XDR 0.828956
XEC 140,635.665027
XEM 1,786.293574
XLM 5.196443
XMR 0.001999
XOF 655.957000
XPD 0.000961
XPF 119.331742
XPT 0.000655
XRP 0.746425
XTZ 3.356612
YER 264.892590
ZAR 18.671511
ZEC 0.000838
ZIL 307.333501
ZMK 22,172.185222
ZMW 22.172185
ZWD 405.866028
ZWG 30.023913
ZWL 75,021.477591

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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.