Dutch history
Also see Dutch Royal House
The Netherlands is one of the world's smaller countries, with 16.2 million inhabitants and an area of 41,864 square kilometres. It is the sixth largest exporter and investor in the world. A country where different cultures have lived together for centuries, the Netherlands is renowned for its accomplishments in the arts and sciences, but no less for its dairy farming and flower industry.
The fact that the Netherlands lies on the coast and is situated on the estuaries of three major Western European rivers - the Rhine, the Maas and the Schelde - has always been a major factor in the development of the economy. With Rotterdam as the largest port in the world, the Netherlands is the gateway to Europe. Furthermore the Netherlands has one of the biggest airports in Europe and one of the most advanced communications infrastructures.
The major cities are all relatively close together, yet each has a character of its own. Amsterdam with its historic city centre and museums, its unique ring of canals and impressive buildings, attracts the most tourists. But also other cities like The Hague, Delft, Haarlem, Utrecht, Groningen and Maastricht certainly have their share of historic buildings, museums, traditions and attractions.
One of the most popular ways to explore the Netherlands is by bicycle. The Netherlands has a long coastline with many interesting villages and towns, and areas of natural beauty. Lovers of water sports such as surfing, sailing and swimming will find ideal conditions on one of the country's many beaches or, further inland, on the lakes, rivers and canals. Nearly half of the country is below sea level. The lower Netherlands consists largely of flat polders surrounded by dykes, where the water table is regulated artificially.
Most of all, the Netherlands is known for its flowers. The bulb fields in the provinces of North and South Holland are at their most beautiful in April and May, when the daffodils, hyacinths and tulips are in bloom. Thousands of visitors flock to see them. The Netherlands produces 60 per cent of the world's commercially grown flowers.
The Binnenhof is the administrative and judicial centre of the country. This was also where courtly life began in 1626. Major extensions were built when Willem III and the king's daughter Mary Stuart moved to the Binnenhof in 1677. After their departure for England, the States of Holland had the most attractively situated part of the palace converted into a meeting hall, which to this day is the seat of the Upper House of Parliament.
In October 1815 King Willem I opened the first meeting of the States General in the former ballroom. Since then the Binnenhof has undergone substantial changes. The building structure to the left of the Prime Minister's 'Torentje' was replaced in 1913 with a neo-Renaissance building that currently accommodates the Ministry of General Affairs, the Government Information Service and a studio for the public radio broadcasting system. The most exclusive suite in the Binnenhof is the Trêveszaal. At present this hall is used by the Cabinet for its weekly meeting and for rare receptions of high political level.
The 13th-century Knights' Hall is the Grand Hall of the nation. It dominates the Binnenhof and is covered by the reconstruction of a mediaeval oak roof whose design and dimensions are regarded as unique in Europe.
In June 1907 the Hall housed the Second Hague Peace Conference, in which 48 countries took part. The Hague Conference, which was held in the Knights' Hall from the 7th to the 11th of May 1948, led to the foundation of the European Movement. The Hall is decorated with the coats of arms of the former Dutch, Bavarian, Burgundian and Habsburg rulers of the country, as well as the banners of the provinces and overseas territories of the Kingdom. The Hall also contains the thrones of the Queen and the Prince of the Netherlands.