Facts about the Netherlands
- 09
Amsterdam's canal system spans 165 kilometers with 1,500 bridges connecting 90 islands, making it one of Europe's most extensive waterway networks dating from the 1600s Golden Age.
- 08
Since 1986, the Afsluitdijk causeway has connected North Holland to Friesland across 32 kilometers, creating Europe's largest artificial freshwater lake in the Ijsselmeer.
- 07
In 1995, a major flood forced the evacuation of 250,000 Dutch residents, leading to revolutionary changes in water management policy that prioritized giving rivers more space.
- 06
Dutch flower growers export approximately 12 billion cut flowers and 2 billion potted plants annually, generating over 6 billion euros in revenue.
- 05
Over 17 million tourists visited the Netherlands in 2019, with Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum attracting approximately 2.3 million visitors annually.
- 04
Every Dutch citizen receives a free yearly health screening called the National Prevention Programme, introduced in 2017 to detect chronic diseases early.
- 03
Approximately 1,289 windmills were constructed throughout the Netherlands between the 13th and 19th centuries, with 19 UNESCO-listed examples still standing today.
- 02
Cycling accounts for 36 percent of all trips in Amsterdam, making it the world's highest modal share for bicycles in a major city.
- 01
About 25 percent of the Netherlands lies below sea level, protected by an extensive system of dikes built over centuries.