Portal:Netherlands

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Location of the Netherlands within Europe

The Netherlands is one of four constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch, located in northwestern Europe. It borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east.
Since 2010, the Caribbean islands of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius have become part of the country of the Netherlands, whereas Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten are considered separate countries within the Kingdom, however only the Kingdom functions internationally as a sovereign state.

Although the Netherlands is often referred to as Holland, this use is strictly incorrect, as Holland is a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands, consisting of only two of the country's twelve provinces. The country's constitutional capital is Amsterdam, but the seat of government is in The Hague. The Hague also locates most international embassies, as well as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

The Netherlands is a very densely populated and geographically one of the most low-lying countries in the world (its name literally means "Low lands") that is popularly famous for, among other things, its dikes and canals, windmills, wooden shoes, tulips, bicycles and social tolerance. Its liberal policies, for instance regarding drugs, homosexuality or prostitution receive international attention.
As of 2014^[update] the country ranks fourth in the world on the United Nations Human Development Index, or third on the inequality-adjusted H.D.I.. The Netherlands also ranked as the fourth happiest country in the world in the U.N.'s 2013 World Happiness Report, reflecting its high quality of life. Template:/box-footer

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The Battle of Ramillies was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession fought on 23 May 1706. The encounter was a resounding success for the allied forces of England, the Dutch Republic, and Denmark; but the battle had followed a year of indecisive campaigning in 1705 where Allied over-confidence after their success at the Battle of Blenheim had resulted in an abortive campaign along the Moselle, forcing the Duke of Marlborough to abandon his plans for a push into France. Yet despite the Allies' inability to achieve a decisive victory, Louis XIV was eager for peace; but he wanted it on reasonable terms. Therefore, rather than standing on the defensive, French armies on all fronts swung over to the offensive.

The year 1706 had begun well for Louis XIV's generals, who had gained early success in Italy and in Alsace, where Marshal Villars had forced the Margrave of Baden to retreat across the Rhine. Louis now pressed Marshal Villeroi to seek out Marlborough and bring the Allies to battle in the Spanish Netherlands. Accordingly, the French Marshal set off from Louvain at the head of 60,000 men, and provocatively marched towards Léau.

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Credit: Commons user Sandik

The city centre of Rotterdam was almost completely flattened in the 1940 Rotterdam Blitz. This World War II aerial bombardment was part of the Battle of the Netherlands wherein Nazi German forces invaded the Low Countries. The Netherlands surrendered after four days to avoid further bombings. Picture taken after debris was cleared.

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Wubbo Ockels

... that Dutch Nuna solar racing team, guided by former Space Shuttle astronaut Wubbo Ockels (pictured) won the World Solar Challenge five times in the last seven events ?
... that The Hague is home to over 150 international organisations (including NGOs) working in the field of peace and justice ?
... the Netherlands is a very densely populated country for its size ? With 406 people per km² – or 498 if inland waters are excluded – only Bangladesh, South Korea and Taiwan have both a larger population and a higher population density.
... the Netherlands is nevertheless the world's second largest exporter of food and agriculture products, after the United States ?
... and that it has the most plentiful, nutritious and healthy food, according to a 2014 comparison of 125 countries by Oxfam ?
... a UNICEF report published in 2007 ranked the Netherlands as the best country for children to live in ?
... the Netherlands also exports more flowers and flower bulbs than the rest of the world combined ?
... the KLM is the longest running national airline in the world ?
... the Port of Rotterdam was the world's busiest port from 1962–2002, and is now still the world's largest seaport outside of East Asia, measured by total cargo tonnage handled ?
... that two major clusters of flood control and land reclamation projects: the Delta Works and the Zuiderzee Works, were declared one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers. ?
... of which the Maeslantkering storm surge barrier is one of the largest moving structures on Earth ?
... of which the 1932 Afsluitdijk is still one of the world's longest dams and causeways ?
... and of which the Flevopolder, at an area of 970 km² (370 sq. mi), is by far the world's largest artificial island ?

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Ellen van Dijk

Eleonora "Ellen" van Dijk is a Dutch professional road and track racing cyclist. Van Dijk is a time trial specialist and became 2008 World Track Champion in the scratch race and 2012 Road World Champion in team time trial.

Van Dijk started as a speed skater and undertook cycling as part of cross-training in summer. She excelled at both, competing nationally at junior level. After becoming a national cycling champion for the fifth time in 2007, she quit speed skating and became a full-time cyclist. Along with her world title successes, Van Dijk has also twice been European track champion, twice European time trial champion and has won five world cup races. In 2012 she competed in three disciplines at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, where she helped Marianne Vos win the gold medal in the road race, finished eighth in the time trial and sixth in the team pursuit.

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