People and Society of Netherlands

Nationality

Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)

Ethnic Groups

Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians)

Population

16,783,092

Population in Major Urban Areas

AMSTERDAM (capital) 1.056 million; Rotterdam 1.014 million; The Hague (seat of government) 635,000

Good medical facilities are widely available. Emergency medical response can be accessed by dialing 112. Pharmacies (“Apotheek”) are widely available and can assist with emergency prescription needs. Some common medications are not available in the Netherlands without a prescription, and some prescription drugs cannot be sent to the country. Travelers are urged to carry an adequate supply of prescription drugs in their original container, in their carry-on luggage. Please carry a letter from your pharmacist or medical doctor with you, as some drugs are subject to confiscation by local custom agents. Those traveling with any pre-existing medical problems should bring a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic name of prescribed drugs. Vaccinations are not required for travel to the Netherlands.

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Classroom

Primary schools are generally relatively small (about 250 students enrolled) and are primarily within walking distance from home. Secondary schools are more prominent (1000-2000 students enrolled) and take 5 - 30 minutes to reach by bike. The quality of the buildings differs from town to town, but they are generally good, and the buildings are renovated frequently. Both primary and secondary school Books are government-funded. Other learning equipment, such as laptops and software, can be bought at a discounted price. Schools have most of the resources and supplies in classrooms and often have (small) libraries with computer equipment. In the Netherlands, no natural food services exist in schools (except for snacks), so children frequently bring their lunch to school.

Education Culture

Education plays a central role in the lives of children and their families and is often a topic during evening meals. Education plays a big part in Dutch culture, and the families and the government greatly stimulate learning and doing well at school. Arts like music, art, and drama do not play a big part in school; they are considered "fun" activities and are not graded. However, in the last grade of primary school, children do a musical.

Learning

A typical school day in primary school consists of about five hours of learning (mostly math and Dutch), one break from 9:30 to 10:00 and a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00. A typical school meal is bread with cheese or peanut butter. In primary school, each class has one teacher. Teachers have the authority in class and can use disciplinary measures (i.e., detention, extra work) if a child disrupts class. However, corporal punishment is strictly forbidden. The teacher is often informal with the kids and the children do not have to wear uniforms to school. Generally, when school starts, the teacher first tells the children what they have to do and, if necessary, explains the theory. The children can then work on the assignments they were given and ask the teacher for help if they need it. They are often allowed to read books when they have finished their assignments. Important subjects in primary school are (in order of importance): Math, Dutch, Geography and History, English, Traffic, and Hand Labor (wood, papier-mâché). English is taught on a very basic level through songs and small assignments. Almost all children go to secondary education after doing a test in the last grade called the cito test. The result of this test, together with a consultation with the teacher and parents, will decide what type (VMBO, HAVO, or VWO) of secondary school is appropriate for the child. About half of the students will go to the VMBO, 20 percent to HAVO, 20 percent to VWO, and 10 percent to special education (for students with special needs). A school day in secondary education is quite different and depends on what type of education the child is in and his or her chosen subjects.

• unaffiliated40.0%
• Roman Catholic31.0%
• Protestant21.0%
• Muslim4.4%
• other3.6%

Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)

• Dutch
• Frisian

• Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina

  Government Leader

  Juliana Louise Emma Marie Wilhelmina, queen of the Netherlands.

• Cornelis Corneliszoon

  was born in 1550 in the city of Uitgeest and invented the sawmill. He used a crankshaft to convert the turning motion of the windmill in a up- and downwards going motion, allowing to saw wood with great precision and speed. Before the invention of the wood sawing windmill, a sawteam consisting of two man dragging a saw up and down, would cut trees. It took about six hours to cut a tree in half. The sawmill speeded this process up, the time to cut a tree in half was now about thirty minutes.

• Christiaan Huygens

  was a Dutch mathematician who patented the first pendulum clock

• Antony van Leeuwenhoek

  A tradesman of Delft, Holland, he came from a family of tradesmen, had no fortune, received no higher education or university degrees, and knew no languages other than his native Dutch. This would have been enough to exclude him from the scientific community of his time completely. Yet with skill, diligence, an endless curiosity, and an open mind free of the scientific dogma of his day, Leeuwenhoek succeeded in making some of the most important discoveries in the history of biology. It was he who discovered bacteria, free-living and parasitic microscopic protists, sperm cells, blood cells, microscopic nematodes and rotifers, and much more. His researches, which were widely circulated, opened up an entire world of microscopic life to the awareness of scientists. Leeuwenhoek is known to have made over 500 "microscopes,"

• Willem the Prince of Orange

  The great founder of Dutch liberty was William of Nassau, "the Silent", Prince of Orange, a German nobleman, who was born at Dillenburg in the Duchy of Nassau in 1533. He was a great favorite of Philip II, who appointed him, when 26 years of age only, "stadtholder" or governor of the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, Friesland, and Utrecht (1559).

• Rembrandt Van Rijn Harmenszoon Rijn

  Artist · 1606

  Rembrandt Van Rijn Harmenszoon Rijn, Dutch artist, was born in Leyden of the Netherlands on July 15, 1606.

• Vincent Van Gogh

  Artist · 1853

  Vincent Van Gogh, Dutch artist, was born, Groot Zundert, Holland on March 30, 1853.

Crime Information

While the rate of violent crime in the Netherlands is low, tourists are often targeted by thieves. Visitors frequently fall prey to pickpockets, bag snatchers, and other petty thieves who target automobiles and hotel rooms. You should use your room or hotel safe, and keep your baggage locked or secured when you’re away. While thieves may operate anywhere, the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam receives frequent reports of thefts from specific areas. Within Amsterdam, thieves and pickpockets are very active in and around train and tram stations, in the city center, and aboard public transportation. Theft is especially common on trains to and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport and international destinations, where hand luggage and laptop computers are often targeted. Thieves often work in pairs; one distracts you, often by asking for directions, while the accomplice moves in on your momentarily unguarded property. The timing of these thefts usually coincides with train stops, enabling the thieves to escape. In addition, many U.S. citizens have reported the theft of purses and briefcases while eating in downtown restaurants, including hotel breakfast rooms. Never leave your personal items or baggage unattended when going to the restroom, buffet table, etc. Although still relatively limited, electronic theft has increased dramatically in the Netherlands in recent years. In March 2012, the Dutch Banking Association reported 2011 losses at 92 million euros – nearly double that of 2010. Most of the theft involved “skimming,” a technique that copies bank card information. ATM and credit card users are advised to keep an eye on their cards at all times. If you feel uncomfortable using your card for any reason, use cash. Contact your credit card provider for further guidance. Confidence artists have victimized U.S. citizens around the world, including in the Netherlands. Typically, a U.S. citizen is notified via email of a winning lottery ticket, an inheritance, or other offer requiring his or her assistance and cooperation. The U.S. citizen is asked to forward advance payments for alleged “official expenses,” “taxes,” etc. and, often, to come to Amsterdam to conclude the operation. Another common scam involves an Internet friend or partner who is reported to have been detained by immigration authorities in the Netherlands en route to the United States, and will not be released unless additional funds are paid to the “traveler.” In every case, these reports have been determined to be confidence schemes. Several U.S. citizens have lost tens of thousands of dollars in such scams. Funds transferred in response to such offers can rarely be recovered. Information on fraud schemes can be found on the U.S. Consulate General's website, and the Department of State's International Financial Scams page. If you suspect you have been targeted by a scam based in the Netherlands, you may report it to Dutch law enforcement authorities by email at voorlichting@klpd.politie.nl, or at the following address: KLPD, Financial Crimes Unit PO Box 3016 2700 KX Zoetermeer The Netherlands Attention: Project Apollo The Dutch Embassy in Washington, D.C. has a prepared letter that can be used to inform the Dutch Police of fraud. Do not buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal to bring back into the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in the Netherlands, you are subject to its laws even though you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. Under Dutch law, for example, you may be taken in for questioning if you are unable to present your passport to local authorities. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not in the country you are visiting. Note that your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution if you break local laws. If you are arrested in the Netherlands, however, you do have theright to request that the police, prison officials, or other authorities alert the Consulate General of your arrest, and to havecommunications from you forwarded to the Consulate General. This accommodation is based on the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, bilateral agreements with certain countries, and customary international law. While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.