History of Netherlands in Timeline

The Netherlands is a country located in Northwestern Europe and is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has twelve provinces, borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south, and has a North Sea coastline to the north and west. It also has overseas territories in the Caribbean. The official language is Dutch, with West Frisian as a secondary official language in Friesland. Dutch, English, and Papiamento are official in the Caribbean territories. People from the Netherlands are referred to as Dutch.

1900: Population

Between 1900 and 1950, the country's population almost doubled from 5.1 to 10 million.

1901: Start of Temperature Rise

From 1901 to 2020, the average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2°C.

1904: End of the Aceh War

From 1874 to 1904, the Aceh War was waged against the Sultanate of Aceh in the Dutch East Indies.

1912: Establishment of Dutch National Olympic Committee

In 1912, a Dutch National Olympic Committee was established.

1916: Blockade by the British Royal Navy

In 1916, during World War I, the import of goods through the Netherlands, essential to German survival, was impacted due to the blockade by the British Royal Navy.

1917: Male suffrage became universal

In 1917, male suffrage became universal in the Netherlands, leading to the Dutch political system being dominated by Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, and Liberals.

1919: Women's Suffrage Legalized

In 1919, the Netherlands legalized women's suffrage, granting women the right to vote.

1932: Completion of the Afsluitdijk

In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (Closure Dike) was completed, separating the former Zuiderzee (Southern Sea) from the North Sea and creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake).

May 1940: German Invasion of the Netherlands

On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, leading to the Rotterdam Blitz and the Dutch army's surrender.

1940: Invasion and Occupation by Nazi Germany

In 1940, during the Second World War, the Netherlands was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany.

December 1941: Dutch Government-in-Exile Declares War on Japan

On 8 December 1941, the Dutch government-in-exile in London declared war on Japan, though they could not prevent the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies.

1944: Liberation by the First Canadian Army

In 1944–45, much of the Netherlands was liberated by the First Canadian Army.

August 1945: Indonesia Declared Independence

In August 1945, Indonesia declared its independence.

1945: End of the Second World War

The occupation of the Netherlands by Nazi Germany ended in 1945 with the conclusion of the Second World War.

1948: Netherlands abandoned its neutrality

In 1948, the Netherlands abandoned its neutrality when it signed the Treaty of Brussels.

1949: Netherlands became a founding member of NATO

In 1949, the Netherlands became a founding member of NATO.

1950: Population

From 1950 to 2000, the population further increased, to 15.9 million.

1952: Establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community

In 1952, the European Coal and Steel Community was established, with the Netherlands as one of the six founding countries.

February 1953: North Sea Flood

In February 1953, the North Sea flood caused the collapse of several dikes in the southwest Netherlands, leading to more than 1,800 deaths.

1953: Response to the 1953 Disaster

After the 1953 disaster, the Delta Works was constructed, which is a comprehensive set of civil works throughout the Dutch coast.

1954: Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands

In 1954, the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands reformed the political structure, making Surinam and Curaçao and Dependencies constituent countries.

1956: Eurovision Song Contest Participation

The Netherlands has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since its first edition in 1956.

1958: Creations of the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community

In 1958 the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community were created.

1958: Delta Works Project Started

The Delta Works project started in 1958.

1960: Increased Muslim Population

In 1960, the Muslim population in the Netherlands began to increase due to the arrival of large numbers of migrant workers from Turkey, Morocco, and former Dutch colonies like Suriname and Indonesia.

1968: Jan Janssen Won the Tour de France

In 1968, Jan Janssen won the Tour de France.

1973: Release of Turkish Delight

In 1973, the Dutch film "Turkish Delight" ("Turks Fruit"), directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.

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1974: National Football Team Runner-Up in World Cup

In 1974, the national football team was runner-up in the World Cup.

1975: Independence of Suriname

In 1975, Suriname declared its independence from the Netherlands.

1977: Release of Soldier of Orange

In 1977, the Dutch film "Soldier of Orange" ("Soldaat van Oranje"), directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.

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1978: National Football Team Runner-Up in World Cup

In 1978, the national football team was runner-up in the World Cup.

1979: Joop Zoetemelk Won the Vuelta a Espana

In 1979, Joop Zoetemelk won the Vuelta a Espana.

1980: Joop Zoetemelk Won the Tour de France

In 1980, Joop Zoetemelk won the Tour de France.

1980: Release of Spetters

In 1980, the Dutch film "Spetters", directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.

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1983: Release of The Fourth Man

In 1983, the Dutch film "The Fourth Man" ("De Vierde Man"), directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.

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1983: Monarch's function transferred to the government

In 1983, the ceremonial function of commander of chief of the monarch was transferred to the government.

1985: Joop Zoetemelk Won the UCI World Championship

In 1985, Joop Zoetemelk won the UCI World Championship.

1987: Release of RoboCop

In 1987, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie RoboCop.

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1988: National Football Team Won European Championship

In 1988, the national football team won the European Championship.

1990: Release of Total Recall

In 1990, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie Total Recall.

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1990: Base Emission Levels for Reduction

The Dutch response to climate change includes mandatory climate change mitigation through emissions reductions 25% below 1990 levels.

1992: Release of Basic Instinct

In 1992, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie Basic Instinct.

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1993: Incorporation into the European Union

In 1993, the former European Communities were incorporated into the European Union.

1995: Volleyball National Women's Team Won European Championship

In 1995, the volleyball national women's team won the European Championship.

1996: Conscription was suspended

In 1996 conscription was suspended, and the Dutch army was once again transformed into a professional army.

1996: Yiddish and Romani recognized

Yiddish and the Romani language were recognised in 1996 as non-territorial languages.

1997: Completion of the Maeslantkering

In 1997, the Maeslantkering was completed, largely finishing the Delta Works project.

January 1999: The Netherlands replaced the gulden with the euro

On 1 January 1999, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the "gulden" (guilder), for accounting purposes with the euro.

2000: Bronze Age Trading Centre in Drenthe

Around 2000 BC, finds of rare bronze objects suggest that Drenthe was a trading centre in the Bronze Age.

2000: Population

From 1950 to 2000, the population further increased, to 15.9 million.

2000: Raised Awareness of Religion

Since 2000, there has been a raised awareness of religion in the Netherlands, mainly due to Islamic extremism.

2001: Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage.

January 2002: Euro coins and banknotes introduced in the Netherlands

On 1 January 2002, actual euro coins and banknotes were introduced in the Netherlands.

2002: Eastern Scheldt Designated National Park

In 2002, the Eastern Scheldt, formerly the northeast estuary of the river Scheldt, was designated a national park, making it the largest national park in the Netherlands.

2002: Introduction of the Euro

In 2002, the euro was introduced as fiat money in the Netherlands.

2004: Murder of Theo van Gogh

In 2004, film director Theo van Gogh was murdered by Mohammed Bouyeri in Amsterdam after directing the short film Submission.

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2004: Protestant Church formed

The Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN), a united church which is Calvinist and Lutheran in orientation, was formed in 2004.

2005: Netherlands Among Top Three in EHCI

Since 2005, the Netherlands has consistently ranked among the top three countries in each report published by the Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI).

2005: Slowdown in the Dutch economy

The Dutch economy experienced a slowdown in 2005.

January 2006: Dual Healthcare System

In January 2006, a dual system for financing healthcare came into effect in the Netherlands. Long-term treatments and disability costs are covered by a state-controlled mandatory insurance.

2006: Non-western background in Amsterdam and Rotterdam

As of 2006, Over half the young people in Amsterdam and Rotterdam have a non-western background.

2006: Dutch economy recovered

In 2006 the Dutch economy recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and strong investment.

2006: Spirituality in the Netherlands

In 2006, 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual, while 36% believed in the existence of a higher power.

2006: Release of Black Book

In 2006, Paul Verhoeven released the Dutch film Black Book ("Zwartboek").

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2007: Netherlands ranked 1st in child well-being

In 2007, UNICEF ranked the Netherlands 1st in child well-being in rich countries.

2007: Completion of the Betuweroute

In 2007, the Betuweroute, a new fast freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany, was completed.

2007: Pace of job growth reached 10-year highs

In 2007, the pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in the Netherlands.

2007: Volleyball National Women's Team Won World Grand Prix

In 2007, the volleyball national women's team won the World Grand Prix.

2008: Share of energy from renewable sources doubled

From 2008 to 2019, the share of energy from renewable sources doubled, with especially strong growth in offshore wind and rooftop solar.

2009: Netherlands Ranked First in Healthcare Study

In 2009, a study comparing healthcare systems of the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany, and New Zealand ranked the Netherlands first.

2009: Healthcare Expenses Coverage

In 2009, state-controlled mandatory insurance covered 27% of all health care expenses in the Netherlands. Other sources of funding included taxes (14%), out-of-pocket payments (9%), additional optional health insurance packages (4%), and other sources (4%).

2009: Average height of Dutch people

In 2009, the Dutch were the tallest people in the world, by nationality, with an average height of 1.81 metres (5 ft 11.3 in) for men and 1.67 metres (5 ft 5.7 in) for women.

2010: Foreign-born residents in the Netherlands

According to Eurostat, in 2010 there were 1.8 million foreign-born residents in the Netherlands, corresponding to 11.1% of the total population.

2010: Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles

In 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, leading to Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba becoming special municipalities.

2010: National Football Team Runner-Up in World Cup

In 2010, the national football team was runner-up in the World Cup.

2012: Agricultural exports earning

In 2012 agricultural exports were worth €75.4 billion.

2013: Netherlands ranked 1st in child well-being

In 2013, UNICEF ranked the Netherlands 1st in child well-being in rich countries.

2013: Bike-Friendly Ranking

In 2013, the European Cyclists' Federation ranked the Netherlands and Denmark as the most bike-friendly countries in Europe.

December 2014: More Atheists Than Theists

In December 2014, a survey concluded that for the first time, there were more atheists (25%) than theists (17%) in the Netherlands. The remaining population identified as agnostic (31%) or ietsistic (27%).

2014: Agricultural exports earning

In 2014 agricultural exports were worth €80.7 billion.

2014: Oxfam Ranked Netherlands

In early 2014, Oxfam ranked the Netherlands as the country with the most nutritious, plentiful, and healthy food.

2015: Protestants outnumbered Catholics

A 2015 survey found that Protestants outnumbered Catholics in the Netherlands.

2015: Spendable income

According to Dutch Central Statistics Bureau, in 2015, 28 per cent of the Dutch population had a spendable income above 45,000 euros (which does not include spending on health care or education).

2015: Endemol Merger with Shine Group

In 2015, Endemol merged with Shine Group.

2015: Decline in Church Attendance and Spirituality

In 2015, a significant majority (82%) of Dutch inhabitants reported they had never or almost never visited a church. Additionally, 59% stated they had never been to church. Spirituality also declined, with 31% considering themselves spiritual compared to 40% in 2006. Belief in a higher power fell from 36% to 28% over the same period.

2016: Netherlands Tops Euro Health Consumer Index

In 2016, the Netherlands maintained its top position in the annual Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), scoring 916 out of 1,000 points. The EHCI compares healthcare systems in Europe.

2016: Netherlands ranked 2nd in Global Enabling Trade Report

In 2016, the Netherlands was ranked 2nd in the Global Enabling Trade Report.

2016: Biocapacity deficit of 4.0 global hectares per person

In 2016, the Netherlands was running a biocapacity deficit of 4.0 global hectares per person.

2016: Royal Schiphol Group Handled 70 Million Passengers

In 2016, the Royal Schiphol Group airports handled 70 million passengers.

January 2017: Submarine service opened to women

On January 1, 2017, the submarine service opened to women in the Netherlands.

2017: Tom Dumoulin Won the Giro d'Italia

In 2017, Tom Dumoulin won the Giro d'Italia.

2017: Netherlands ranked 5th most competitive economy

In 2017, the Netherlands was ranked the fifth most competitive economy in the world by the Swiss International Institute for Management Development.

2017: Women's National Team Won European Championship

In 2017, the women's national team won the European Championship.

2018: High carbon dioxide emissions per person

As of 2018, the Netherlands had one of the highest rates of carbon dioxide emissions per person in the European Union.

2018: Netherlands ranked 2nd in the Global Innovation Index

In 2018, The Netherlands was ranked 2nd in the Global Innovation Index.

2018: Fertility rate in the Netherlands

In 2018, the fertility rate in the Netherlands was 1.78 children per woman.

2019: Dutch Government Officially Prefers Netherlands Over Holland

As of 2019, the Dutch government officially preferred the term 'the Netherlands' instead of 'Holland' when referring to the country.

2019: Netherlands Hosts 30% of EU Recharging Stations

As of 2019, the Netherlands hosted approximately 30% of all electric vehicle recharging stations in the European Union. Newly sold cars in the Netherlands have on average the lowest CO2 emissions in the EU.

2019: Agricultural exports earning

In 2019 agricultural exports were worth €94.5 billion.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index Ranking

In 2019, the Netherlands had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 0.6/10, ranking it 169th globally out of 172 countries.

2019: Women's National Team Runner-Up in World Cup

In 2019, the women's national team was runner-up in the World Cup.

2019: 2019 Climate Agreement

The Netherlands' 2019 Climate Agreement defines policies and measures to support the achievement of Dutch climate targets.

2020: Key trading partners of the Netherlands

As of 2020, the key trading partners of the Netherlands included Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, Italy, China and Russia.

2020: Increased Average Temperature

From 1901 to 2020, the average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2°C.

2020: Endemol Merger with Banijay

In 2020, Endemol merged with Banijay.

2020: Schiphol Cargo Processing

In 2020, Schiphol Airport processed 1.44 million tonnes of cargo.

2020: Non-religious population

In 2020, Statistics Netherlands found that 55% of the total population declared itself non-religious.

2020: Life expectancy

In 2020, the life expectancy in the Netherlands was 84.3 years for newborn girls and 79.7 years for boys.

2021: CO2 Emission Reduction

In 2021, CO2 emissions in the Netherlands were down 14% compared to 1990 levels.

2022: Rotterdam Tenth Largest Container Port

As of 2022, Rotterdam was the world's tenth largest container port.

2022: Democracy Index Ranking

In 2022, the Netherlands was ranked as the 9th most democratic country in the world by the Democracy Index (The Economist).

2022: Ethnicity of population

In 2022, the population was 74.8% ethnically Dutch, 8.3% other European, 2.4% Turkish, 2.4% Moroccan, 2.0% Indonesian, 2.0% Surinamese, and 8.1% others.

2022: Residents in the Netherlands with at least one foreign-born parent

In 2022, there were 4.4 million residents in the Netherlands with at least one foreign-born parent.

2023: 342 municipalities in the Netherlands

As of 2023, the Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces, each containing municipalities, totaling 342 municipalities.

2023: V-Dem Democracy Indices Ranking

The Netherlands was ranked as the 17th best electoral democracy in the world by V-Dem Democracy indices in 2023.

July 2024: Dick Schoof Becomes Prime Minister

Dick Schoof has been prime minister since July 2024, succeeding Mark Rutte.

2024: Netherlands ranked 18th in Global Peace Index

According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Netherlands is the 18th most peaceful country in the world.

June 2025: Estimated population

As of June 2025, the Netherlands had an estimated population of 18,080,943.

November 2025: Centrist-liberal Democrats 66 won general election

In November 2025, the centrist-liberal Democrats 66, led by Rob Jetten, won the general election, securing 26 out of 150 seats in the House of Representatives. As of November 2025, cabinet formation was ongoing.