History of Netherlands in Timeline
The Netherlands, also known as Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe and a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is composed of twelve provinces and borders Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. It has a coastline along the North Sea to the north and west, and shares maritime borders with the United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium. Dutch is the official language, with West Frisian as a secondary official language in Friesland. Dutch, English, and Papiamento are official in the Caribbean territories.
1900: Population at 5.1 million
In 1900, the Netherlands population was 5.1 million.
1901: Temperature increase
From 1901 to 2020, the average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2°C.
1912: Dutch National Olympic Committee established
In 1912, a Dutch National Olympic Committee was established.
1916: Blockade by the British Royal Navy
In 1916, the British Royal Navy blockaded the import of goods through the Netherlands, which had been essential to German survival.
1917: Universal suffrage
Since suffrage became universal in 1917, the Dutch political system has been dominated by three families of political parties.
1919: Women's suffrage legalised
In 1919, the Netherlands legalised women's suffrage.
1932: Completion of the Afsluitdijk
In 1932, the Afsluitdijk (Closure Dike) was completed, creating the IJsselmeer (IJssel Lake).
May 1940: Germany invaded the Netherlands
In May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, forcing the Dutch army to surrender after the Rotterdam Blitz.
December 1941: Dutch government-in-exile declared war on Japan
On 8 December 1941, the Dutch government-in-exile in London declared war on Japan, but could not prevent the Japanese occupation of the Dutch East Indies.
1944: Liberation by the First Canadian Army
In 1944, the First Canadian Army began the liberation of much of the Netherlands.
August 1945: Indonesia declared its independence
In August 1945, Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands.
1948: Abandonment of neutrality
The Netherlands abandoned its neutrality in 1948 when it signed the Treaty of Brussels.
1949: Founding member of NATO
The Netherlands became a founding member of NATO in 1949.
1950: Population at 10 million
In 1950, the Netherlands population was 10 million.
1952: Establishment of the European Coal and Steel Community
In 1952 the European Coal and Steel Community was established.
February 1953: North Sea flood
In February 1953, the North Sea flood caused the collapse of several dikes in the southwest Netherlands, resulting in over 1,800 deaths.
1953: Aftermath of North Sea flood
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, granting equality to the Dutch colonies of Surinam and Curaçao.
1956: Netherlands participated in Eurovision
Since 1956, the Netherlands has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest since its first edition.
1958: Delta Works project started
In 1958 the Delta Works project started.
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.
1960: Increase in Muslim population
From the 1960s the Muslim population increased as a result of large numbers of migrant workers.
1968: Jan Janssen won the Tour de France
In 1968, Jan Janssen won the Tour de France.
1973: Turkish Delight film release
In 1973, the Dutch film "Turkish Delight" ("Turks Fruit") directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.
1974: National football team runner-up in the World Cup
In 1974, the national football team was runner-up in the World Cup.
1975: Suriname gained independence
In 1975, Suriname gained its independence from the Netherlands.
1977: Soldier of Orange film release
In 1977, the Dutch film "Soldier of Orange" ("Soldaat van Oranje"), directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.
1978: National football team runner-up in the 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: Spetters film release
In 1980, the Dutch film "Spetters", directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.
1983: Monarch's function transferred to government
In 1983 the function of commander of chief of the monarch was transferred to the government.
1983: The Fourth Man film release
In 1983, the Dutch film "The Fourth Man" ("De Vierde Man"), directed by Paul Verhoeven, was released.
1985: Joop Zoetemelk won the UCI World Championship
In 1985, Joop Zoetemelk won the UCI World Championship.
1987: RoboCop film release
In 1987, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie "RoboCop".
1988: Netherlands won the European Championship
In 1988, the Netherlands won the European Championship.
1990: Total Recall film release
In 1990, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie "Total Recall".
1990: Base emissions level
The State of the Netherlands v. Urgenda Foundation case created mandatory climate change mitigation through emissions reductions 25% below 1990 levels.
1992: Basic Instinct film release
In 1992, Paul Verhoeven directed the Hollywood movie "Basic Instinct".
1993: Incorporation into the European Union
In 1993, the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community were incorporated into the European Union.
1995: Volleyball national women's team won the European Championship
In 1995, the volleyball national women's team won the European Championship.
1996: Conscription suspended
In 1996 conscription was suspended, and the Dutch army was once again transformed into a professional army.
1996: Yiddish and Romani language recognised
In 1996, Yiddish and the Romani language were recognised as non-territorial languages in Netherlands.
1997: Completion of the Maeslantkering
In 1997 the Maeslantkering was completed.
January 1999: Netherlands replaced gulden with the euro
On January 1999, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the "gulden", with the euro for accounting purposes.
2000: Bronze Age
Finds of rare bronze objects suggest that Drenthe was a trading centre in the Bronze Age around 2000 BC.
2000: Population at 15.9 million
In 2000, the Netherlands population was 15.9 million.
2000: Raised awareness of religion
Since 2000 there has been raised awareness of religion, mainly due to Islamic extremism.
2001: Same-sex marriage legalised
In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country to legalise same-sex marriage.
January 2002: Euro coins and banknotes introduced
On January 2002, actual euro coins and banknotes followed in the Netherlands.
2002: Eastern Scheldt designated a national park
In 2002, the Eastern Scheldt was designated a national park.
2002: Introduction of the euro
In 2002, the euro was introduced as fiat money in the Netherlands.
2004: Theo van Gogh murdered
In 2004, film director Theo van Gogh was murdered in Amsterdam after directing the short film Submission.
2004: Protestant Church in the Netherlands formed
In 2004, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN) was formed as a merger of several churches.
2005: Economic slowdown
In 2005, the economy of Netherlands experienced a slowdown.
2005: Netherlands among top three countries in each report
Since 2005 the Netherlands has been among the top three countries in each report published.
January 2006: Dual healthcare system in effect
In January 2006, a dual healthcare system came into effect in the Netherlands, financing healthcare with state-controlled mandatory insurance and other sources such as taxes and optional insurance.
2006: 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual
In 2006, 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual.
2006: Black Book film release
In 2006, Paul Verhoeven returned to Dutch film with "Black Book" ("Zwartboek").
2006: Economy recovers to fastest pace
In 2006, the economy of Netherlands recovered to the fastest pace in six years.
2007: Netherlands ranked 1st in child well-being
In 2007, UNICEF ranked the Netherlands 1st in child well-being in rich countries.
2007: Betuweroute completed
In 2007, the Betuweroute, a new fast freight railway from Rotterdam to Germany, was completed.
2007: Pace of job growth reaches 10-year highs
In 2007, the pace of job growth in the Netherlands reached 10-year highs.
2007: Volleyball national women's team won the World Grand Prix
In 2007, the volleyball national women's team won the World Grand Prix.
2008: Share of energy from renewable sources started doubling
From 2008, the share of energy from renewable sources doubled in the Netherlands.
2009: State insurance covers 27% of healthcare expenses
In 2009, state-controlled mandatory insurance covered 27% of all healthcare expenses in the Netherlands.
2009: Dutch are the tallest people in the world
In 2009, the Dutch are the tallest people in the world, by nationality, with an average height of 1.81 metres for men and 1.67 metres for women.
2009: Netherlands ranked first in healthcare systems study
The Netherlands was ranked first in a 2009 study comparing health care systems of the United States, Australia, Canada, Germany and New Zealand.
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, and Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba became special municipalities within the Netherlands.
2010: National football team runner-up in the World Cup
In 2010, the national football team was runner-up in the World Cup.
2012: Agricultural exports worth €75.4 billion
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: Netherlands ranked as most bike-friendly in Europe
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
A survey in December 2014 concluded that for the first time there were more atheists (25%) than theists (17%) in the Netherlands.
2014: Agricultural exports earn €80.7 billion
In 2014, agricultural exports earning €80.7 billion.
2014: Netherlands ranked as most nutritious food country
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.
2015: Spendable income above 45,000 euros
According to Dutch Central Statistics Bureau, in 2015, 28 per cent of the Dutch population had a spendable income above 45,000 euros.
2015: Vast majority of inhabitants never visited a church
In 2015, a vast majority of the inhabitants of the Netherlands (82%) said they had never or almost never visited a church.
2015: Endemol merged with Shine Group
In 2015, the TV production conglomerate Endemol merged with Shine Group.
2016: Netherlands maintained top position in Euro Health Consumer Index
In 2016, the Netherlands maintained its position at the top of the annual Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), scoring 916 of a maximum 1,000 points.
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
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 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 the European Championship
In 2017, the Netherlands women's national team won the European Championship.
2018: Netherlands had one of the highest rates of carbon dioxide emissions
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 most innovative nation
In 2018, the Netherlands was ranked 2nd most innovative nation.
2018: Fertility rate is 1.78 children per woman
In 2018, the fertility rate in the Netherlands is 1.78 children per woman.
2019: Government preferred 'Netherlands' over 'Holland'
As of 2019, the Dutch government officially preferred the name "Netherlands" instead of "Holland" when referring to the country.
2019: Agricultural exports worth €94.5 billion
In 2019 agricultural exports were worth €94.5 billion.
2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index score
In 2019, the Netherlands had a Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 0.6/10.
2019: Netherlands hosts 30% of EU recharging stations
In 2019, the Netherlands hosted approximately 30% of all recharging stations in the European Union, reflecting its high uptake of electric vehicles.
2019: Climate Agreement defines policies
In 2019, the Netherlands' Climate Agreement defines policies and measures to support the achievement of Dutch climate targets.
2019: Women's national football team runner-up in World Cup
In 2019, the women's national team was runner-up in the World Cup.
2020: Temperature increase
From 1901 to 2020, the average temperature in the Netherlands rose by more than 2°C.
2020: Religious identification in the Netherlands
In 2020, Religious identification in the Netherlands
2020: Schiphol processed 1.44 million tonnes of cargo
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 is 84.3 years for girls and 79.7 for boys
In 2020, life expectancy is high in the Netherlands: 84.3 years for newborn girls and 79.7 for boys.
2021: CO2 emissions down
In 2021 CO2 emissions 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: Population Ethnicity
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 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.
2022: Democracy Index ranking
The Netherlands was ranked the 9th most democratic country in the world by the Democracy Index (The Economist) in 2022.
November 2023: Population estimated at 17,947,406
As of 31 November 2023, the Netherlands had an estimated population of 17,947,406.
November 2023: Party for Freedom wins general election
In November 2023, the right-wing populist Party for Freedom of Geert Wilders won a general election, securing 37 out of 150 seats.
2023: Number of municipalities
In 2023 there are 342 municipalities in the Netherlands.
2023: Electoral democracy 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 inaugurated as prime minister
In July 2024, a cabinet was inaugurated and Dick Schoof succeeded Mark Rutte as prime minister.
2024: Global Peace Index
According to the 2024 Global Peace Index, Netherlands is the 18th most peaceful country in the world.
2024: Netherlands ranked 8th most innovative nation
In 2024, the Netherlands was ranked the 8th most innovative nation in the world in the Global Innovation Index.
2030: Emissions reduction goal
The goal of the Dutch government is to reduce emissions in 2030 by 49%.
