History of Netherlands in Timeline

The Netherlands, often called Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe and the largest constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which also includes Caribbean territories. It consists of twelve provinces, bordering Germany to the east and Belgium to the south. It features a North Sea coastline to the north and west and shares maritime borders with the United Kingdom, Germany, and Belgium. The official language is Dutch, with West Frisian recognized in Friesland. Dutch, English, and Papiamento are official in its Caribbean territories. Its people are referred to as Dutch.

1900: Population

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

1901: Rising Average Temperature

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

1912: Establishment of Dutch National Olympic Committee

In 1912, a Dutch National Olympic Committee was established.

1916: Blockade by British Royal Navy

In 1916, the import of goods through the Netherlands, essential to German survival, was stopped due to the blockade by the British Royal Navy.

1917: Male Suffrage Universal

Since male suffrage became universal in 1917, the Dutch political system has been dominated by three families of political parties.

1919: Women's Suffrage Legalized

In 1919, the Netherlands allowed women's suffrage.

1932: Completion of the Afsluitdijk

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

May 1940: Germany Invaded the Netherlands

On 10 May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, resulting in the Rotterdam Blitz and the surrender of most of the Dutch army.

1940: Invasion and Occupation by Nazi Germany

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

December 1941: Declaration of War on Japan

On 8 December 1941, the Dutch government-in-exile in London declared war on Japan.

1944: Liberation by First Canadian Army

In 1944, the First Canadian Army liberated much of the Netherlands.

August 1945: Indonesia Declared Independence

Indonesia declared its independence in August 1945.

1945: End of World War II

The Nazi Germany occupation of Netherlands, which began in 1940, lasted until the end of the Second World War in 1945.

1948: Abandonment of Neutrality

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

1949: Founding member of NATO

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

1950: Population Increase

Between 1900 and 1950, the country's population almost doubled from 5.1 to 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, a major North Sea flood caused the collapse of dikes in the southwest Netherlands, resulting in over 1,800 deaths.

1953: Post-Flood Delta Works Construction

After the 1953 disaster, the Delta Works was planned.

1954: Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands

In 1954, the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands reformed the political structure, leading to Surinam and Curaçao becoming constituent countries.

1956: The Netherlands Participated in the Eurovision Song Contest

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: Start of the Delta Works Project

The Delta Works project started in 1958, representing a comprehensive set of civil works throughout the Dutch coast.

1960: Increase in Muslim population

The Muslim population in Netherlands increased from the 1960s as a result of large numbers of migrant workers.

1968: Jan Janssen won the Tour de France

Jan Janssen won the 1968 Tour de France.

1973: Release of "Turkish Delight" ("Turks Fruit")

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

The national football team was runner-up in the World Cup of 1974.

1975: Suriname Independence

Suriname declared independence in 1975.

1977: Release of "Soldier of Orange" ("Soldaat van Oranje")

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

The national football team was runner-up in the World Cup of 1978.

1979: Joop Zoetemelk won the Vuelta a Espana

Joop Zoetemelk won the 1979 Vuelta a Espana.

1980: Release of "Spetters"

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

1980: Joop Zoetemelk won the Tour de France

Joop Zoetemelk won the 1980 Tour de France.

1983: Release of "The Fourth Man" ("De Vierde Man")

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

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

Joop Zoetemelk won the 1985 UCI World Championship.

1987: Release of RoboCop

In 1987, Paul Verhoeven directed RoboCop.

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1988: National Football Team Won the European Championship

The national football team won the European Championship of 1988.

1990: Base Year for Emissions Reduction

Compared to 1990 levels, the goal is to reduce emissions in 2030 by 49%.

1990: Release of Total Recall

In 1990, Paul Verhoeven directed Total Recall.

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1992: Release of Basic Instinct

In 1992, Paul Verhoeven directed Basic Instinct.

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1993: Incorporation into the European Union

In 1993, the European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community were incorporated into the European Union.

1995: Volleyball National Women's Team Won the European Championship

The volleyball national women's team won the European Championship in 1995.

1996: Recognition of Yiddish and Romani languages

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

1996: Conscription suspended

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

1997: Completion of the Maeslantkering

In 1997, the Maeslantkering was completed, marking the large completion of the Delta Works project.

January 1999: Introduction of the Euro

On January 1, 1999, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the "gulden", for accounting purposes as a founding member of the euro.

2000: Bronze Age Trading Center

Finds of rare bronze objects suggest that Drenthe was a trading centre in the Bronze Age around 2000 BC.

2000: Population

From 1950 to 2000, the population further increased, to 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 Legalized

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

January 2002: Euro coins and banknotes introduced

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

2002: Eastern Scheldt Designated as National Park

In 2002, the Eastern Scheldt was designated a national park, becoming 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.

2004: Formation of the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN)

In 2004, the Protestant Church in the Netherlands (PKN), a united church which is Calvinist and Lutheran in orientation, was formed as a merger of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands and a smaller Lutheran Church.

2005: Netherlands Consistently Among Top Healthcare Systems

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

2005: Economic Slowdown

The economy of Netherlands experienced a slowdown in 2005.

January 2006: Implementation of Dual Healthcare System

In January 2006, a dual system for financing healthcare came into effect in the Netherlands. This system divides healthcare expenses between state-controlled mandatory insurance and other sources.

2006: Young people with non-western background

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

2006: Increase in Atheism and spirituality trends

In 2006, 40% of respondents considered themselves spiritual. A study in 2006 showed that 13% of the population saw themselves as atheist.

2006: Economic Recovery

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

2006: Release of "Black Book" ("Zwartboek")

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

2007: Child Well-being Ranking

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

2007: Completion of the Betuweroute Railway

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

2007: Job Growth

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

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

The volleyball national women's team won the World Grand Prix in 2007.

2008: Renewable Energy Increase

From 2008 to 2019, the share of energy from renewable sources in Netherlands doubled.

2009: State-controlled insurance covered healthcare expenses

In 2009, state-controlled mandatory insurance covered 27% of all healthcare expenses in the Netherlands.

2009: Average Height

In 2009, the Dutch were the tallest people in the world, with an average height of 1.81 metres for men and 1.67 metres for women.

2009: Netherlands Ranked First in Healthcare System Study

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

2010: Foreign-born residents

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 were incorporated as special municipalities.

2010: National Football Team Runner-Up in the World Cup

The national football team was runner-up in the World Cup of 2010.

2012: Agricultural Exports

Agricultural exports were €75.4 billion in 2012.

2013: Child Well-being Ranking

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

2013: Netherlands Ranked Among Most Bike-Friendly Countries

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

December 2014: Atheists outnumbered theists for the first time

In December 2014, a survey concluded that, for the first time, atheists (25%) outnumbered theists (17%) in the Netherlands. The remainder of the population was either agnostic (31%) or ietsistic (27%).

2014: Agricultural Exports in 2014

In 2014, agricultural exports earned €80.7 billion.

2014: Netherlands Ranked as Country with Most Nutritious Food

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 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 Merged with Shine Group

In 2015, Endemol merged with Shine Group.

2015: Decline in Church Attendance and Spirituality

In 2015, a vast majority (82%) of the inhabitants of the Netherlands said they had never or almost never visited a church, and 59% stated that they had never been to a church. Also in 2015, research indicated that the expected rise of spirituality had come to a halt, with a decline from 40% in 2006 to 31% in 2015.

2016: Global Enabling Trade Report

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

2016: Netherlands Tops Euro Health Consumer Index

In 2016, the Netherlands maintained its position at the top of the annual Euro Health Consumer Index (EHCI), which compares healthcare systems in Europe, scoring 916 of a maximum 1,000 points. The Netherlands secured its top position among 37 European countries for six years in a row.

2016: Biocapacity Deficit

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

2016: Royal Schiphol Group Airports Handled 70 Million Passengers

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

January 2017: Women open to submarine service

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

2017: Competitive Economy Ranking

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

2017: Women's National Team Won the European Championship

The Netherlands women's national team won the European Championship of 2017.

2017: Tom Dumoulin won the Giro d'Italia

Tom Dumoulin won the 2017 Giro d'Italia.

2018: 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: Fertility Rate

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

2018: Global Innovation Index in 2018

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

2019: Official Preference for "The Netherlands"

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

2019: Netherlands Hosts Approximately 30% of All Recharging Stations in the EU

As of 2019, the Netherlands hosts approximately 30% of all recharging stations in the European Union.

2019: Agricultural Exports in 2019

In 2019, agricultural exports were worth €94.5 billion.

2019: Climate Agreement

The 2019 Climate Agreement defines policies and measures to support the achievement of Dutch climate targets and was developed through a collaborative process involving parties from across Dutch society.

2019: Forest Landscape Integrity Index

The Netherlands had a 2019 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 the World Cup

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

2020: Key Trading Partners

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: Rising Average Temperature

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

2020: Banijay Acquired Endemol Shine Group

In 2020, Banijay acquired Endemol Shine Group.

2020: Schiphol Processed 1.44 Million Tonnes of Cargo

In 2020, Schiphol Airport processed 1.44 million tonnes of cargo, solidifying its role as a major freight hub.

2020: Religious Affiliation

In 2020, Statistics Netherlands found that 55% of the total population declared itself non-religious. Catholics comprised 19.8% of the total population, Protestants 14.4%. Muslims comprised 5.2% of the total population and followers of other Christian denominations and other religions comprised the remaining 5.1%.

2020: Life Expectancy

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

2021: CO2 Emissions Reduction

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

2022: Rotterdam Ranked as Tenth Largest Container Port Globally

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

2022: Ethnic composition

In 2022, the population of the Netherlands 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.