Study, work and live in The Netherlands

The Netherlands is one of Europe’s most densely populated countries. The country’s name is an indication of its topography- much of the land is under sea level and about a fifth of its territory is water. There is an extensive system of dykes to reclaim land and to provide protection against flooding. The Netherlands is a modern industrialised country but at the same time, exports a lot of agricultural products. It was one of the six founding members of the European Economic Community (now European Union).

The Netherlands was home to several men of letters such as Erasmus and Baruch Spinoza, and has produced some of the world’s most popular artists such as Rembrandt Van Rijn and Vincent Van Gogh. The Netherlands has for a long time enjoyed a reputation for being a country with liberal laws regarding the consumption of ‘soft drugs’ such as cannabis, and coffee shops in the country sell them openly.

Quick facts:

• Population- 16,491,000 (est 2006)
• Principal language(s)- Dutch, English widely spoken
• Capital- Amsterdam
• Other major cities- Rotterdam, The Hague
• Monetary unit- 1 Euro = 100 cents
• Internet domain- .nl
• International dialling code- +31