Kingdom of the Netherlands

Netherlands

National anthem of Netherlands

Het Wilhelmus

Het Wilhelmus (pronunciation (help·info)) (English translation: The William, viz. 'song') is the national anthem of the Netherlands and is the oldest national anthem in the world though the words of the Japanese national anthem (not the music) date back to the ninth century. Although it was not recognized as the official national anthem until 1932, it had remained popular with the Dutch people since its creation.
more information on Het Wilhelmus

Weather in Amsterdam

Celcius: 12°
Fahrenheit: 54°

Map of Netherlands

Basic information on Netherlands

The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Population	16,570,613 (July 2007 est.)
Nationality	noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Flag description	three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century