Northwest Europe.

GMT + 1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

41,528 sq km (16,034 sq miles).

16.3 million (UN, 2005).

392.5 per sq km.

Amsterdam. Population: 735,562 (2003). Seat of Government: The Hague. Population: 463,826 (2003).

The Netherlands shares borders to the south with Belgium and to the east with Germany, while the North Sea lies to the north and west. Large areas of The Netherlands have been reclaimed from the sea and consequently one-fifth of the country lies below sea level. The country is flat and level and is criss-crossed by rivers and canals. Areas reclaimed from the sea, known as polders, are extremely fertile. The landscape is broken by the forest of Arnhem, the bulb fields in the west, the lakes of the central and northern areas, and coastal dunes that are among the most impressive in Europe.

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a bicameral multiparty legislature: the First (Lower) Chamber has 150 members, elected for a four-year term; and the Second (Upper) Chamber has 75 members, indirectly elected by provincial councils for the same length of term.

Constitutional monarchy since 1848. Head of State: Queen Beatrix Van Oranje Nassau since 1980. Head of Government: Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende since 2002. Recent history: Balkenende's coalition collapsed in June 2006 following a row over immigration policy. The coalition consisted of Balkenende's Christian Democrat party, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Democrats-66. The three parties held a narrow majority in parliament until the withdrawal of Democrats-66 from the coalition. Balkenende has now formed a minority government, with general elections due in November 2006.

Dutch is the official language. English, German and French are widely spoken.

31 per cent Roman Catholic, 21 per cent Protestant; 40 per cent do not profess any religion.

It is customary to shake hands. English is spoken as a second language by many and is willingly used; many Dutch people will also speak German and French. Hospitality is very much the same as for the rest of Europe and the USA. It is customary to take a small gift if invited for a meal. Casual wear is widely acceptable. Men are expected to wear a suit for business and social functions. Formal wear may be required for smart restaurants, bars and clubs. Evening dress (black tie for men) is generally specified on invitation.

220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin European-style plugs are in use.