The Netherlands is the world’s second largest exporter of food and agricultural products by value, has more bicycles than people, and was the first country to legalize same-sex marriage, in 2001. Here are 20 facts about the Dutch, updated and fact-checked for 2026, with a handful of 2013-era claims removed because they did not hold up.
Most people know the windmills, tulips and wooden shoes. The facts below are the ones people tend to get wrong.
The Netherlands at a glance
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Population | Over 18 million |
| Area | 41,850 km2, with a density of 433 people per km2 |
| Share of land below sea level | About 26% |
| Highest point | Vaalserberg, under 322 m |
| Bicycles | At least 18 million |
| Amsterdam population (1 January 2026) | 941,873 (city proper) |
20 things you didn’t know about the Netherlands
1. A quarter of the country is below sea level
About 26% of the land and 21% of the people sit below sea level. “Netherlands” literally means “lower countries”.
2. The highest point is a gentle bump
The Vaalserberg in the southeast reaches less than 322 m. The rest of the country is flat as a pancake.
3. Dutch people are among the tallest in the world
As of 2012, young Dutch men averaged about 183 cm (6 ft). Before 1850 the average man in Leiden was only 167 cm, so the jump took a couple of centuries.
4. Amsterdam stands on wooden poles
The ground beneath the city is so soft that buildings before 1925 are usually built on wooden poles driven down to the sand. Centraal Station sits on 8,687 of them, put in place in 1889.
5. Amsterdam has more than 1,200 bridges
The city is split into about 90 islands linked by more than 1,200 bridges, and has over 100 km of canals.
6. The Dutch were the first to legalize same-sex marriage
The law took effect on 1 April 2001, making the Netherlands the first country in the world to do so.
7. There are more bikes than people
At least 18 million bicycles, more than one per person and twice the roughly 9 million motor vehicles. About 25% of all trips are made by bicycle.
8. Not everyone owns two or three bikes
Contrary to the myth that everyone owns two or three, the data says 1.3 bikes per citizen old enough to ride, which is still a lot.
9. It feeds the world a lot of food
Despite a small territory, the Netherlands is the second largest exporter of food and agricultural products by value.
10. It exports a lot of beer
The Netherlands has been described as the world’s top beer exporter, sending out about 50% of production. In 2004 that was almost 1,300 million litres from a total of 2,300 million. Heineken is the world’s second-largest brewer.
11. It has the oldest national anthem still in use
The “Wilhelmus” dates back to at least 1572, which makes it the oldest national anthem in use based on its original melody and lyrics. It only became the official anthem in 1932.
12. Tulips are not originally Dutch
Persian and Turkish growers were the first to cultivate tulips. The flower reached western Europe in the 16th century and went on to cause a 17th-century price frenzy in the Netherlands known as tulip mania.
13. The first true black tulip was Dutch
It was bred in 1986 by a grower in Bovenkarspel, by crossing two deep purple tulips (Queen of the Night and Wienerwald).
14. Keukenhof plants about 7 million bulbs a year
The 32-hectare garden in Lisse opened to the public in 1950 and drew over 300,000 visitors that first year. It is open to the general public for only about eight weeks each spring. If tulips are on your itinerary, our travel pieces can help with the rest of the year.
15. Cannabis is tolerated, not legal
Cannabis is formally illegal but decriminalized for personal use by people 18 and over, and it has been sold in coffeeshops since 1976. Possession of up to 5 grams is decriminalized, though police may still confiscate it. Since 1 January 2013 only residents may buy it at coffeeshops, although enforcement differs between municipalities.
16. About 20% of babies were born at home in 2013
That is down from two-thirds in 1965, but still high for an industrialized country.
17. Dutch work weeks are short
In the mid-2000s the Netherlands became the first industrialized country where the overall average working week fell below 30 hours.
18. The word “coffee” came through Dutch
English took the word in 1582 from Dutch “koffie”. The Dutch East India Company was the first to import coffee on a large scale, and the first Indonesian coffee from Java reached the Netherlands in 1711.
19. Rotterdam is Europe’s biggest port
The economy depends heavily on trade, and Rotterdam is the biggest port in Europe.
20. A Dutch supermodel became a Victoria’s Secret Angel
Doutzen Kroes, born in 1985, was a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 2008 until 2014, the second Dutch model to earn the title after Karen Mulder.
The Netherlands also has an ageing population: an average age of 42.7 years, and a fertility rate of 1.39 children per woman in 2024.
Keep reading
- Richest people in the Netherlands: the Dutch tycoons behind the economy
- 15 mindsets travel teaches you: for the trip you are planning
FAQ
Why is it called the Netherlands?
The name means lower countries, a reference to the low elevation: about 26% of the land is below sea level.
What is the highest point in the Netherlands?
The Vaalserberg in the southeast, which reaches less than 322 m.
Which country was first to legalize same-sex marriage?
The Netherlands, where the law took effect on 1 April 2001.
How many bikes are there in the Netherlands?
At least 18 million, more than one per person and about twice the number of motor vehicles.
Are tulips from the Netherlands?
No. Persian and Turkish growers were the first to cultivate them, and the flower reached western Europe in the 16th century.
Is cannabis legal in the Netherlands?
It is formally illegal but decriminalized for personal use by adults, and tolerated for sale in coffeeshops.
Last updated: October 2026.
