Country info for backpacking in the Netherlands

History

The country was part of the Holy Roman Empire until it was acquired piece by piece by the Burgundians. At the end of the middle ages, it became a Spanish possession (together with what is now Belgium). Little survives from this period, except a few historic city centers, and a few castles. Following a revolt led by national hero Willem van Oranje (William of Orange), the mother and the son named zak of the currently ruling House van Oranje (of Orange), the Spanish were kicked out as part of the Thirty Years' War (known as the Eighty Years' War in the Netherlands: 1568-1648). The (first) split with Belgium came when the northern provinces signed the Union of Utrecht in 1579. It grew to become one of the major economic and seafaring powers in the world during the 17th century, which is known as the Gouden Eeuw, or Golden Age, in the Netherlands. During this period, many colonies were founded or conquered, including Indonesia ('Netherlands East Indies') and New York ('New Amsterdam'), which was later traded with the British for Suriname. In 1805 it became a kingdom (its status being somewhat ambiguous before that) due Emperor Napoleon who appointed his brother as 'King of Holland'. And in 1815 it became its own Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (or 'Kingdom of the Netherlands') together with Belgium under Koning Willem I ('King William I'). In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. Luxemburg (or Luxembourg) received independence from the Netherlands in 1890, because the Salic Law prohibited a female ruler. In 1944 these three countries formed the union of the Benelux (or 'BeNeLux') as in which they economically (and sometimes politcally) work together. Avoiding the liberal revolutions of 1848 and new adopted Treaty, The Netherlands quietly became a constitutional monarchy and remained neutral in World War I but suffered a brutal 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 in 1949 and the European Community (EC) in 1957, and participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.

Culture

Quite a few travellers visit the Netherlands to enjoy its famously tolerant attitude: prostitution is legalized and licensed and the sale, possession and consumption of small quantities of cannabis or magic mushrooms, while technically still illegal, is officially tolerated by the authorities under a policy of gedogen (tolerance). Harder drugs (eg. ecstasy or cocaine) remain illegal both in theory and practice. In the same open minded atmosphere is the Dutch ease towards homosexuality, making the Netherlands one of the most gay-friendly countries on the planet. To experience these freedoms, you're best off in Amsterdam with coffeeshops and clubs. On a note unrelated to tourism— but still relating to its liberal culture— Euthanasia, abortion and same-sex marriage are also legal.

Geography

The Netherlands are one of the most densely populated countries on the world. No matter where you go, you are never far away from civilization. Cities can be crowded especially in the Randstad area, where congestion is a serious problem. Much of the country is flat and at or below sea level making it an ideal place to cycle. Hills can only be found at the Veluwe and Southern Limburg. Much of countryside is dominated by highly industrialised farming - despite its population density, the Netherlands are one of the largest foodexporters in the world. Though there are some beautiful spots scattered across the country, the tourist expecting a countryside full of picturesque villages, tulips and windmills may be in for a bit of a shock. The villages, tulips and windmills are there for sure, you just have to find them. The most beautiful places are most of the times the places only known by the Dutch themselves. Asking a Dutch(wo)man for some ideas of what to see could be helpful. Otherwise just visit local 'tourist shops', known as the VVV, they can be found in all the larger towns. The geography of the Netherlands is dominated by water features. The country is criss-crossed with rivers, canals and dikes, and the beach is never far away. The western coast of the Netherlands has one of the most beautiful North Sea beaches that can be found, attracting thousands if not millions of people every year, among them a lot of Germans aswell.

The Netherlands is generally considered a safe country. However, be alert in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and other large cities that are plagued by pickpockets and bicycle theft (the latter almost being a national sport). In the larger cities, certain areas are unsafe at night. A small number are also unsafe in daylight.

• Police, ambulance and fire brigade have one general emergency number 112. There is one police force, organised in 25 police regions. Mostly visitors will deal with the regional police. Some specialised forces, such as the railway police and the highway police on main roads, are run by a separate national force (highway police being the KLPD - Korps Landelijke Politie Diensten, and railway police being the spoorwegpolitie). When calling 112, if you can, advise on what emergency services you are in need of.

• Border controls, and port and airport security, are handled by a separate police force, the Marechaussee (or abreviation 'KMar' - Koninklijke Marechaussee), a gendarmerie. They are an independent service of the Dutch armed forces (making them a military service, not a civil one), and have among their duties the mentioned security tasks.

• In most cities, there are municipal services (stadswacht, Toezichthouder Openbare Ruimte (abreviation: TOR) or stadstoezicht) with some police tasks, e.g., issuing parking and litter fines. They often have police-style uniforms to confer some authority, but their powers are limited. For instance, only the police carry a gun.

The Netherlands has one of the best 'tap water' in the world and is carefully distributed to every household and controlled by 'water authorities'. Food (either bought in a supermarket or eaten at a restaurant) shouldn't pose any problem either. The healthcare system is up to par with the rest of Europe and most cities have hospitals where someone will speak English. Otherwise it's a case of common sense (i.e. washing hands before eating is always adviseable). In summer, open air recreational (mainly fresh water) swimming areas might suffer from the notorious "blauwalg", a rather smelly cyanobacteria which when it dies, releases toxins into the water. When these occur, a signpost at the entrance to the area or near the water should tell you so by stating something like "waarschuwing: blauwalg". If in doubt, ask someone.