Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. This means that the head of state is a King or Queen whose powers are laid down in the Constitution. In Netherlands, the powers of the monarch are extremely limited. Under the Constitution, the ministers, and not the monarch, are the responsible for what the Government does.

The Netherlands is a democracy with a tolerant, open society. Although up to 40 percent of the Dutch say they have no religion, Calvinism still strongly influences their values and beliefs. The Dutch are perhaps a little stingy. But in reality, they simply hate to waste everything from food to money. Maybe it is this virtue that made this small country an economic world power. Dutch society as a whole is very independent and modern.

The people who live in Netherlands are called the Dutch. In 1581, the Union of Utrecht proclaimed independence from Spain. The new nation suffered a series of reverses in the war, but finally in 1648 the Spanish recognized the sovereignty of the republic. The Dutch Repunblic remained until 1794 at least nominally, under the power of the Austrian throne of Habsburg. The Netherlands was founded on May 15, 1648.

Willem Frederik Hermans, Gerard Reve and Harry Mulisch are revered as literary icons of The Netherlands. Regrettably, many of these author's works are not readily available in the English speaking world.

Dutch art pretty much started with the Dutch Golden Age. In the 1620s, the Dutch painters grew out of the Baroque period. The Flemish/Dutch painters Rubens brought forth the realistic style of the Baroque.

The style of music in Netherlands is sung in both Dutch and English. Some of the latter exponents, such as Golden Earring and Shocking Blue, have attained worldwide fame.