The Netherlands is often called Holland. This is formally incorrect as North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces. As a matter of fact, many Dutch people colloquially use Holland as a synecdoche, being well aware of the widespread use of this name. For more on this and other naming issues see terminology of the Netherlands.
The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying and densely populated country. It is popular
ly known for its traditional windmills, tulips, cheese, clogs (wooden shoes), delftware and gouda pottery, for its bicycles, its dikes and surge barriers, and, on the other hand, traditional values and civil virtues such as its classic social tolerance. An old parliamentary democracy, the country is more recently known for its rather liberal policies toward recreational drugs, prostitution, homosexuality, abortion, and euthanasia.
The Netherlands has an international outlook; among other affiliations the country is a founding member of the European Union (EU), NATO, the OECD, and has signed the Kyoto protocol. Along with Belgium and Luxembourg, the Netherlands is one of three member nations of the Benelux economic union. The country is host to five international(ised) courts: the Permanent Court of Arbitratio
n, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. All of these courts (except the Special Tribunal for Lebanon), as well as the EU's criminal intelligence agency (Europol), are situated in The Hague, which has led to the city being referred to as "the world's legal capital."
A remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is its flatness. Hilly landscapes can be found only in the south-eastern tip of the country on the foothills of the Ardennes, the central part and where the glaciers pushed up several hilly ridges such as the Hondsrug in Drenthe, the stuwwallen (push moraines) near Arnhem and Nijmegen, Salland, Twente and the Utrechtse Heuvelrug.
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History
History of the Netherlands
Under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and king of Spain, the region was part of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands, which also included most of present-day Belgium, Luxembourg, and some land of France and Germany. 1568 saw the start of the Eighty Years' War between the provinces and Spain. In 1579, the northern half of the Seventeen Provinces formed the Union of Utrecht, a treaty in which they promised to support each other in their defense against the Spanish army. The Union of Utrecht is seen as the foundation of the modern Netherlands. In 1581 the northern provinces adopted the Oath of Abjuration, the declaration of independence in which the provinces officially deposed Philip II. Philip II the son of Charles V, was not prepared to let them go easily and war continued until 1648 when Spain under King Philip IV finally recognised Dutch independence in the Treaty of Münster.
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Nepal-The Netherlands Relations
Political Relations
Nepal and the Netherlands
established diplomatic relations on 2 April 1960. The Embassy of
Nepal in Belgium is concurrently accredited to the Netherlands and
the Dutch Embassy in New Delhi is accredited to the Kingdom of
Nepal. Mr. Casper F De Stoppelaar has been appointed as Hon. Royal
Nepalese consul General to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Likewise, Mr.
Jan de Witte has been appointed as Honorary Consul of the
Netherlands to Nepal.
VisitsHon'ble Mr. J.P.
Pronk. Minister for Development Cooperation, visited Nepal in 1996.
HRH Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, paid an official
visit to Nepal in January 1997. Late HRH Crown Prince Dipendra paid
an official visit to the Netherlands in June 1998.
Economic RelationsThe Dutch economic cooperation
to Nepal started in 1976. HMG/N and the Government of the
Netherlands signed an agreement concerning the Employment of the
Netherlands Volunteers on 16 May 1983. Besides the services of
volunteers, the Netherlands has also provided some financial
assistance to a few projects. Hence, its previous office name of SNV
(Organisation of Netherlands Volunteers in Nepal) has been changed
into SNV-Nepal (Netherlands Development Organisation) since December
1989.
The Netherlands Government has provided Euro 5,
318,000.00 (five million three hundred eighteen thousand Euro) as
grant for proposal for program Support to Nepal's Renewal Energy
Sector to be implemented from July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2009. The
Netherlands is committed to continue its assistance to Nepal in two
sectors: (a) good governance, and (b) environment.
So far a
total of about US$ 50 million has been provided to Nepal by the
Netherlands as development assistance.
His Majesty's
Government of Nepal has also signed the agreements on Technical
Assistance in Biodiversity Profiles in Nepal on July 8, 1994 and Air
Transport between the two countries on June 10, 1998.
Past AssistanceUnder the Netherlands Coronation
Present scheme, the Government of the Netherlands provided Rs. 17.62
million for the construction of 75 health-post buildings with staff
quarters in different locations in Nepal. The programme started in
1976 and ended up in October 1988.
The Government of the
Netherlands provided US$ 0.5 million through CARE-NEPAL for the
implementation of the Begnas Tal / Rupa Tal Watershed Management
Project Phase I which lasted from 1985 to 1989. Immediately after
the disastrous earthquake of 21 August 1988, Government of the
Netherlands provided an amount of DFL 100,000 for the earthquake
relief operation. Earlier, in the immediate aftermath of the
earthquake, the staff of SNV/Nepal also made a cash contribution of
Rs. 25,000 to the "Central Earthquake Relief Committee".
The
completed projects and activities under the assistance of the
Government of The Netherlands are as follows:
- Government of the Netherlands provided Rs. 17.62 million for
the construction of Health-post buildings with staff quarters in
different locations in Nepal. The programme was started in 1976
and ended up in 1989.
- Trial Bridge Building Programme(DFL 5.6 Million) (TBBP) (1986
to 1993)
- Karnali Local Development Programme (KLDP) (1993 to 1998)
- Mechi Hills Development Programme I (1986 to 1993)
- Mechi Hills Development Programme II (1993 to 1998)
- Mechi Hills Development Pprogramme III (MHDP)
- Praja Community Development Programme I(PCDP) (1996 to 2000)
- Biogas support Programme I (1992 to 1994)
- Biogas Support Programme II (1994 to 1997)
- Biogas Support Programme III (BSP)
- Agro Forestry and Community Development Programme, Phase I
from 1991 to 1995 and phase two from 1997 to 2001
- Hills Leased Forestry and Forage Development Project (1992 to
2001)
- District Partners Programme (DPP)
- Tsho Rolpa Glacier Lake Outbrust Flood Risk Reduction Project:
- Praja Capacity Development Programme (PCDP Phase II)
Ongoing Programmes:The Renewable Energy
Sector Support Programme (RESS):An agreement concerning the
Renewable Energy Sector Support Programme was signed between
Ministry of Finance, His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the
Netherlands Developing Organisation, SNV/Nepal on June 24, 2003. The
agreement was the extension for the Biogas Support Programme 4th
Phase and preparatory phase of the Improved Water Mills (IWM)
programmes as two components under RESS. The agreement will remain
in force until 30th June 2009. According to the agreement the
Government of the Netherlands will provide a grant assistance of
Euro 5,318,000.00, SNV/Nepal will make a contribution of Euro
563,000.00 through technical assistance, and His Majesty's
Government of Nepal will contribute Euro 7,052,312 for the project.
The project area covers more than 66 districts of the country.
Biodiversity Sector Support Programme:A
memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Finance, His
Majesty's Government of Nepal and Netherlands Development
Organization, SNV/Nepal was signed on December 11, 2002 concerning
the Biodiversity Sector Support Programme. The understanding will
remain in force until April 30, 2006. According to understanding the
Netherlands Development Organisation will provide Nepal a grant
assistance of Euro 13,115,247.00 for the support to the biodiversity
sector in Siwalik and Tarai of Nepal. The areas of the project cover
Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Chitwan, Makawanpur, Sarlahi, Dhanusha,
Bardia, Kanchanpur, and Kailali districts.
Decentralized
Governance Advisory Support: In order to enhance and
strengthen the capacities of the local governance for effective
participation of people in the local governance and improve the
delivery of socio-economic services to the people Memorandum of
Understanding between His Majesty's Government of Nepal and the
Netherlands Development Organisation, SNV/Nepal was signed on
October 26, 2005 concerning Decentralised Governance Advisory
Support. According to the understanding the SNV/Nepal, Netherlands
Development Organisation in Nepal will be providing advisory service
for the period of October 2005 to July 2008 under its technical
assistance programme. The cost for project would be Euro
2,132,130.00. The areas of the projects cover Ilam, Panchthar and
Taplejung in Mechi zone and Humlla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot and Dolpa
in Karnali zone.
Tourists Visiting Nepal from the
NetherlandsMany a Dutch tourists visit Nepal every year. The
trend of the arrival of the Dutch tourists in Nepal is as follows:
| Year |
No |
| 2000 |
16,211 |
| 2001 |
13,662 |
| 2002 |
8,306 |
| 2003 |
8,443 |
| 2004 |
11,160 |
The Transvia Airlines of
the Netherlands had been operating its air flight between
Amsterdam-Kathmandu routes since 23 September 1998. But after the
suspension of its flight by the Transavia, Martin Air from the
Netherlands has been operating chartered flights once a week. This
flight has been very important in promoting tourism in Nepal.
TradeThe balance of trade with the Netherlands
has remained unfavourable to Nepal since the last few years, which
are shown below:
| |
Value in '000 Rs. |
| Year |
Export |
Import |
Trade Balance |
| 2000/2001 |
214,754 |
285472 |
-70718 |
| 2001/2002 |
182,772 |
191998 |
-9226 |
| 2002/2003 |
239,592 |
253,784 |
-14192 |
| 2003/2004 |
286,168 |
229,289 |
56879 |
| 2004/2005 |
241,600 |
377,228 |
-135,628 |
Joint
VentureSome industries in the areas of hotel, security
service and tissue culture have been operating in Nepal under
Nepal-The Netherlands joint venture.
Netherlands
Fellowship ProgrammeThe Netherlands Government has been
providing some fellowships annually to Nepalese scholars to pursue
higher studies and training in the Netherlands with a duration
ranging from 3 to 18 months.
Europe America
Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of
Nepal
Last updated on May 29,
2006
