Netherlands Military

The Netherlands is a country located in western Europe, bordered by Germany and Belgium. It has a population of around 17 million people and the official language is Dutch. The majority of the population are Christians, with some other religious denominations also present.

The military of the Netherlands consists of three branches; Army, Navy and Air Force. The total active personnel in the military are around 45,000 people. The Army has around 20,000 personnel with a focus on ground operations and border protection. It also has a Navy with 10,000 personnel for naval operations as well as 9 combat vessels for maritime defense missions within Dutch waters. The Air Force has 15,000 personnel with 70 combat aircrafts for air support operations and air defense missions within Netherlands’ borders.

The Netherlands is a member of several international military or defense organizations such as NATO and European Union’s Common Security & Defence Policy (CSDP). It also maintains close ties with other countries in the region. See naturegnosis to learn more about the country of Netherlands.

Defense

The defense is based on membership in NATO since its inception in 1949 and (2008) amounts to 46,000 men with 32,000 men in reserve. The military service was discontinued in 1998. The army, organized in 3 brigades, comprises 18,000 men. The Navy has 10,000 men with 4 submarines, 4 fighters, 4 frigates, a naval aircraft with 34 armed helicopters and 2 naval infantry battalions. In addition, a mine clearance function for NATO consisting of 8 vessels intended primarily for the English Channel. The Air Force comprises 10,000 men with about 105 fighter aircraft (which will decrease to 87). The equipment is of a high NATO standard.

Defense costs decreased in 1985–2006 from 3.1% to 1.5% of GDP. The Netherlands participates in UN peacekeeping operations with observers or smaller units in four countries. To see related acronyms about this country, please check ABBREVIATIONFINDER where you can see that NED stands for Netherlands.

Netherlands Army

The Netherlands is a member of NATO. The first-time service was discontinued in 1996; all personnel are enlisted. The total personnel force of the Dutch Armed Forces is 35,400 active personnel, a reserve of 4,500, and 5900 semi-military police forces (2018, IISS).

The army has a workforce of 18,850 active personnel. Heavy equipment includes 18 self-propelled PzH 2000 artillery, 170 CV9035 storm armored vehicles and 200 armored personnel vehicles.

The Air Force has a personnel force of 8050 active personnel. The equipment includes 61 F-16 fighter aircraft, two F-35 fighter aircraft under test, two KC-10 tankers, five transport aircraft, 13 training aircraft, and 73 helicopters of which 28 Apache type helicopters.

The naval personnel has 8500 active personnel, including 2,650 Marines. The fleet includes four submarines, four fighters, two frigates, four patrol vessels, six minesweepers, two dock landing vessels, 17 landings, and eight logistics and auxiliary vessels.

  • COUNTRYAAH: Do you know where is Netherlands on the world map? Come to see the location and all bordering countries of Netherlands.

Forces abroad

In 2018, the Netherlands participated in NATO operations in Afghanistan (Operation Resolute Support) with 160 personnel, in the Mediterranean (SNMG1) with a fighter, and had deployed 250 personnel in Lithuania (Enhanced Forward Presence).

The Netherlands also participated in the UN operation in Mali (MINUSMA) with 241 personnel, and had 300 personnel and six fighter aircraft deployed in Iraq and Jordan in connection with Operation Inherent Resolve.

Amsterdam – city in the Netherlands

Amsterdam, Dutch city, capital of the Netherlands, but not government city. The government city is The Hague. With its 743,000 houses (2005) in the municipality, Amsterdam is Holland’s largest city. 1,529,000 people live in Storamsterdam (17 municipalities). The city is located in the province of Noord-Holland, where the river Amstel runs along with Het IJ, the southwestern sea bay to Lake IJsselmeer. The city belongs to Randstad Holland, Holland’s large, cohesive urban area, which also includes Haarlem, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht.

Amsterdam lies on a subsoil of bog and clay in very low terrain, which has necessitated the extensive system of characteristic canals, which is why the houses have mine. 15 m long foundation piles standing on a deep, firm, sandy layer.

The three famous main canals, Herengracht, Keizergracht and Prinsengracht are located as semicircles on the central canal, Singel. Single was brought approximately 1420 and was originally part of the fortification of the city. In the early 1600’s. population growth was so great that it resulted in extensive settlement of boats in the canals; it was necessary to further extend the channel network with the three main channels mentioned. The area west of Prinsengracht was simultaneously built and developed from a horticultural area to the working area Jordaan. It has now developed into an urban area with a mixed population, many of whom are young and wealthy.

Urban Development

The inner city centers are very densely built, and the increased housing demand has meant that the city’s later neighborhoods are built around the city core in several stages. In these neighborhoods are several of Amsterdam’s older parks. Vondelpark, and sports facilities, including Olympic Stadium from the 1928 Olympics and Arena, which is home to the Ajax football club.

In the 1970’s, there was no longer room for the population within the municipality’s former area. Urban growth therefore took place in satellite neighborhoods such as Bijlmermeer SO for Amsterdam, a social high-rise building with 32,000 residents, predominantly immigrants.

About half of Amsterdam’s residents are of non-Dutch origin. Most come from Surinam, Morocco and Turkey, but the individual neighborhoods are not dominated by a single ethnic group. In the Albert Cuyp market in the de Pijp neighborhood, built around 1900 for industrial workers, many of the foreign cultures are represented.

Industries

Amsterdam is an administrative and financial center with over 410,000 jobs, with service subjects (94,000) with many banks and the health sector (54,000) being among the largest. It is also the largest industrial city in the Netherlands with an emphasis on the petrochemical, clothing and food industries. The city’s breweries and liquor factories produce world-renowned products such as Heineken and Bols. Philips headquarters has moved to the city. The diamond industry is extensive; a very large part of the world’s industrial diamonds are manufactured in Amsterdam.

In addition to the University of Amsterdam (grdl. 1632, but first university status from 1877) and the city of Frie (Vrije) University (grdl. 1880), the city has among other things. art academy and music conservatory. The municipality is investigating the possibilities of attracting “creative industry”, as well as seeking to establish a “knowledge city” where teaching and research are important functions.