More information about the Netherlands is available on the Netherlands Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-NETHERLANDS RELATIONS

The U.S. partnership with the Netherlands dates to the American Revolution, with the “First Salute” of the USS Andrew Doria at Fort Oranje on Sint Eustatius. The United States established formal diplomatic relations with the Netherlands in 1782; one of our oldest, continuous bilateral relationships. Our excellent ties are based on close historical and cultural bonds as well as a common dedication to individual freedom, democratic principles, and human rights. The United States and the Netherlands share similar positions on many important issues and work together bilaterally and multilaterally in such institutions as the United Nations (UN) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The Netherlands was one of NATO’s 12 founding members in 1949. The Netherlands fought alongside the United States in the Korean War (1950-1953) and the first Gulf War (1990-1991) and has contributed to global peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Mali. The Netherlands played a leading role in the 1999 Kosovo air campaign and contributed to European Union (EU) peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. The Netherlands also supported and participated in NATO training efforts in Iraq, EU and NATO police training efforts in Afghanistan, the 2011 NATO mission in Libya, and in EU and NATO counter-piracy operations. A key NATO Ally, the Netherlands has deployed troops to the Alliance’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. The Netherlands cooperates closely with the United States within the Counter-ISIL Coalition, and co-chairs the Coalition’s Foreign Terrorist Fighters Working Group, and is a party to all 12 UN counterterrorism conventions. The Netherlands works closely with the United States and other countries on international programs against drug trafficking and organized crime.

The Netherlands is a strong proponent of a rules-based international order and is a leader in democracy and human rights efforts. The Netherlands was a key partner in the December 2021 Summit for Democracy and a leading voice in the UN Human Rights Council (2019-2022). The Netherlands is also a founding member of both the Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) and the Equal Rights Coalition (ERC). Reflective of its status as the “city of peace and justice,” numerous international judicial bodies and tribunals are hosted in The Hague.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States and the Netherlands share a firm commitment to market principles and free trade that is fair, inclusive, and promotes a race to the top. The Netherlands is a member of the EU and has worked with the United States in multilateral economic institutions including the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Bank, IMF, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to advance our shared democratic norms that underpin a more open, market-led global economy. The United States attaches great value to its strong economic and commercial ties with the Netherlands. The Netherlands is one of the largest investors in the United States, supporting over 800,000 jobs, and is the eighth largest importer of U.S. goods. The United States is the largest foreign direct investor in the Netherlands ($885 billion in 2021) and has its second largest bilateral trade surplus in the world with this country ($18.2 billion in 2021). The United States works bilaterally with the Netherlands to promote and protect leading-edge technology and safeguard critical supply chains. The Netherlands is home to the Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AIX), one of the largest internet exchanges in the world, and to ASML, one of the world’s most advanced semiconductor manufacturing equipment producers. The Netherlands is committed to international cooperation to reduce greenhouse gases and combat climate change. The Netherlands participates in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa.

The Netherlands’s Membership in International Organizations

The Netherlands and the United States belong to several of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, IAEA, FATF, Interpol, Australia Group, Wassenaar Arrangement, OECD, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, ICAO, WHO, and WTO.  A comprehensive list can be found in the World Factbook. The Netherlands is an observer to the Organization of American States given the Caribbean location of the Kingdom’s three constituent countries (Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten) and three special municipalities (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba).

U.S. Assistance to the Netherlands

The United States provides no development assistance to the Netherlands.

Bilateral Representation

Principal embassy officials are listed in the Department’s Key Officers List.

The Netherlands maintains an embassy  in the United States at 4200 Linnean Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: 877-388-2443.

More information about the Netherlands is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

CIA World Factbook Netherlands Page 
U.S. Embassy
History of U.S. Relations With the Netherlands
Foreign Trade – U.S. Trade with Netherlands (census.gov) 
Export.gov – MasterHomeNetherlands 
Travel Information

U.S. Department of State

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