Business facts
› The Dutch were the first Europeans to discover Australia and New Zealand.
› The Netherlands is the fourth largest investor in the US.
› In 1667 the Dutch exchanged the Dutch possession of New Amsterdam (later called New York) for the South American colony of Suriname.
› The Netherlands is the world’s first producer and exporter of tulips.
› Dutch inventions include the compact disk, microscope, telescope, mercury thermometer and artificial heart.
› The Netherlands is the third largest agricultural exporter in the world. In fact, NL is the world's main producer of peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers.
› Rotterdam seaport is the world’s second largest port in size and tonnage (after Singapore since 2005).
Photo by Flickr user jonworth-eu
› The first wooden shoes were made here. The Netherlands has plenty of water so people wanted shoes that would keep their feet dry while working outside.
Photo by Flickr user Le Petit Poulailler
› The Hague is dubbed "the legal capital of the world" since five international courts are located nearby:
- International Court of Justice
- Permanent Court of Arbitration
- International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
- International Criminal Court
- Special Tribunal for Lebanon
› More than 80 international organisations and NGOs are located in the Hague.
› Famous Dutch companies: Philips (inventor of the audio tape, videotape, compact disk and CD-ROM), Royal Dutch Shell, Heineken, Amstel, Bavaria, DSM, Akzo Nobel, KPMG, Unilever and ING.
