Netherlands
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Capital: Amsterdam
Area: 41,543 sq km
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Population (July 2011 estimate): 16,847,007
Official language(s): Dutch and Frisian
International Organizations and Agreements: United Nations, NATO, European Union, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), World Trade Organization (WTO)
The U.S. partnership with the Netherlands is one of its oldest continuous relationships, dating back to the American Revolution. The excellent bi-lateral relations are based on close historical and cultural ties as well as a shared dedication to individual freedom and human rights. The United States and the Netherlands share many national security objectives and frequently engage bi-laterally and multi-laterally via the United Nations and NATO.
The United States and the Netherlands joined NATO as charter members in 1949. The Dutch fought alongside the United States in the Korean War and the first Gulf War; have been and are active in global peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq; played a leading role in the 1999 Kosovo air campaign; support and participate in NATO training efforts in Iraq, ISAF police training efforts in Afghanistan, NATO mission in Libya, and counter-piracy operations.
Dutch foreign policy is geared to promoting a wide variety of goals: the rule of law, human rights, and democracy. Priority is given to enhancing European integration, ensuring European security and stability. The Netherlands has traditionally been one of the world's most generous aid donors and are the fifth largest aid donor in relative terms and the eighth largest in absolute terms. The Dutch work closely with the United States and other countries on international programs to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. There is close Dutch-U.S. cooperation on joint counternarcotics operations in the Caribbean.
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