Netherlands
POPULATION 16,259,300
ROMAN CATHOLIC 31 percent
PROTESTANT 21 percent
MUSLIM 5.3 percent
OTHER 2.7 percent
NONRELIGIOUS 40 percent
Country Overview
Introduction
The Netherlands, a small and densely populated country in western Europe, belongs to the most secularized part of the world. It is bordered by Belgium to the south, Germany to the east, and the North Sea to the north and west.
Although Christianity is still the main religion in the Netherlands, the Christian churches (both Roman Catholic and Protestant) have suffered major losses in membership during the past century. Islam has become the second largest religion, but it is almost exclusively the religion of immigrants from such Mediterranean countries as Turkey and Morocco, as well as from the former Dutch colony of Surinam. Other religions in the Netherlands include Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism. A large and still growing group consists of those who do not adhere to any religious group or organization.
Religious Tolerance
The Netherlands has a long tradition of religious tolerance. The Union of Utrecht (1579) declared individuals free to choose their own religion. For centuries the Dutch Reformed Church (Gereformeerde Kerk) was the privileged church, but other denominations were allowed to perform their worship services. The Dutch Republic was a refuge for religious and political dissidents from abroad, including such groups as Jews and Huguenots, as well as such noted individuals as Baruch de Spinoza (1632–77) and René Descartes (1596–1650).
