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