Netherlands

At a Glance

The Netherlands is a small, flat, densely populated country in Western Europe that has made an art of living well within constraints, with beautiful canal cities, world-class museums, a cycling culture that shapes urban life at every level, and a tradition of tolerance and pragmatic thinking. Amsterdam is one of Europe's great cities, but Utrecht, Leiden, and Haarlem offer much of the same beauty with far less pressure. Those who enjoy design, cycling, and a liberal, open-minded culture will find it very much to their taste.

• Tallest average population in the world.
• More bicycles than people — and more bicycles than cars.
• Rotterdam handles more cargo than any other European port.