Useful information about the Netherlands

Geography

The Netherlands is a country located in North West Europe with a population of about 16 million and an area of 41,528 square kilometres.

The Hague is the third largest city in The Netherlands with a population of almost a half million people. As the seat of government and home to the Royal Family, The Hague is known as the political and administrative capital of the Netherlands. The city has developed as an international city of justice and peace, thanks to the presence of leading national legal institutions as well as the International Court of Justice, the Yugoslavia Tribunal and the International Criminal Court.

Language

The official language in the Netherlands is Dutch. English, German and French are widely understood and spoken.

Climate

The Netherlands has a mild maritime climate. The average temperature ranges from 0 to 10 degrees Celsius in the winter, andfrom20 to 30 degrees Celsius in the summer. The summer can be quite warm but changeable and the winters can get cold with occasional snowfall. Rain and wind are prevalent all year.

Currency

The official currency is the Euro.

Transportation

The Hague has an efficient public transport infrastructure with trains, buses and trams running regularly as well as international connections with the rest of Europe. Below are some useful links.

Route descriptions are available on the following website www.viamichelin.com

Trains
www.ns.nl
www.thalys.nl

Trams and Busses in the Hague area
www.htm.nl (in Dutch)

Airport information
www.schiphol.nl
www.rotterdam-airport.nl

Accommodation

Hotels/Hostels:There are several options for temporary accommodation in the Hague. We recommend the following website to find suitable hotels and hostels: http://www.2stay.com/netherlands/the-hague.html

Housing

The Hague area is densely populated and this has an impact on the space and the price of rental accommodation. Apartments are typically modest in size and often come partly furnished. The majority of the Real Estate Agents in the Netherlands are registered with an association called NVM. When using the services of a Real Estate Agent, there are two options: either the agent will find a place which is part of their own portfolio (in which case there is no fee) or they will conduct a search of all available property. In this case, most agencies will charge you a search fee of one month's rent or a percentage of the annual rent. In both situations a deposit of one month's rent is payable.

To find a place and avoid paying the fee, the following website is particularly useful: www.funda.nl. This site is, for the most part, in Dutch, however by clicking "huurwoning" (Dutch for "houses for rent") many descriptions appear in English.

A list of these Real Estate Agents can be found on the following web site: www.nvm.nl.

International Schools

There are many different international schools to choose from in and around the Hague area. It is important to bear in mind that the waiting lists are long.

Some international schools are listed below:

The British School in the Netherlands(3-18 yrs)

Junior School (3-11 yrs) Tel: 070-3338111
Senior School (11-18 yrs) Tel: 071-5602222
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.britishschool.nl

Lycee Francais "Vincent van Gogh"(3-18 yrs)

Tel: 070-3066923
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.lycee-vvgogh.org/

Deutsche Schule Den Haag(3-19 yrs)

Tel: 070-3549454
Internet: www.disdh.nl

The American School of The Hague(4-19 yrs)

Tel: 070-5140113
Email: [email protected]
Internet: www.ash.nl

The International School of The Hague

Primary School (4-10 yrs)
Tel: 070-3384567 Email: [email protected]
Secondary School (11-18 yrs)
Tel: 070-3281450 Email:[email protected]
Internet: www.ishthehague.nl