Discovering The Netherlands

Economy The Netherlands has a strong social market economy built by a highly-skilled labor force with a focus on innovation. As one of the world’s largest exporters, The Netherlands leading industries include oil, banks, beer, bulbs and food. The country’s unemployment rate remains consistently low as the national economy continues to grow. The Netherlands has a high work ethic and the percentage of labor stoppages is very low. Business Hours Business hours typically begin between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m. and lunch is taken around noon for 30 minutes. The workday ends between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., with Fridays sometimes ending earlier.

Weather The Netherlands has a typically moderate marine climate. Average winter temperatures are 2°C (37°F). you may experience -10°C or 10°C in January. Spring and Fall are usually dry, very pleasant for bikers. In the summer, temperatures range from 18°C to 27°C (64°F to 80°F) with more rainfall than other seasons. Rainfall is pretty common; the country receives approximately 700 mm of rainfall each year. National Hazards/Severe Weather Severe weather and natural disasters are rare in The Netherlands. Small earthquakes can happen on occasion. Heavy rains may cause flooding and landslides on rare occasions.

Time Zones The Netherlands lies in one time zone, the Central European Time Zone (CET); it is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+1) or Universal Time Coordinated (UTC+1). Daylight Savings Time The Netherlands participates in Daylight Savings Time (DST) two times a year. The first is on the last Sunday of March at 2:00 a.m. when CET changes to Central European Summer Time (CEST). The second is on the last Sunday of October, switching back to CET. Telling Time The Netherlands use both the standard 12-hour cycle, and the 24-hour cycle, referred to as military time. Because there is no Dutch equivalent to a.m. and p.m., military time is often used.

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Discovering The Netherlands