The U.S. partnership with the Netherlands is one of its oldest continuous relationships and dates back to the American Revolution. The excellent bilateral relations are based on close historical and cultural ties as well as a common dedication to individual freedom and human rights. The Netherlands shares with the United States a liberal economic outlook and is firmly committed to free trade. The United States attaches great value to its strong economic and commercial ties with the Dutch. The Netherlands is the third-largest direct foreign investor in the United States, and the United States is the largest direct foreign investor in the Netherlands.

The United States and the Netherlands often have similar positions on issues and work together both bilaterally and multilaterally in such institutions as the United Nations and NATO. The Dutch have worked with the United States at the WTO, in the OECD, and within the EU to advance the shared U.S. goal of a more open, honest, and market-led economy. The Dutch, like the United States, were firmly in favor of the recent EU eastward expansion.

The United States and the Netherlands joined NATO as charter members in 1949 and have been close allies ever since. The Dutch fought alongside the United States in the Korean war and the first Gulf war and have been active in global peacekeeping efforts in the former Yugoslavia. The Netherlands played a leading role in the 1999 Kosovo air campaign. They currently are contributing to NATO peacekeeping forces in Bosnia. They have been active participants in Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and also have led peacekeeping efforts in that country. During the recent Iraq conflict, they deployed Patriot missiles to protect NATO ally, Turkey, and have since sent troops to Iraq to participate in stabilization operations.

The U.S. Embassy is located at Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ The Hague; tel: 31-70-310-9209; fax: 31-70-361-4688. The Consulate General is at Museumplein 13, 1071 DJ Amsterdam; tel: 31-20-575-5309; fax: 31-20-575-5310.