The country's knack for seafaring saw the Dutch Empire stretch its way around the world, as sailors and merchants opened up trade routes far and wide. The Netherlands no longer has an empire, but it is still one of the foremost maritime destinations in Europe.
Rotterdam is Europe's largest port, spreading along the banks of the Nieuwe Maas river, one of the channels of the delta formed by the Rhine and the Meuse which link the city to Switzerland and France, while the Betuweroute, a fast freight railway to Germany, was completed last year. Construction started last month on the 1,000-hectare Maasvlakte 2 project, which will provide additional space for container transshipment, distribution and chemical industries.
'More and more goods are shipped through Rotterdam, and a growing number of companies want to set up business here,' said Hans Smits, the Port of Rotterdam Authority's chief executive.
'However, the existing port and industrial area is fast running out of space. Expansion is essential for the port to continue to meet the rising demand in future and to maintain its leading role. If the port fails to grow, there is a good chance that shipping companies will pass Rotterdam by in the future.'
Rotterdam expects that the first containers will be unloaded at the new facility - which will be a direct extension of the existing Maasvlakte, operating 24 hours a day and with similarly efficient connections to the European hinterland - by 2013.
It's not simply on the high seas that the Dutch are making their economic mark. The country maintained a healthy trade surplus of Euro37.4 billion (HK$394.3 billion) last year, with exports of machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, mineral fuels and lubricants performing strongly.
Agriculture makes a significant contribution to the national economy, despite the Netherlands' relatively small size. While it employs barely 3 per cent of the labour force of 7.6 million, agriculture is highly mechanised and provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for export.