Trade, transportation and distribution play an important role in the Dutch economy in which exports account for 60 % of GDP. The Dutch trade sector employs 27 % of the population. A dense population of 170 million is within a 300 miles reach of Amsterdam. To put it differently: two-thirds of the US population in an area about the size of the state of Texas. A total of 350 million customers are within 24 to 48 hours by rail, road and waterways like the Rhine and Meuse.

The Dutch are the transporters of Europe. Transshipments of goods to smaller airplanes and feeder vessels take place in main-ports. The important main-ports for Europe are AmsterdamSchipholAirport and the Port of Rotterdam.

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is the third largest airport in Europe and one of the best, offering the highest quality of services in freight transport and passenger service. SchipholAirport has won more than 120 international awards for its high quality of service.

With 44 million passengers in 2005, Schiphol is the fourth biggest airport in Europe, after London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle en Frankfurt. With 1.4 million ton freigth in that same year, it is the third biggest freight airport in Europe. With 405.000 flight movements in 2005, it was the number 5 in European airports. 543 companies have Schiphol as their base, employing 58,000 people.


The Port of Rotterdam. With a surface of 10.500 hectares (circa 23,000 acres), a length of 40 km (25 miles), 77 km of quay length (48 miles) and 33 million m3 of tank storage Rotterdam belongs to the biggest ports in the world.

More generally, 50 % of all goods entering the European Union go through Rotterdam or Amsterdam. Rotterdam’s port plan 2010 aims at expanding the harbor by reclaiming 1250 hectares of land from the sea. Eight new container terminals will be built, and high speed trains will link up Schiphol and Rotterdam to the TGV network which should be ready in 2006. A rail freight corridor (Betuwe lijn) will link Rotterdam port directly to Germany.

The Port of Amsterdam. Amsterdam’s Ports are some of the best operating ports in the Hamburg-Le Havre range.

For more information see also the Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.