The great majority of inhabitants of The Netherlands are Dutch. They are mainly descended from Franks, Frisians, and Saxons. Most residents of Friesland Province are Frisian, a distinct cultural group with its own language. Fearing overpopulation, the government promoted Dutch emigration after World War II (1939-1945), and some 500,000 people left. But an even larger number of people entered The Netherlands—Europeans and Asians from the former Netherlands Indies dependency

Population: 16.2 million. Nationality: Noun–Dutchmen and Dutchwomen. Adjective–Dutch. Ethnic groups: Predominantly Dutch; largest minority communities are Moroccans, Turks, Surinamese. Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, other. Language: Dutch. Education: Years compulsory–10. Attendance–nearly 100%. Literacy–99%. Health: Infant mortality rate–5.4/1,000. Life expectancy–78 yrs. Work force (7.3 million): Services–53.2%; commerce–16.3%; industry–15.4%; public sector–11.5%; agriculture–3.5%.