Dutch National Ministries

The Netherlands has two capitals. Amsterdam is the national capital - the largest city and the ‘cultural’ capital of the Kingdom - and The Hague is the seat of government.

The Hague is the seat of government and plays home to all the national ministries as well as foreign diplomatic missions (Diplomatic Corps and Embassies) and international organisations.

Below are links to each of the ministries with information in English. You can also consult the website Rijksoverheid.nl.

Ministry of General Affairs

The Ministry of General Affairs includes the Prime Minister's Office, the Netherlands Government Information Service and the Office of the Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy.

Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations

This ministry's mission is to uphold the Constitution; guarantee the democratic rule of law; ensure an effective and efficient public administration; coordinate urban policy; promote public order and safety and provide centralised management of the countries police forces; promote the quality of the civil service and coordinate management and personnel policy for all civil servants; coordinate cooperation with Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates and carries out Dutch foreign policy at its headquarters in The Hague and through its missions abroad. It is likewise the channel through which the Netherlands government communicates with foreign governments and international organisations.

Ministry of Defence

This ministry comprises the Central Staff, the Royal Netherlands Navy, the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the Support Command and the Defence Materiel Organisation.

Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation

This ministry promotes the Netherlands' position as a leading economy with a world-class agrifood sector. It enhances the country's long-term competitive strength and facilitates the private sector, which drives the economy. The Ministry takes an expansive view in its approach to economic issues, looking to the environment, the private sector, consumers and beyond national borders.

Ministry of Finance

The responsibilities of the ministry include solid fiscal legislation, tax collection, efficient management of government funds, rules for a stable financial system and strong economic structure and protection of society.

Ministry of Security and Justice

The ministry is responsible for maintaining order in society, while ensuring that justice, security and unity come first. It maintains a legal order in which people with different lifestyles, backgrounds and convictions can live together in harmony, while taking account of the fact that the Netherlands is also committed to the international legal order.

Ministry of Education, Culture and Science

This ministry makes policies, drafts legislation and appropriates public funds on behalf of Dutch citizens. It serves 3.5 million students and their parents, as well as artists, curators and teachers and everyone else in the Netherlands affected by the activities in its remit.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment

The tasks of this ministry re to create employment opportunities and to foster modern industrial relations and an activating social security system, and to do so by developing feasible policies that can be monitored.

Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment

The key areas of focus adopted by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment are liveability and accessibility, with a free flow of traffic in a clean and safe environment. The ministry is working on strong road, rail, water and air connections, flood protection and the improvement of air and water quality.

Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport

The motto of this ministry is 'Caring for people in a healthy society'. The ministry encourages people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. To improve the position of less wealthier members of society, the ministry is working to strengthen the social infrastructure. It also strives to enable everyone to engage in sport and finances top-level sport.