The KNS exam opens with simple questions about the country itself, and most of them are answered by recognising a picture or a map. The Netherlands lies in Europe, with Belgium to the south and Germany to the east. Its name means "low land": a large part of the country is below sea level, which is why dikes (dijken) matter, and why windmills (molens) became a symbol. Most people live in the Randstad, the crowded western region with Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht. Amsterdam is the capital, but the government and the parliament sit in The Hague. Rotterdam has the biggest port and Schiphol, the biggest airport, is near Amsterdam. Learn the picture together with the Dutch word, because the exam shows you the picture.
Pictures you will see in the exam
The Randstad
The port of Rotterdam
Schiphol airport
What you'll learn
- The neighbours: België (south) and Duitsland (east), and the North Sea coast
- Why the country is called "low land" and what dikes do (Nederland stroomt onder water)
- The Randstad and its four cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht
- The capital (Amsterdam) versus the seat of government (Den Haag)
- The biggest port (Rotterdam) and airport (Schiphol), and which pictures show them
A real KNS question on this topic
Q: "Welke stad ligt in de Randstad?" (Which cities lie in the Randstad?) — A: "Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag en Utrecht."
Q: "Wat gebeurt er als er geen dijken zijn?" (What happens if there are no dikes?) — A: "Nederland stroomt onder water."
Frequently asked questions
Is the capital Amsterdam or The Hague?
Amsterdam is the capital. The government and the parliament are in The Hague (Den Haag). The exam asks both questions, so learn them as a pair.
Do I need exact numbers, like the population?
No. The question only asks whether the Netherlands has many or few people: many (about 18 million in a small country).
Where can I practise all of these questions?
Asagno's KNS study page loads all 100 official questions with their pictures and answers, so you can mark the ones you still miss and review only those.