Editing Netherlands (section)

===Language===
{{Main|Languages of the Netherlands}}
[[File:Foreign languages Netherlands, 2005.png|thumb|upright=1.6|Knowledge of foreign languages in the Netherlands, among population 15 and older, in 2006<ref>Data taken from an EU survey. [http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_en.pdf ebs_243_en.pdf] (europa.eu)</ref>]]<!-- the percentage for English in the report is 87% - NOT 89% -->
The official language of the Netherlands is [[Dutch language|Dutch]], which is spoken by the vast majority of inhabitants. The dialects most spoken in the Netherlands are the [[Brabantian dialect|Brabantian]]-[[Hollandic]] dialects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taalcanon.nl/vragen/hoeveel-dialecten-heeft-het-nederlands/ |title=Hoeveel dialecten heeft het Nederlands? &#124; Taalcanon |publisher=Taalcanon.nl |access-date=23 April 2014}}</ref>

Besides Dutch, [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]] is recognised as a second official language in the northern province of [[Friesland]] (''Fryslân'' in West Frisian).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erkende-talen/talen-in-nederland |title=Talen in Nederland – Erkende talen |publisher=rijksoverheid.nl |access-date=12 August 2014}}</ref> West Frisian has a formal status for government correspondence in that province. Four other languages are protected under the [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Languages |url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2021/field/languages/ |access-date=8 January 2023 |website=CIA – The World Factbook}}</ref> The first of these recognised regional languages is [[Dutch Low Saxon|Low Saxon]] (''Nedersaksisch'' in Dutch). Low Saxon consists of several dialects of the [[Low German]] language spoken in the north and east of the Netherlands, like [[Tweants]] in the region of [[Twente]], and [[Drents]] in the province of [[Drenthe]].

[[Limburgish]] is recognised as a regional language. It consists of Dutch varieties of [[Meuse-Rhenish]] and is spoken in the south-eastern province of [[Limburg (Netherlands)|Limburg]].<ref name="international2000" /> [[Yiddish]] and the [[Romani language]] were recognised in 1996 as non-territorial languages.<ref name=":3">"The Kingdom of the Netherlands further declares that the principles enumerated in Part II of the Charter will be applied to the Lower-Saxon languages used in the Netherlands, and, in accordance with Article 7, paragraph 5, to Yiddish and the Romanes languages." [http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeDeclarations.asp?NT=148&CM=8&DF=23/01/05&CL=ENG&VL=1 Netherlands: Declaration contained in the instrument of acceptance, deposited on 2 May 1996 – Or. Engl.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120522083136/http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeDeclarations.asp?NT=148&CM=8&DF=23%2F01%2F05&CL=ENG&VL=1 |date=22 May 2012 }}, List of declarations made with respect to treaty No. 148 – [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages]]</ref>

[[English in the Netherlands|English]] has a formal status in the special municipalities of [[Saba (island)|Saba]] and [[Sint Eustatius]]. It is widely spoken on these islands. [[Papiamento]] has a formal status in the special municipality of [[Bonaire]].<ref name=":3" />

The Netherlands has a long tradition of learning foreign languages, formalised in Dutch education laws. Some 90% of the total population [[English in the Netherlands|are able to converse in English]], 70% in German, and 29% in French.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_237.en.pdf|title=European Union survey|website=Ec.europa.eu|access-date=3 August 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128095746/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_237.en.pdf|archive-date=28 January 2007}}</ref> English is a mandatory course in all secondary schools.<ref name="rijksoverheid">{{cite web|title=Foreign languages in secondary education |work=Wat is het aanbod aan vreemde talen in de onderbouw van het voortgezet onderwijs (vo)? |publisher=Rijksoverheid |url=http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/vragen-en-antwoorden/wat-is-het-aanbod-aan-vreemde-talen-in-de-onderbouw-van-het-voortgezet-onderwijs-vo.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429185145/http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/vragen-en-antwoorden/wat-is-het-aanbod-aan-vreemde-talen-in-de-onderbouw-van-het-voortgezet-onderwijs-vo.html |archive-date=29 April 2011 |access-date=3 May 2010 |url-status=dead |language=nl}}</ref> In most lower level secondary school educations ([[voorbereidend middelbaar beroepsonderwijs|vmbo]]), one additional modern foreign language is mandatory during the first two years.<ref name="Schedule of the Central Exams of 2009">[http://www.examenblad.nl/9336000/1/j9vvhinitagymgn_m7mvh57glpdohx6_n11vg41h1h4i9qe/vhl5jftd1sx8 Schedule of the Central Exams of 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820060030/http://www.examenblad.nl/9336000/1/j9vvhinitagymgn_m7mvh57glpdohx6_n11vg41h1h4i9qe/vhl5jftd1sx8 |date=20 August 2016 }}, Examenblad</ref> In higher level secondary schools ([[Hoger algemeen voortgezet onderwijs|havo]] and [[Voorbereidend wetenschappelijk onderwijs|vwo]]), the acquisition of two additional modern foreign language skills is mandatory. Besides English, the standard modern languages are French and German, although schools can replace one of these with Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Italian, [[Turkish language|Turkish]] or [[Arabic]].<ref name="Examenblad talen vwo 2019">[https://www.examenblad.nl/item/talen/2019?sectorid=vg41h1h4i9qe Examenblad talen, vwo in 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403211152/https://www.examenblad.nl/item/talen/2019?sectorid=vg41h1h4i9qe |date=3 April 2023 }}, Examenblad</ref> Additionally, schools in Friesland teach and have exams in [[West Frisian language|West Frisian]].<ref>{{Cite web |author=Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties |date=14 July 2020 |title=De Friese taal – Erkende talen – Rijksoverheid.nl |url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erkende-talen/de-friese-taal |access-date=8 January 2023 |website=rijksoverheid.nl |language=nl-NL}}</ref>