The Netherlands
It started out so well for the Netherlands. They won the contest in its second year, in 1957 and again in ’59. Their third victory came 10 years later, and in 1975 Teach-In secured the fourth win for the country with the now classic entry Ding-A-Dong.
As semi-finals were introduced, the Dutch fans struggled to remain positive. From 2005 and eight years forward, the Netherlands never reached the final. But then things changed. The broadcaster stepped up, and started selecting well known experienced names, and it paid off. Anouk came 9th in 2013 with the song Birds, and in 2014, The Common Linnets’ Calm After The Storm came second.
In 2015, Trijntje Oosterhuis failed to reach the final, but in the following two years, the Netherlands ended 11th on both occasions.
Capital cityAmsterdam
BroadcasterNPO, NOS
Population16,9 million