2005 in the Netherlands

Incumbents

• Monarch: Beatrix
• Prime Minister: Jan Peter Balkenende

  Events

January

• 1 January - New Year's celebrations all over the Netherlands fall silent for two minutes as mark of respect for Dutch memorial service for those affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

  February

March

April

• 8: A referendum is held in Curaçao on independence vs. integration with The Netherlands.

  May

• 31: A storage tank explodes in Warffum, Groningen killing 2 men and severely injuring another.

  June

• 1: The Dutch electorate reject in a referendum the Constitutional Treaty for Europe.
• 28: The stockholders of Koninklijke Olie and Shell agree to a complete merger. The new enterprise is called Royal Dutch Shell, is designed after English law and has her headquarters in The Hague.

  July

August

• 13: Talpa begins with the broadcasting of TV programs

  September

• 11: Dennis van der Geest becomes world champion judo in Cairo judo in the open division.
• 13: The Public Ministry confesses in having made great mistakes in their Schiedamse park murder investigation.

  October

• 27: Eleven soon to be deported asylum seekers die in a fire at the Schiphol-East detention center.

  November

• 2: John Mieremet is assassinated in Thailand and Kees Houtman a real estate agent related to the criminal underworld is also assassinated in Amsterdam
• 14: Domino Day 2005 sparrow - A house sparrow, Passer domesticus, was shot and killed during preparations for Domino Day 2005.
• 15: Political activist, publicist and journalist Louis Sévèke is shot and killed in the center of Nijmegen.
• 25: Severe weather creates the longest evening peak traffic jam in The Netherlands ever: there is 802 kilometer traffic jam at 18.00 o'clock. Only at 05.20 o'clock, the next morning, all traffic jams are resolved. Hundreds of travelers spend the night in shelters.

  December

• 5: Start of the trail against the members of the Hofstad Network.

  Sport

• 2004–05 Eredivisie
• 2004–05 Eerste Divisie
• 2004–05 KNVB Cup
• 2005 Johan Cruijff Schaal
• Haile Gebrselassie wins the Amsterdam Marathon

  Births

• 26 June - Princess Alexia of the Netherlands

  Deaths