The Netherlands has a rich literary heritage and has produced writers worthy of international acclaim. Poetry is a particularly popular genre: only Japan and Iceland publish more anthologies each year. Translation slowly unfolds Dutch literature to other cultures.

In the Middle Ages, Dutch literature was part of a broad Western European tradition, with works including Arthurian romances such as Floris ende Blancefloer, Karel ende Elegast and the allegory Van den Vos Reynaerde (Reynard the Fox). Desiderius Erasmus was the major Dutch representative of sixteenth Century humanism and his Lof der Zotheid (The Praise of Folly) has been translated into many languages.

The Bible was translated into Dutch in the 17th century, and the publication of De Statenbijbel, the authorized version, in 1637 may be regarded as a milestone in the development of the Dutch language. Dutch literature flourished in the 17th century, also called the Golden Age, with writers such as Vondel, Hooft, Huygens and Bredero. Vondel's play Lucifer is still performed in various countries.

Multatuli was a major 19th century writer, whose novel Max Havelaar was an indictment of Dutch rule in the then Netherlands’ East Indies (present-day Indonesia). In the late 19th century, the impressionist "Beweging van Tachtig" literary movement produced writers such as Willem Kloos, Lodewijk van Deyssel, Frederik van Deden and Herman Gorter. Louis Couperus, writing in the same period, is famous for his novels about bourgeois Hague Society.

Post-World War II literature has been dominated by four novelists: Simon Vestdijk (who died in 1971), Willem Frederik Hermans (who died in 1995), Harry Mulisch and Gerard van het Reve (who died in 2006). The Second World War plays an important role in their work. Hella Haasse, Jan Wolkers (who died in 2007), Cees Nooteboom and Maarten 't Hart are other major modern writers. A.F.Th. van der Heijden's series "De Tandeloze Tijd" made him into one of the most prominent present-day writers.

The Foundation for the Production and Translation of Dutch Literature plays an important role in propagating Dutch literature abroad. The Association's aim is to ensure a wide variety of high quality original and translated Dutch literary works. The works of an increasing number of Dutch authors are being translated into other languages.

The governments of Belgium and The Netherlands are increasingly working together in the field of language and literature and to this end they have founded the Dutch Language Union.

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