10 interesting facts about the Netherlands – a clean and amazing country

The state that is located on the territory of Western Europe – the Netherlands, attracts many people to move to permanent residence. Of course, in order to settle down there, you either need to be a specialist in some sought-after field, or have enough money with you. Motivated by the move, immigrants hope to start a new life like a fairy tale, but will Holland give them what they expect from it? Maybe.

Phrase “Needed where was born” no longer inspires anyone, now people are making every effort to improve their living conditions and settle in the most decent and cultural place. The Netherlands should be considered by those who love beautiful and clean, kind people, prefer high-quality medicine, decent salaries, etc.

Whether you are going to move or just interested in different countries is not the point. If you are here, you want to know interesting facts about the Netherlands. We will gladly provide them to you.

10 The name translates as “low-lying lands”

Perhaps it surprises you that Netherlands means “lowlands», although the state is located in the North. In fact, the explanation for this is quite simple – with this name, the Dutch emphasize that huge areas of the country’s land are literally reclaimed from the sea, fenced with dams and are below sea level.

If you often see bucolic mills in photographs against the backdrop of the Netherlands, which are one of the symbols of the country, then you will be interested to know that they were not built at all to process grain, but to pump out water. And it inevitably accumulates in areas below sea level.

9. For every resident – a bicycle!

The cycling infrastructure in Holland is simply amazing! There are more bicycles than people. To say that they love bicycles is to say nothing… Cycling in the Netherlands is not just a way to travel safely, it’s a way of life.

We are used to people traveling by car, but the inhabitants of the Netherlands, wherever they go: for a visit, for a walk, for work, etc., get on a bicycle. Moreover, not only ordinary residents use it, but even ministers and members of parliament.

The Dutch feel confident on bicycles – on the road they can simultaneously talk on the phone or read the latest newspaper. By the way, bicycle thefts are not uncommon in Amsterdam. Sometimes very funny models come across – some ladies decorate their bikes with all kinds of bows, ribbons and flowers.

8. Saint Nicholas Day – the main holiday

Saint Nicholas Day is celebrated annually in the Netherlands on December 6th.. Most of all, this holiday is eagerly awaited by the younger generation. On the evening of December 5, people decorate gifts beautifully and give them to each other, remaining anonymous.

According to Dutch mythology Sinta – Sinterklaas – Saint Nicholas is a close relative of Santa Claus. On December 6, St. Nicholas delivers gifts to children through a pipe (or hangs them in socks around the house), and those who do not obey will be punished – St. Nicholas may be indignant and even flog them with a whip. He has a book with him, in which he writes about all the bad and good deeds of the child over the past year.

7. Many mistakenly call the country Holland

The country of the Netherlands and Holland are one, but not the same. Holland combines 2 provinces: Southern and Northern, and in the Netherlands there are more than 10 provinces. The name “Holland” “stuck” in relation to the whole country as a result of the fact that North and South Holland were historically the most developed, and therefore were more widely heard.

This name took root in Russia during the reign of Emperor Peter I, since his interests included developed countries and regions. The embassy of Peter visited this particular part of the Netherlands, and after his return, the emperor himself and his entourage began to call the whole country Holland.

6. The highest population density in Europe

Compared to other European countries, the population of the Netherlands has grown rapidly over the past century and a half: in 1850, the number exceeded 2900 million inhabitants, in 1900 over 4900, and by 2000 it already amounted to 16 million.

The Netherlands is the most populous region in the European Union, according to the data, per sq. km population density is 475 people. In contrast, Finland has the lowest population density.

5. Rainy and windy weather

The weather in the Netherlands is good because here no one languishes from the heat and does not suffer from the cold – the climate is temperate maritime. The sunniest month is May, at which time beautiful tulips bloom, which are enjoyed by the inhabitants passing on bicycles, and in November it is the gloomiest, which appeals to melancholics and lovers of “darkness”.

It is always windy in the kingdom, especially chilly winds blow in winter. Fog, humid air and temperature fluctuating from +1 to +4 degrees not everyone likes it, and if you add rain mixed with snow (which is typical for Dutch winters), even more so. The fact is that the Dutch are very fond of skating, so they are more happy with the harsh winter, but frosts in Holland are rare.

4. From 1890 to 2013, only women were on the throne

Now the head of state is Willem-Alexander Klaus Georg Ferdinand – the king, one of the youngest modern monarchs in history.

However, in the period from 1890 to 2013, the throne was occupied exclusively by women – Queen Wilhelmina (mother of Juliana), Beatrix (great-great-granddaughter in the female line of the Russian Emperor Paul I.) and Juliana. Willem-Alexander is the first man to sit on the throne of the Netherlands in 126 years.

3. Birthplace of many famous artists

Enkhausen is the birthplace of many famous artists, including the 17th century. Maybe such names as Rembrandt, Vermeer, Vincent van Gogh tell you something? They were born in the Netherlands, and there they wrote their paintings, which became world-famous. In addition, Spinoza was born in the Netherlands, and Descartes wrote his main works here.

Interesting fact: The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam is one of the most visited cultural attractions in the Netherlands.

2. The Dutch speak English better than their mother tongue

Of course, the Dutch speak their native language – Dutch, but almost everyone speaks English. So if you know this international language, and do not know Dutch, when you visit this wonderful country, you will be able to interact with the inhabitants.

In Europe, it is considered normal to speak several languages, and no one is surprised by the fact that a person speaks 2-3 languages, in addition to his native language.

Interesting fact: The Dutch are very passionate about learning languages, including Russian. If you are in Holland, you can give lessons!

1. There are no cars and no roads in the village of Giethoorn.

As you have already learned, in the Netherlands, residents are very fond of moving around on bicycles, but no one has canceled cars either. However, in the isolated village of Giethoorn (Dutch Venice) there are no roads, respectively, and cars too, only canals. Therefore, in this area, the main transport is a boat – hence such a unique, cozy and peaceful atmosphere.

There is silence and complete relaxation here… You can only envy the residents – every corner here is saturated with the foundations of a Dutch village of the XNUMXth century. A great place for those who do not like noisy and stuffy cities.