67 facts about Holland
Ever wanted to visit Holland or maybe even live there, than here are some facts about this country that can be useful:
1. The Dutch are famous for excellent health. Almost all dress
up very easily, even in winter, at -3 C caps nobody wears hats not even
little children.
2. Much of Holland is below sea level. The lowest point is 6.7 meters below sea level.
3. Cycling – the most popular means of transportation in the country,
they are about 16 million cyclists. It is every citizen of the country.
In Amsterdam, the number of bicycles outnumber residents.
4. Bicycles are often stolen, especially in Amsterdam. So often to buy lock for the bike is worth twice the price of the bike.
5. The Dutch do not eat hot meals. They manage on a couple of sandwiches with cheese or peanut butter.
6. Almost all Dutch people speak good English. Movies on the central
and cable channels, and show in cinemas in the original language with
subtitles. In addition to English, many Dutch people know German and
French – the languages of neighbouring countries.
7. Contrary to popular belief, the Dutch are not big fans of
marijuana, mostly, it is fun to travellers. However, the Dutch government
is trying to cope with the use of hemp, and in 2012, one of the city,
introduced a pilot program where the weed in the coffee shops can only be
sold to locals.
8. In the Netherlands, it is allowed to grow at home up to 5 plants of cannabis for personal consumption.
9. Flowers in Holland is very cheap and excellent quality. A fresh bouquet of 50 tulips can be purchased for only 5 euros.
10. The Netherlands exports two thirds of the world’s living plants,
flowers and roots. Dutch agricultural sector is the third largest in the
world to return to the U.S. and France.
11. Prostitution was legalised in the Netherlands, and
representatives of the oldest profession must pay taxes like other
citizens.
12. The Dutch are the tallest nation in the world. Average growth in the Netherlands is 182 centimetres.
13. Locals do not close blinds, and you can always see what is happening in their homes.
14. People in the country live by the rules, and under no
circumstances, they do not break. Even if the bus is still standing, but
the doors have been closed – you are unlikely to get inside.
15. The Dutch – very sporty nation. A lot of running around or doing almost all year round cycling.
16. At school and university uses a 10-point grading scale, however,
10 practically impossible to obtain, so 9 is the equivalent of our A.
17. Weather in Holland is very rainy, windy and very changeable. So
talk about the weather – is one of the favourite topics of conversation
of local residents.
18. Almost all shops (except for some food stores) in the Netherlands
are working to 6pm. Once a week, however, in the so-called party
purchases (koopavond) stores close at 9 pm and you have the chance to
buy everything you need.
19. In addition to the taxes on the house and land, the Dutch are
taxed each year on maintenance and construction of flood control.
20. The highest point in the country which the Dutch called the “mountain”, is only 323 meters.
21. In the Netherlands, the highest density of museums. In a country with 16 million inhabitants about 1,000 museums.
22. The population density of Holland is also the highest in Europe – 391 people per square kilometre.
23. The Dutch are living on a schedule. Even close relatives are
planning a meeting in advance – a few weeks and sometimes months. If you
are close to half an hour and decided to “drop in” to a Dutch friend,
you are unlikely to be as likely to have her day was laid out long
before that.
24. One of the local delicacies is herring. It can be bought on the
street – one of the special kiosks. Locals eat herring, generously
sprinkled with onions and holding the tail, or as a burger – in a white
bun.
25. Another Dutch treat is french fries with mayonnaise (Vlaamse
fries). For many Dutch people – it could also be an everyday lunch.
26. Holland – one of the largest beer producers in the world. Here
were born brands such as Heineken, Amstel and Grolsch. Heineken is the
3rd largest producer of beer in the world. However, despite this, the
Dutch beer is not very noticeable to the taste. The best beer is brewed
in Germany,
the Czech Republic and Belgium.
27. Hollands vodka called Jenever and taste – is somewhere between calvados, schnapps and cheap whiskey.
28. The Dutch are very straightforward. They are unlikely to stand on
ceremony and walk around it, and most likely, you will express it as
is.
29. The Dutch are very informal in communication. At the business
meeting, for example, the director can easily make everyone a coffee.
30. If you do not come to work, saying you are ill your employer can send a doctor to check whether you are sick.
31. Instead of the familiar to us from childhood of Santa Claus, the
Dutch are met each year Sinterklasa (St. Nicholas), who come from Spain
on his white horse. Sinterklas quite similar to our Santa Claus, but
instead of the Snow Maiden, he is accompanied by black assistants –
Pita. Encountering Sinterklas holiday, the children put their shoes with
a carrot inside for the horse of Sinterklasa, and in return receive
gifts.
32. The Dutch love to sprinkle the toasted kind of chocolate chips – Hahelslah (Hagelslag).
33. When the Dutch children leave school, they hang a Dutch flag on the street and a school bag.
34. The Dutch kiss when they met each other on the cheek three times.
35. 40% of the population are atheists. In the north of Holland, there are more Protestants and Catholics in the south.
36. In the winters when the rivers freeze in the country, people
arranged a favourite Dutch Elfsteydentoht (Elfstedentocht) – the famous
skating marathon through 11 cities of the Netherlands province of
Friesland length of 200 kilometers.
37. The Dutch – one of the travelling nation in the world. At the age
of 20-40 years, they often work / live for several years in other
countries. In most cases, they come back to Holland.
38. The main reason for emigration from the country of Holland is bad weather.Country often has rain and cold wind blows.
39. Many Dutch people are not officially married, even if you raise children together.
40. Many pet supply insert special chip, which helps the search if animal is lost.
41. Hollands national colour is orange, this is due to the fact that
the name of the royal family literally sounds like a “House of Orange.”
42. April 30 – the day the Queen – is the main holiday of the
Netherlands. The locals are dressed in all orange and organise street
festivities. On this day, it seems that everyone in the country took to
the streets, where one half of the population is selling all sorts of
things orange and the other buys it. Streets are decorated with orange
Netherlands Cities lanterns. Everywhere are seen orange balls garlands,
ribbons, flags, and even people’s faces are painted in orange.
43. Holland – The Netherlands is the informal name that does not
really like the place of residence. Holland is the region in the west.
44. To get to the doctor, such as a cardiologist, you must first
obtain a referral from a GP. Just like that, without a referral, no
doctor will accept you.
45. Healthcare in the Netherlands paid for by insurance. Everyone
must have insurance, the cost of it is about 100 euros per month.
46. Fireworks are only allowed in Holland in the New Year’s Eve: 10 am Dec. 31 until 2 am Jan. 1.
47. In the Netherlands, it is not accepted that a man shows
initiative in relation to the woman. This is partly due to the fact that
women want to be independent, and men perceive the initiative as an
attack on their self-sufficiency.
48. Due to the fact that most of the year in the country, it is rain,
the Dutch have learned to enjoy even a short manifestation of good
weather. As soon as a ray of sunshine peeking, residents poured into the
streets, drinking beer on the open roads, even if it is only +5.
49. A special category of the population is Surinamese, Indonesians,
Turks and Moroccans. Their stay in the country can be characterised as
the coexistence with the local population. They created their own
subculture closed, read newspapers and watch movies in their own
language. The official number of immigrants in the Netherlands – more
than 1 million people.
50. For every 2,000 residents, Holland has a bookstore.
51. In the Netherlands, alcohol can be consumed at age 16.
52. Holland has 1180 windmills.
53. Park Tulip Keukenhoff – a 32 hectare of land planted with flowers, is the most photographed places in the world.
54. Public toilets are paid (from 20 to 50 euro cents), even in some of the nightclubs, the entrance to which is also paid.
55. In the Netherlands, not accepted to give expensive gifts. Even at
the wedding, as a rule, limited to budget no more than 50 euros.
56. 30% of Dutch babies are born at home. At the same time do not be
surprised if a few hours after the birth, you will be visited by your
neighbours to enquire about mother and to look at a baby.
57. Dutch girls do not pay much attention to their appearance. Many
do not use makeup, nor style their hair and wear heels. They wear what
is convenient. In the morning they go outside with wet hair, not having
time to dry it off.
58. However, unlike the British, Americans and other members of the
Anglo-Saxon countries, the Dutch have a sense of taste and look very
neat.
59. Dutch men are paying their hair much more attention. Most Dutch
people have a medium length blond hair, and each of them has means for
hair styling.
60. If you get stoped by the police for violation on the road, and
you try to offer him a bribe, most likely, he will return you the money,
being sincerely convinced that they came to him by accident.
61. In the Netherlands, they adore football. Here, they either play
or watch football, or, if you there is nothing to watch – they will
watch replays of older mathes.
62. The Dutch rather stingy and do not like to show their wealth. On the other hand, they have a fairly strong sense of envy.
63. In Holland, techno or trance is a a very popular dance music. Do
not be surprised if passing through the city streets, you’ll see people
of 40-50 years dancing or grooving under trance. Armin Van Buren,
Tiesto, Ferry Corsten – all natives of Holland.
64. Every August in Amsterdam is one of the largest gay pride parades
in the world, collecting about half a million visitors. Sam is very
much like a parade to celebrate Queen’s Day and is a parade of barges on
the canals of Amsterdam.
65. In Holland you can be fined for lack of a bicycle lanterns at night.
66. “Dutch disease” – the so-called dependency syndrome increased
extraction of natural resources and the decline in industrial and
agricultural sectors. In 1959 the Netherlands was the largest field to
discover natural gas in Europe. Due to its exports Dutch guilder
strongly rose in price, which has a negative impact on other export
sectors.
67. During the Second World War, the German army took away a very
large number of bikes from Holland. During this Dutch hate the Germans,
and still make fun of German tourists saying, “Bring back our bikes”.
