THE KINGDOM OF NETHERLANDS

“Brief History of Netherland”

Julius Caesar found the Netherlands inhabited by Germanic tribes.

War between Spain and Netherlands for Independence

1648-Spain finally recognized Dutch independence.

The Dutch East India Company was established in 1602,

17th century-Holland was one of the great sea and colonial powers of Europe.

The Netherlands joined the European Union in 1958 and

adopted the single European currency, the euro.

The Netherlands has extremely liberal social policies.

Dutch People Migrated to almost all places on Earth, Including European countries, South Africa, Asia, US, Canada, and Australia.

FLAG OF NETHERLAND

The flag of the Netherlands consists of three equal sized horizontal stripes - the top stripe is red; the middle one white; and the bottom stripe is blue.The red stripe which was originally orange, along with the white and blue stripes,

are based on the heraldic colors (coat of arms) of Prince William of Orange, who led the fight for Dutch independence.• The top red band represents bravery, strength and

valor, the white stripe in the middle stands for honesty and peace and the blue band on the bottom symbolizes loyalty, justice and vigilance.

• The national anthem is the WILHELMUS . It was a rebel song during the independence war against Spain and was adopted as the national anthem in 1932.

2. GEOGRAPHY

The name "Netherlands" means "Low Lands" in reference to the nation's topography as an alluvial plain. Differences in altitude are minimal. Almost one-quarter of the landmass is below sea level, protected from the encroaching sea by dikes and dunes. The Netherlands is also a relatively small country (13,297 square miles [34,425 square kilometers]) without surface water.

LocationNetherlands, country located in northwestern Europe, also known as Holland. The Netherlands is bounded by the North Sea to the north and west, Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south.

Climate

• The climate of the Netherlands is a temperate, marine type of climate. The Netherlands experiences cool summers and mild winters. Holland experiences 4 seasons – Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter. In summer, the days can go as long as 17 hours; While in winter, days can be as short as just 8 hours! 

Capital CityAmsterdam is the capital city and most populous city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its status as the Dutch capital is mandated by the Constitution of the Netherlands though it is not the seat of the Dutch government, which is The Hague. Amsterdam has a population of 825,080 within the city proper, 1,317,663 in the urban area and 1,590,520 in the metropolitan area. The city region has a population of 2,431,000.The city is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. It comprises much of the northern part of the Randstad, one of the larger conurbations in Europe, with a population of approximately 7 million.

Monetary Unit/ Currency

EURO (€) -

Government: The Netherlands is constitutionally monarch with The Hague as the house of government.

Languages: Official language is Dutch. It’s a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname.

Population (2014 est.): 16,877,351

The Dutch are the tallest in the world with an average height of 184 cm for men and 170 cm for women. Some believe its the combined result of DNA and dairy.

“Port of Entry”

Seaports in

Netherland

The Port of Amsterdam is a seaport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The port is located on the bank of a former bay named the IJ and the North Sea Canal, with which it is connected to the North Sea.

Eemshaven - (English: Ems Harbor) is a seaport in the province of Groningen in the north of the Netherlands. Seaport Eemshaven is a commercial and industrial port complex in an area reclaimed from the sea. It has three main terminals and can accommodate ships with draughts of up to approximately 11 metres.

The Port of Rotterdam is the largest port in Europe, located in the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. From 1962 until 2002 it was the world's busiest port, now overtaken first by Singapore and then Shanghai.

The history of the Port of Terneuzen is closely connected with the developments in the port area of Ghent. The origins of Ter Nose, the present Terneuzen, can be traced back to around the year 1300.

Zaanstad PortZaanstad is an industrial city on the north bank of the North Sea Canal, opposite to the Amsterdam port area. A number of companies specialize in the processing of foodstuffs. Commodities handled in Zaanstad are cocoa beans, starch, edible oils and fats and large quantities of timber.

Airports in Netherland

Amsterdam Airport SchipholSchiphol is not only the Netherlands' principal airport -- it's the fifth most trafficked airport in Europe. Located in Haarlemmermeer, a municipality that borders the city of Haarlem, travelers who land at Schiphol can avail themselves of the convenient Dutch Railways (NS) service that connects the airport to Amsterdam Central Station in 15 minutes. • Schiphol is the most convenient civilian airport to Amsterdam. 

Eindhoven AirportEindhoven Airport is the Dutch hub for several European low-cost airlines. Its location in North Brabant makes it relatively far from Amsterdam -- by Dutch standards, at least. The airport can be reached by NS train (via Utrecht; approx. 90 minutes) and Hermes bus 401 (from Eindhoven Station; approx. 30 minutes). Cons of Eindhoven Airport • Relatively far from Amsterdam, at an approximately two-hour commute.

Rotterdam The Hague AirportRotterdam The Hague Airport handles just one million travelers per year, primarily customers of the seven low-cost airlines that operate via the airport. Its location in the Randstad and relative proximity to Amsterdam make it a convenient spot to land. Randstad, the urban heart of the Netherlands. 

Maastricht Aachen AirportOver a quarter-million flyers used Maastricht Aachen Airport in 2010 for popular Dutch holiday destinations, but service will soon expand to London, Berlin, Munich ... and Amsterdam, which can just as well be reached in three hours by NS train.

Groningen Airport EeldeOnly three airlines -- BMI, Corendon and Transavia -- land on the two runways of this miniature airport in Eelde. But visitors from Aberdeen, Antalya or insular Europe will find it useful to know that Amsterdam is only three hours away.

“Flora and Fauna”

 Tulip (unofficial) The Dutch embrace the tulip, be it unofficially, as their national flower.

FLORA

FAUNA 1. Lion

The lion stands for courage and strength. It is because the land can be drawn as a lion. Charlemagne used the lion in 1515 for his Dutch land parts. It is also a sign of the house of Nassau (royal family) and the sign of the union of Utrecht (1579) when the Dutch started to rebel against the Spanish. 

National Costume

Volendam –This fishing village not far from Marken is represented in our festival by a girl’s and a boy’s costumes. The girl’s costume has a high peaked lace hat and a brightly striped skirt. The boy’s outfit, c. 1940-1950 is distinguished by a plaid jacket and black pants.

“Culture

and

Arts”

Religion

Christianity

Islam

Other Religions

Non Religious

Roman Catholic 26.6% Protestant 16.8% Christianity 43.4 %

Islam 6%

Other 5 Religions 7.9%

Non Religious 42.7 %

Famous People

Anne Frank: (1929 – 1945) is famous throughout the world because of the diary she kept. Anne was a Jewish girl during the World War II.

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek: (1632-1723) invented the microscope. He built at least 500 of them, with copper or silver plates and lenses that he made himself. He also discovered bacteria.

Vincent Van Gogh – ARTIST: Dutch artist whose work became known for its emotional intensity and bold use of color years after his death. Also known for his landscapes and his Olive Trees series that featured depictions of cypresses in different settings.

SEE SOME PAINTINGS BY VAN GOGH

Sports They Play

Football (American Soccer) Speed Skating

Field Hockey

Sailing

• Tennis• Handball• Cycling• Volleyball

And others:

“Cuisine/ Food”Dutch cuisine consists of the cooking traditions and practices from the Netherlands. The country's cuisine is shaped by the practice of fishing and farming,.

• In Holland, a night out on the town, or a social event with coworkers, usually starts out at a local café, with a beer or two and something to snack on. This something is called a "bittergarnituur". The word translates as the slightly confusing "garnish for bitters", where bitters in this case refers to alcoholic beverages

• The bittergarnituur will usually contain bite-size cubes of Gouda cheese, miniature eggrolls and meatballs, perhaps some slices of a local meat sausage. Bitterballen

Vlaai, also known as Limburgse vlaai, is a pie or tart consisting of a pastry and filling. Vlaai is usually 27—30 centimeters in diameter. It is a typical product from the southern regions of the Netherlands, but variations are available throughout the country and in parts of Belgium and Germany near to the border of the Netherlands. 

“Pea Soup”Erwtensoep, also called "snert", is the Dutch version of pea soup. It is a thick stew of green split peas, different cuts of pork, celeriac or stalk celery, onions, leeks, carrots, and often potato. Slices of rookworst (smoked sausage) are added before serving. The soup, which is traditionally eaten during the winter, is emblematic of Dutch cuisine.

A delicious chewy cookie, the stroopwafel (syrup waffle) was first made in the town of Gouda in the Netherlands during the 18th century. In fact, until 1870 stroopwafels were made only in Gouda and there were about 100 bakeries selling these treats in that city alone.

• The Dutch have been making cheese since 800 B.C. Furthermore the Netherlands is the largest cheese exporter in the world. With an average of 21 kilograms per year per person, we can say the Dutch love their own cheese. The Dutch eat cheese for breakfast, on sandwiches for lunch or as a snack (cut in cubes) served with mustard at the end of the day. It tastes lovely with a glass of wine or beer.

“Top Tourist Destination”

Famous Landmark Cultural Sightseeing

 ("Kitchen garden", also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens. It is situated in Lisse, the Netherlands. According to the official website for the Keukenhof Park, approximately 7 million flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, which covers an area of 32 hectares.Keukenhof is located in South Holland in the small town of Lisse, south of Haarlem and southwest of Amsterdam. It is accessible by bus from the train stations of Haarlem, Leiden and Schiphol. It is located in an area called the "Dune and Bulb Region"

Famous Landmark

KEUKENHOF

The Royal Palace in Amsterdam is one of three palaces in the Netherlands which are at the disposal of the monarch by Act of Parliament.The palace was built as a city hall during the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century. The building became the royal palace of King Louis Napoleon and later of the Dutch Royal House. It is situated on the west side of Dam Square in the centre of Amsterdam, opposite the War Memorial and next to the Nieuwe Kerk.

ROYAL PALACE

Madame Tussauds is renowned for creating incredible life-like wax figures of some of the world’s most prominent figures. The Madame Tussauds museum in Amsterdam is located in the Dam Square and attracts thousands of visitors each year. Inside Madame Tussauds AmsterdamThe Amsterdam museum is divided into four sections: Sports, Royals, A-List and Culture/Arts. Within each section, tourists will find some of the most well-known figures in history, entertainment and the world of sports. Famous statues include David Beckham, Lady Gaga, Johnny Depp, Queen Beatrix, Vincent van Gogh, Rembrandt and Einstein.

MADAME TUSSAUDS

Kinderdijk is a village in the Netherlands, belonging to the municipality of Molenwaard, in the province South Holland, about 15 km east of Rotterdam. Kinderdijk is situated in a polder in the Alblasserwaard at the confluence of the Lek and Noord rivers. To drain the polder, a system of 19 windmills was built around 1740. This group of mills is the largest concentration of old windmills in the Netherlands. The windmills of Kinderdijk are one of the best-known Dutch tourist sites. They have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.

Maastricht Vrijthof :The Vrijthof is the best-known city square in Maastricht, a city in the southern most part of the Netherlands. It features the massive Saint Servatius Church and Saint Jan’s Cathedral. The Vrijthof regularly hosts large festivals at various times throughout the year, including autumn and winter festivals.

Cultural Sightseeing

Anne Frank House: The Anne Frank House is a museum with a story. It's situated in the center ofAmsterdam and holds the hiding place where Anne Frank wrote her famous diary during World War II. Anne Frank was a normal girl in exceptional circumstances. For more than two years she described the events of her daily life in hiding in her diary.

Delft City Hall : The City Hall in Delft is a Renaissance style building on the Markt square across from the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church). Originally designed by the Dutch architect Hendrick de Keyser, it was heavily changed over the centuries and was restored in the 20th century to its Renaissance appearance.

Rijksmuseum: The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is the largest and most prestigious museum for art and history in the Netherlands. It has a large collection of paintings from the Dutch Golden Age including works by Vermeer and Rembrandt. Until 2013, the museum is being completely renovated, but the major masterpieces are still on show.

Leiden Canals :Leiden is known for the oldest university in the Netherlands, the birthplace of Rembrandt and its beautiful canals. The two branches of the Old Rhine enter Leiden on the east and unite in the city center which also contains several smaller canals. The old center of Leiden is one of the largest 17th century town centers in the Netherlands, second only to Amsterdam.

West Frisian Islands :The West Frisian Islands or Waddeneilanden in Dutch are a chain of islands in the North Sea off the Dutch coast. They continue further east as the German East Frisian Islands. The islands separate the North Sea from the shallow Wadden Sea, with tidal mud flats. Under the supervision of licensed guides several islands can be reached by walking on the mudflats during low tides. On the islands cycling is the most favorable means of transport.

“Beach in Netherlands”

Zandvoort aan Zee beachThe long stretch of coast at Zandvoort aan Zee is a sandy beach that goes on for several miles. The beach is wide and slopes gently, which makes it very suitable for children, water sports, walking and of course sunbathing.

Scheveningen BeachOne of the most well known beaches in the Netherlands is Scheveningen. It is a lively beach which is surrounded by walking routes, restaurant and nice shops. Scheveningen is well know for it’s famous pier that has an event complex on it and a sixty meter high look-out-platform that even allows you to bungee jump of it. The beach itself is lengthy and wide and the city is making major plans to extend this region. Where as the rest of the Dutch beaches have a small town on the back drop Scheveningen has a large city and city center. This makes it very convenient to make a combination of a beach tour and city tour.

Strand Zuid

With Amsterdam being a mayor city and the nearest beach being about 45 minutes away, someone came up with the clever idea of creating a city beach. In the South of Amsterdam (behind the Rai Event Center) you will find Strand Zuid. Strand Zuid is known for it’s wide range of activities and well accessible location.

Egmond aan Zee is known for being the number on family beach in Holland. As an old fishing village Egmond aan Zee also has a small museum. Furthermore the light house at Egmond aan zee is one that greets every visitor when entering the small town at the beach, so when you are in Egmond aan Zee it might be worth paying a visit to the light house. Yet the one attraction the Egmond aan Zee offers it’s guest are there dunes. The dunes of Egmond aan Zee are a lively place full of wildlife.

Hoek van Holland is the seaside resort town for Rotterdam, the place to be for visitors of all ages. Sunbathing or building sandcastles, watching boats from the Nieuwe Waterweg, strolling through the dunes: Hoek van Holland has it all.