Culture
The Netherlands has a very unique culture. The Dutch are known
throughout the world for their liberal attitude and tolerance of a
wide range of life-style choices.
The Dutch tend to speak their minds - you may either find this
refreshing, or rude.
The Dutch believe in the concept of gezellig,
which, roughly translated, means a warm, comforting feeling that
you are doing the right thing by working towards the well-being of
everyone.
Food and Drink
The main draw of traditional Dutch cuisine is the extremely
large portions. You will often receive generous helpings of
potatoes and meat of various types (often fried meatballs) with
vegetables.
There is always a wide range of international foods available.
Flavours from nearby European countries, especially France, mix
with those from far-flung ex-colonies such as Indonesia and
Surinam. You can get pretty much whatever you want, especially in
the cities and larger towns.
History
Like the majority of European cities, the Netherlands's modern
history largely begins with the Roman occupation. Belgium and
Luxembourg, together known as the Low Countries, were originally
invaded at the expense of the Celtic and Germanic tribes that
inhabited the area.
In more recent times, the country managed to remain neutral
through World War One, but endured a brutal German occupation in
World War Two when the majority of the Jewish population was
deported and the city of Rotterdam completely destroyed. Anne
Frank's house in Amsterdam, one of the most poignant symbols of the
holocaust, remains as a moving reminder of this destruction.
Did you know?
Amsterdam has 1,281 bridges.
The Netherlands still has about 1,000 traditional working
windmills.
75% of the world's flower bulb production comes from
Netherlands.
| Capital |
Amsterdam |
| Official language |
Dutch |
| Currency |
Euro |
| Time zone |
Central European Time |
| Population |
16.6 million |
