Holland or the Netherlands? This question will perplex many people. Next, we will try to deal with this issue, as well as find out details about this country and its inhabitants.
Holland: country overview
What do you know about this state? Holland is a country of tulips, windmills and beautiful European architecture. This is the birthplace of Van Gogh and Rembrandt. The famous Dutch cheese was invented here , and the main symbols of the country are clay pipes and wooden shoes.
The state is officially called the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It includes the Netherlands themselves and 6 territories in the Caribbean. They include Aruba, Sint Maarten, Curacao (self-governing states), Saba, Bonaire and Sint Eustatius (have special community status). The name "Netherlands" is translated from Dutch as "low land", since most of the country is below sea level.
The European part of the kingdom, directly the Netherlands, is located in the north-west of Europe. Germany is the neighbor in the east, Belgium is in the south, and the North Sea surrounds the country from the north and west. The capital is Amsterdam, although in fact the Hague is considered the main city, it is there that the residence of the ruling monarch and parliament are located.
History reference
Now, two names are used to designate one state - Holland and the Netherlands. It is important that the first is popular, it has been fixed historically, the second is official and more correct. How did it all start?
One of the first in the territory of the modern kingdom were Germanic tribes. Later, the Romans began to occupy these lands. In the Middle Ages, the Netherlands consisted of many separate duchies, which subsequently merged into the Hanseatic League.
In the 15th century, under the rule of the Spanish Habsburgs, the duchies united with Luxembourg and Belgium into a single state called the Lower Lands, or the Netherlands. Spain impeded the development of a new association. In the course of the struggle for its independence, the Netherlands became the first country in the world where a bourgeois revolution took place .
Having gained independence in 1648 and becoming the Republic of the United Provinces, the state is experiencing a “Golden Age” in its development. The main role in the economic recovery was played by two provinces of the republic - South and North Holland. Outside the state, they were better known, therefore, for many Europeans, the terms Holland and the Netherlands meant the same thing, although this is not true.
In 1814, the state was renamed the Netherlands Kingdom. In the XIX century, Belgium and Luxembourg left the union. And for the remaining lands, the name Netherlands was fixed.
Holland population
In 2016, approximately 17 million people lived in the country. Recently, the population of Holland is growing rapidly. Apart from the dwarf states, the Netherlands is the most populous European power. In the world in this indicator, it takes fifteenth place. The population density per square kilometer is 405 people.
The rural population is about 10%. The bulk of the population lives in the polycentric city agglomeration - Randstad. It includes the city of Utrecht, which is the largest railway junction in the state. It also includes the largest Dutch port of Rotterdam, Eindhoven - the center of high technology, The Hague, Amsterdam and Leiden - the city of universities.
Outside the country, the Dutch mainly live in Belgium (6-7 million). About five million settled in the United States, more than two million are residents of South Africa. The rest settled in Canada, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, South America and the UK.
Ethnicity and Religion
The composition of the population of Holland is characterized by homogeneity. About 84% of the inhabitants are ethnic Dutch and Flemish. The structure of Holland, more precisely, among its citizens, also includes friezes. Among the minorities in the country, the smallest Germans are about 2%.
In recent years, the population of Holland replenished with migrants from Africa and Asia. Non-European residents now account for approximately 9%. Among them are Turks, Indonesians, Indians, Moroccans, Surinamese, natives of Aruba, Antilles, etc.
Protestantism and Catholicism are the main religious beliefs in the Netherlands. More than 60% of people profess them. Muslims make up about 7%. The rest of the population adheres to Hinduism, Buddhism and other beliefs.
Which Dutch really?
There are many stereotypes about the inhabitants of the Netherlands. The most persistent of them tells about the use of narcotic substances by citizens. But, despite the fact that marijuana is allowed in the country, the Netherlands use it much less than many other Europeans.
In some ways, the inhabitants of the kingdom sometimes resemble Germans. They love accuracy and punctuality, planning in the diary even a meeting with close relatives and friends. The Dutch are famous for restraint and will never go into other people's affairs. At the same time, they are very honest and straightforward. If you need to give an assessment to something, then they will not dissemble, they will give everything out as it is.
Most of the country's inhabitants go in for sports all year round and monitor their health. Every Dutchman's favorite transport is a bike. True, they also like to eat tasty food. A traditional dish is herring with onions, as well as french fries with mayonnaise.
Conclusion
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a small West European country with a very complicated history. The first German tribes settled on its expanses , probably this affected the character and lifestyle of the Dutch. Most of the population prefers to live within their own country, traveling only to countries with more favorable weather. The Netherlands makes up more than 80% of all residents, thereby preserving their culture and language.