About Holland

General information

The name:

Although many refer to the country as "Holland", that's technically not correct.
Holland is a part of the Netherlands, two provinces in the west of the Netherlands called North-Holland and South-Holland.
The capital of The Netherlands, Amsterdam, is located in the province of North-Holland; The Hague - where the government resides - and Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, are in South-Holland. On this site when we talk about Holland, we mean The Netherlands.

Form of Government:

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy and the present head of state is King Willem Alexander(1967). He is crowned king in 2013, and is the first King in more than 120 years, after 3 Queens ruled the country before he took over from his mother Queen Beatrix. Queen Wilhelmina, grandmother of Queen Beatrix, became Queen at age 10(!) in 1890 when her father, King Willem III died. Queen Juliana was head of state from 1948 until 1980.

Water:

At least 25% of the country would be under water if it wasn't protected by the dikes.
Holland is protected against flooding by a huge system of dikes and other barriers along the coast and the rivers (Rhine, Meuse). A complicated system of drainage ditches, canals and pumping stations keep the low lying parts dry for habitation and agriculture. Many of windmills that are so typical for the Dutch landscape were used to keep the water out of low areas. The eternal fight against the water has been headed by the world's finest hydraulic engineers, mainly educated at the Technical University in the city of Delft.
The Delta Works, an impressive project of several dams and barriers to protect the South-West of the Netherlands is world famous

Economy:

Measured by the number of inhabitants The Netherlands with its 16.5 million people is on rank 61 in the world.
In the list of the world's economic powers it ranks on number 16 with a GDP of around $ 800 billion and ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita.
Foreign trade has always been an important part of the Dutch economy. Rotterdam has the largest port in Europe, with the rivers Meuse and Rhine providing excellent access to the hinterland upstream reaching to Basel, Switzerland and into France.
The main exports are machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels and foodstuffs.
Internationally well known Dutch companies include Unilever and Heineken (food processing), ING (financial services), DSM (chemicals), Shell (petroleum refining), and Philips and ASML (electrical machinery).
Being one of the 16 sovereign states of the EuroZone, Holland's currency is the Euro (€).

Nice to know:

The Netherlands is a country where expats can adapt easily. The Dutch are generally hospitable and friendly to foreigners. Dutch cities are extremely well planned, and very liveable where each has a character of its own. With the abundance of social and cultural activities available, living in the Netherlands can be a special and rewarding experience. By many, the Netherlands might not be a seen as a retirement haven. Nevertheless, the Netherlands is ideal for working expats.

The Dutch are known for their tolerance of other religions, viewpoints and customs. This is one of a very few countries to let resident aliens vote in local elections and the privilege may be expanded to national elections.
The Dutch strive for an egalitarian society, where every citizen expects to be treated with respect and has the same rights regardless of job or income. For instance, top executives are outgoing and do not stick out of the crowd by dressing differently or drive luxurious cars.

The standard of living is high, and unemployment rate is quite low when compared to other European countries. As a matter of fact, in particular knowledge workers are extremely welcome! The social welfare system is generous and only about 6% of the population falls below poverty line. The rate of violent crimes is low with only 1.2 death related crimes per 100,000 inhabitants as opposed to 8.2 per 100,000 in the U.S.

A downside of the Netherlands is the infinite red tape one has to go thorugh when settling in the country. There are laws for everything and the tiniest thing of possession has to be accounted for and declared! The Dutch tolerance is visible as well in certain acts which are officially illegal but are not prosecuted for instance soft drugs such as marijuana and euthanasia. Although being not legal they are in a way tolerated.

The Dutch value their privacy and do not appreciate anyone's dropping in unexpectedly. When someone gets invited, it is generally for a cup of coffee and a piece of 'vlaai'. Dinner is usually served sometime between 1800 to 1900. In case one is invited to join a Dutch family for dinner be punctual and bring along a symbolic present such as flowers or a bottle of wine. In case you are doubting what to take, flowers are always welcome. Between friends, Dutch kiss or rather touch cheeks three times: right, left, right. Those who do not know each other well shake hands at first.

Dutch love conversations and discussing actual news. Politics and sports the two most popular topics. On the other hand, avoid talking about hot topics such as the fact that prostitution is legal or drugs.

Birthday parties are rooted in the Dutch culture and celebrated by everyone. Generall, the person having the birthday is expected to take a cake to share with colleagues at work and invite family members for a piece of 'vlaai'.

When it comes to business, after shaking hands and introducing yourself, get down to business without too much socializing or small talk. Dutch like to be straight to the point during negotiations and are not particularly fond of indirect strategies.

The Dutch are proud of their sparkling clean homes and leave the curtain open to display them. Moreover, the Dutch are very fond of their gardens and take every opportunity to relax and do some gardening when the weather is nice and the sun shines!