| The Netherlands is a
Western European country, facing onto the North Sea (and the UK) and bordered on
land by Germany and Belgium. The people,
language, and culture of the Netherlands are referred to as "Dutch". The
Netherlands is divided into 12 provinces. The western part (Holland) is the most
industrialized and about half of the population lives in and around this area.
Capital Amsterdam
offers impressive architecture, lovely canals and great shopping. There is
something for every traveler's taste here, whether you prefer culture and
history, serious partying, or just the charm of an old European city.
The Hague
('s-Gravenhage / Den Haag) is the seat of the Dutch government, place of
residence of the Queen, Juridical Capital of the World due to the seat of the
International Court of Justice, International Criminal Court and Peace Palace.
The official language in the Netherlands is Dutch or Nederlands, as some say
evolved from a Neder-German dialect. In the Northern part they also have the
Frisian language as the second official language in the province of Friesland.
Some city names and inhabitants are bilingual. Due to the historic dominance by
surrounding countries such as Germany, France and Great-Britain, and conquest by
Spain, the language was influenced by the German, French and English languages
and vice-versa. |
Welcome to The
Netherlands, one of Europe's nice countries. Many people have been
impressed by it's small sized cities, it's friendly people and the perfect
accommodations and restaurants. Your vacation in Holland, as it is also called,
is not complete without a visit to the Keukenhof with it's thousands of tulips
and other flowers.