Embedded Files
The Netherlands is a country in northwest Europe known for its flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills, and cycling paths.
The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and the house where Jewish diarist Anne Frank hid during WWII are all located in Amsterdam, the capital.
From the city's 17th-century "Golden Age," canalside mansions and a trove of works by artists such as Rembrandt and Vermeer remain.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the official name of the country, which was founded in 1815.
Neanderthal traces have been discovered near Maastricht, dating back at least 250,000 years.
The Netherlands has 20 national parks, as well as hundreds of woods and lakes.
The Dutch were the first to legalise same-sex marriage. It happened in 2001.
The Netherlands has a long North Sea coastline. Only 50% of the country's land is higher than one metre above sea level, with the majority of the areas below sea level man-made.
Amsterdam is the most densely populated city in the Netherlands, with at least 200 different nationalities living there.
According to the 2013 United Nations World Happiness Report, the Netherlands is one of the world's happiest countries! It is ranked fourth in the world in terms of happiness.
The Dutch are the world's biggest licorice consumers. Every year, they consume 32 million kilos of licorice.
In the Netherlands, there are still over 1,000 traditional working windmills. 19 of these can be found at the Kinderdijk Unesco World Heritage Site. They were historically used to pump water from low-lying land back to the sea.
The Dutch national airline, KLM (Koninklijke Luchtvaartmaatschappij or "Royal Airline Company"), is the world's oldest. It was established in 1919.
There are almost no streets in the Dutch village of Giethoorn, but there are lots of canals, which is why it's also known as the "Venice of the Netherlands".
According to the International Monetary Fund, the Netherlands has the thirteenth highest per capita income in the world.
Philips, a Dutch company, invented the audiotape, videotape, and CD in Eindhoven.
Amsterdam is now Europe's fifth-busiest tourist destination, with over 4.2 million international visitors. The Netherlands is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Western Europe.
Amsterdam is entirely supported by 11-meter-deep wooden poles. This is because its soil is made up of thick layers of clay and fen.
The Netherlands has approximately 15,000 km of bike lanes. All of this cycling must contribute to the Dutch people's long life expectancy.
The Dutch are the tallest people in the world, with an average height of 1.81-1.84 metres for adult males and 1.67-1.70 metres for women (depending on the source).
In the Netherlands, there are more bikes (18 million) than people.
Planes at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport land 3 to 4.5 metres below sea level.
Tulips are famous in the Netherlands, but they did not originate there. In the 17th century, they were imported from the Ottoman Empire. Tulip mania began with the importation of the bulbs. Due to their immense popularity, bulb prices skyrocketed during this time period.
The Netherlands is now the world's largest producer and exporter of tulips. The tulip fields are also a popular tourist attraction in the Netherlands. Tourists flock to see the world-famous spring flower parade.
The Netherlands produces 75% of the world's flower bulbs, making it the most floral country on the planet!
The Royal Palace in Dam Square is supported by at least 13,659 wooden poles.
Home births are very common in the Netherlands, accounting for 30% of all Dutch babies.
Almost 17% of the land area in the Netherlands has been reclaimed from lakes and the sea. This translates to 26% of the country being below sea level.
The Dutch Max Havelaar certificate was the world's first fairtrade certification.
Because the land is so flat, the highest point in the Netherlands, at 323 metres, is referred to as a mountain. Vaalserberg is the highest point in the Netherlands.
The Zuidplaspolder, located seven metres below sea level, is the Netherlands' lowest point.
The "Wilhelmus," the Dutch national anthem, is the oldest still in use. It was written in 1568 and has been used ever since, though it was only designated as the official national anthem in 1932.
The national flag of the Netherlands is also the oldest tricolour flag, dating back to 1572.
Rotterdam, the second largest city in the Netherlands, has Europe's largest seaport.
The European Cyclists' Federation named the Netherlands and Denmark the most bike-friendly countries in Europe in 2013. Especially with all those bicycles!
The Netherlands was a founding member of the Eurozone, exchanging its "gulden" (guilder) for euros on January 1, 1999.
The Amsterdam Stock Exchange is next on the list of facts about the Netherlands. The world's oldest man is Hendrik D-de Keyser.
Many well-known painters have come from the Netherlands, including Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent van Gogh, and Willem de Kooning. In Amsterdam alone, there are at least 22 Rembrandt paintings and 206 Van Gogh works.
Amsterdam has an astounding 1,281 bridges.
The microscope was invented in the 16th century in the Netherlands.
Smith & Jones, Europe's first and only addiction clinic, is located in Amsterdam. It treats everything from gambling addiction to substance abuse to video game addiction.
The world's largest flower garden is the famous tulip garden Keukenhof.
Rutger Hauer (Blade Runner), Famke Janssen (X-Men), and Carice van Houten are among the well-known Dutch actors (Game of Thrones).
The Netherlands has the highest cable density in Europe.
Pedestrians are not permitted to walk on the specially designated bike lanes that can be found throughout the country.
When students in the Netherlands pass their exams, a Dutch flag and a school bag are hung outside their homes.
The average Dutch person cycles 2.5 kilometres per day, or 900 kilometres per year.
The country has approximately 1000 museums, 42 of which are located in Amsterdam. The Netherlands has the world's highest concentration of museums.
Since 1815, the Netherlands has been a constitutional monarchy, and since 1848, it has been a parliamentary democracy. It has always been governed by a coalition.
The telescope was invented in the 17th century in the Netherlands.
Although Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, The Hague is the seat of government.
New York City was originally known as "New Amsterdam," and it was founded as a Dutch colony.
The Dutch were the first to discover Australia and New Zealand. Australia was named after the Dutch province of New Holland, and New Zealand was named after the Dutch province of Zeeland.
Clogs (wooden shoes), miniature windmills, cheese, and tulips are among the most popular tourist souvenirs from the Netherlands.
Although the Portuguese discovered tea in East Asia, it was the Dutch who began commercially importing it into Europe in 1610.
Raw herrings with onions are a popular Dutch snack.
Despite occupying only 0.008% of the global surface, the Netherlands is the world's second largest agricultural exporter, trailing only the United States. In 2019, the Netherlands exported agricultural goods worth nearly 95 billion Euros.
The neutrality of Dutch foreign policy has always distinguished it.
The Dutch have the lowest incidence of lactose intolerance of any country, at only 1%.
Groningen is home to Europe's largest bar. The "Drie Gezusters" ("Three Sisters") can accommodate 3,700 people.
The country is the world's largest cheese exporter, with a dairy products industry worth an astounding €7 billion.
Since 400 A.D., the Dutch have been making cheese.
Because of the strong winds, people in the Netherlands wear rain suits instead of umbrellas.
The Netherlands was one of the European Union's six founding members.
The Netherlands produces 70% of the world's bacon.
In the Netherlands, four out of every ten people work part-time. This is the highest figure in the European Union.
King's Day is a well-known holiday in the Netherlands. Everyone takes the day off to celebrate the monarch's birthday.
The Dutch are big coffee drinkers; the Netherlands ranks fifth in the world in terms of coffee consumption.
In Amsterdam alone, there are over 250 coffee shops.
The Dutch have the highest level of English proficiency in the world. The Netherlands has the most non-native English speakers of any country on the planet.
Google Sites
Report abuse