How many amazing paintings by famous Dutch artists can be seen in any gallery in the world, how many stunning types of Dutch flowers are sold all over the globe, and how many fascinating adventure novels take place on the territory of the Dutch lands! Everyone, at least once in their life, has heard something about this country: beautiful houses, many flower fields, legalized prostitution and much more. This unusual country often becomes the topic of television programs that talk about its dissimilarity from other European countries and even more so from the countries of the East.
A large number of tourists are eager to get to Holland to look at the huge number of bicycles, hemp, which is openly grown in gardens near the house. But, when trying to get into this country and submitting documents to the embassy for a visa, you will receive permission to enter the Netherlands, not Holland. Many people feel stupefied in this situation and try to change their visa. Why is Holland called the Netherlands, isn’t it the same country? Our article will answer this question.
Mysterious European country
The Netherlands and Holland - what's the difference? To some extent, this question is one and the same country, but on the other hand, not entirely. According to any encyclopedia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a composite sovereign state in Western Europe.
The word "Netherlands" can be translated as "lower lands". This name originated in the Middle Ages, since most of the country's territories were below sea level, in lowlands and depressions. That is why for many residents of the Netherlands, a mountain with a height of 300-400 meters is considered huge and impossible to climb. There is a little joke that says that because of the country’s citizens’ dislike of heights, such mundane laws were adopted that allowed too much, unlike neighboring countries.
The Netherlands was historically called that way. For the indigenous population of the country, there is simply no other name. This country is quite rich, both culturally and historically. The territory of the Netherlands was occupied by enemy German troops. Perhaps it was after those difficult times that the government began to care even more about its citizens. After all, it is here that the highest benefits are for the unemployed and people of retirement age, the sale of drugs is legalized and prostitution is legalized, and all girls in this profession pay taxes.
A short summary of all of the above: the Netherlands is a state!
What is Holland and where is it located?
Holland is just a province of the Netherlands, or rather two provinces - South and North Holland. The territories of these provinces were formed during the Middle Ages and remain the same to this day. But most often, when talking about the merits of Holland, these provinces are not separated from each other, they are spoken of as a single whole.
Since the sixteenth century, Holland has been the main territory of the entire country. It was here that traders from all over Europe flocked, because trade was very developed here. All the people of Europe without hesitation said that they bought this or that item in a country called Holland, although the country had a completely different name. Sailors from this country have also always presented themselves as Dutch, as in the famous ship "Flying Dutchman".
On the territory of the Russian Kingdom, Holland became known after the European travels of the famous first Emperor Peter I. The great Russian figure praised the craftsmen from distant Holland and admired its technical achievements. It was this country that he set as an example, and it was along its path that the Russian Empire began to develop.
Conclusion
Another reason why many people confuse the two concepts is that it is in the province of Holland that all the most important events take place and the most important government institutions are located, and not in the capital Amsterdam. Therefore, the fact was born that the city of The Hague, located in the western part of Holland, is the unofficial capital. And of course, all significant events for tourists take place in Holland.
In the end, I would like to summarize what is the correct name for this attractive state in Europe. When conducting business negotiations or writing documents, it is still necessary to use the name “Netherlands”. When conducting a conversation with a friend or with a travel agency operator, you can use “Holland”, although there is one small “but”: when conducting conversations with residents of Europe, it is better to also use the word “Netherlands”, it is more familiar to them, and this will once again emphasize your erudition.
Are the Netherlands and Holland the same thing? Yes and no. How to look.
Kingdom of the Netherlands- a densely populated European state. Borders with Germany and Belgium. Includes some Caribbean islands (St Eustatius, Saba, Bonaire), washed by the North Sea.
The name of the state is translated as “lower lands”. In the Middle Ages, this territory was called the “Low Countries” (plus Belgium). Well, fair enough. After all, most of the state is below sea level. An elevation of over three hundred meters is considered by local residents to be a high mountain. Perhaps for this reason, the population, when developing rights and responsibilities, easily took into account their “mundane desires”, thanks to which there is no need to break the law in order to feel flight and free-thinking. When a lot of things are allowed, there are almost no temptations left, and everyone lives in peace and harmony.
The Netherlands was originally called that way. There is no other name for the population of the country. From the beginning of the nineteenth century to this day there has been a monarchy here. Only today it is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
The country developed its own culture and had its own language. The state experienced each historical turn in its own way. If you managed to stay away during the First World War, then the Second World War did not pass you by. For five years this area was occupied by Germany. The Marshall Plan, created by the United States of America, helped the country recover quickly.
Today, this area pays great attention to the social rights of all segments of the population. It has the highest unemployment benefits and pensions. This is one of those rare places where residents are almost 100% satisfied with their government and the laws adopted. For example, prostitution and the sale of weed are legalized here.
Thus, The Netherlands is a full-fledged state. With its own language, with its own territory, history, culture. The country has its own path of development, its own view of the life of its population. Then why is the Netherlands called Holland? Where exactly are the two countries that are so often confused?
Most developed province
Holland is a province of the Netherlands. Surprisingly, this is a fact. One of the provinces. Or rather, two. Because they distinguish between North Holland and South Holland.
The northern part of this area became territorially isolated back in the sixteenth century. South - much later, at the end of the eighteenth. But here we will talk about Holland in general. To make it easier.
So here it is. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, Holland was the most important province of an amazing country, the most developed in many respects. It was known to all states that had trade relations with the Netherlands. So they called the entire territory “Holland”.
People also thought little about how one name differs from another. “Holland” became widespread among the Slavs after the visit of Peter the Great to the northern country. The Russian Tsar praised only the technically developed part of the country. He didn’t even mention the name of the entire state in his stories. Writers and poets contributed to the rooting of “wrongness” in Russian minds. This remains the case to this day.
There is some degree of justice here. Take, for example, the capitals of the Netherlands, official and unofficial. The official capital, Amsterdam, is located in the northern part of the country. Here the monarch swears allegiance to the Constitution. Unofficial, factual - The Hague - in the South. The royal residence is located here, the Government meets, and many foreign embassies are located. That is, the most important events in the Netherlands take place in the provinces of Holland.
But still. How should you choose the right name when mentioning this amazing area?
In official speeches and documents – “Netherlands”. On tourist sites, in fiction, in an art museum, in a flower shop - “Holland”. By the way, the second name is used more by the Russian-speaking population than by people speaking other languages.
Consequently, the Dutch nationality also does not exist, and the entire indigenous population is correctly called Dutch. However, in Russian colloquial speech both options are acceptable. As for the language, it is Dutch, and Dutch is one of its dialects.
In fact, you cannot put an equal sign between Holland and the Netherlands. Moreover, there are two Hollands: North and South. They are only two of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is a densely populated European state. Borders with Germany and Belgium. It includes some islands of the Caribbean Sea (St. Eustatius, Saba, Bonaire) and is washed by the North Sea.
The name of the state is translated as “lower lands”. In the Middle Ages, this territory was called the “Low Countries” (plus Belgium). Well, fair enough. After all, most of the state is below sea level. A height of over three hundred meters is considered by local residents to be a high mountain. Perhaps for this reason, the population, when developing rights and responsibilities, easily took into account their “mundane desires”, thanks to which there is no need to break the law in order to feel flight and free-thinking. When a lot of things are allowed, there are almost no temptations left, and everyone lives in peace and harmony.
The Netherlands was originally called that way. There is no other name for the population of the country. From the beginning of the nineteenth century to this day there has been a monarchy here. Only today it is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
The country developed its own culture and had its own language. The state experienced each historical turn in its own way. If you managed to stay away during the First World War, then the Second World War did not pass you by.
Thus, the Netherlands is a full-fledged state. With its own language, with its own territory, history, culture. The country has its own path of development, its own view of the life of its population. Then why is the Netherlands called Holland? Where exactly are the two countries that are so often confused?
The reason for the current confusion is historical. Back in the 17th century, sea vessels sailed from North and South Holland to Arkhangelsk. Being natives of these provinces, the merchants presented themselves as Dutch in Russia. Peter I brought even greater confusion. In 1697-1698, during a diplomatic mission to Western Europe, he visited the Netherlands, or rather, the most developed regions of the country - both Holland. When he returned, he began to talk not about the Netherlands, but about Holland, which only strengthened the Russians’ misconception about the name of the country.
Now these provinces are no less important in the life of the Netherlands than before. Amsterdam, which is located in North Holland, serves as the financial and cultural capital.
The seat of the Dutch government and parliament is located in The Hague, which is the center of South Holland. At the same time, the monarch takes the oath in Amsterdam. Even the government's travel website is called holland.com. This was done in order to maintain a friendlier image of the state and at the same time get into the top of search queries.
By the way, the confusion between Holland and the Netherlands exists not only in the Russian language. For example, in Greece, the country is colloquially called Hollandia (Ολλανδία), but the official name remains Kato-Hores (Κάτω Χώρες), which literally translates as “lower lands”, in fact, like the Netherlands. It is even more difficult for the British and Americans, since for them this country was at different times called the Dutch Republic, the United States of Belgium and the Kingdom of Holland.
However, calling the Netherlands Holland, meaning the state, is as absurd as calling the United States, for example, Florida or Texas.
Most people believe that these are synonymous words that refer to the same state. In fact, there is a noticeable difference between them.
To understand how Holland differs from the Netherlands, it is enough to know just three facts:
- The Netherlands is a vast country whose territories extend far beyond Western Europe, since several Caribbean islands are also part of it.
- The Netherlands includes twelve provinces, only two of which are called South and North Holland.
- The monarch takes the oath in the city - the official capital of the Netherlands, and in accordance with the Constitution of this state.
Thus, the correct name of the country is the Netherlands, whose capital is Amsterdam. And Holland is only part of the country in the form of two provinces.
More than half of the state's territory is located below sea level. Literally translated, the word "Netherlands" means "lower lands". A considerable share of lowlands falls on North and South Holland. The first mentions of these territories date back to the 14th century, and they belonged not only to the borders of the Netherlands defined today, but also captured parts of Belgium and Luxembourg.
Why do we have an established concept that Holland and the Netherlands are one and the same? The Great Embassy of Peter I is to blame for everything. The fact is that these two provinces at the end of the 17th century were the most developed in a technical sense. Moreover, the inhabitants of South and North Holland themselves represented their country by the names of these provinces. The arrival and training of Peter I in maritime affairs took place precisely in these territories, hence the habit that took root over several centuries.
We often hear about famous artists, luxurious flowers, large numbers and the tallest people in the world. In addition, the country is famous for its legalized prostitution, where “workers” officially pay taxes to the treasury.
Without exaggeration, all residents of the Netherlands can be called unusual people. Where else can you see marijuana being grown legally near your home, a complete refusal to use curtains on your windows, or a desire to only ride old, weighted bicycles?
Country "Tulipia"
The export of various flowers reaches colossal proportions. The Dutch (or the Netherlands, if you prefer) really know a lot about floriculture. The period of import of tulips to the countries of Southern and Western Europe occurred in the 16th century, when the state was experiencing economic growth.
There was also a stroke of luck: flowers grown everywhere in the Netherlands were affected by a virus that expanded their color range. This allowed tulips to become more exotic and expensive. Collecting quickly grew into the booming trade that we see today.
Height matters
Having figured out the difference between Holland or the Netherlands, and what is the correct name for this unusual country, let’s move on to a mystery that world scientists have not been able to solve for a long time. Just think about it, the height of local men is on average 1.85 meters, which is 11 cm more than the statistical average in Russia.
It was previously assumed that this order of things arose as a result of an enhanced diet enriched with meat and dairy products. This turned out to be partly true, but the main reason was called evolution in action. It was natural selection that led to such extraordinary growth, since women more often chose tall men as life partners.
Exercise bike
Both the queen and the princes, as well as absolutely all residents of the Netherlands, travel by car. Moreover, in the arsenal there are, as a rule, two bicycles, one of which cannot be called modern, since it has a heavy design, and this often refers to outdated equipment. The reason is obvious: where have you seen the fat Dutchman?
The lifestyle of these people is closely related to cycling, which helps them always feel great and not pollute the environment. That is why, according to the law of this country, cyclists have right of way on the road.
Holland vs Netherlands
The Netherlands and Holland are understood as the same country by many people. People use the names "Holland" and "Netherlands" interchangeably. This is the same tendency as using "United Kingdom" and "England" interchangeably, which is called "pars pro toto, taking part as a whole". The simplest way to explain the difference between Holland and the Netherlands is that the Netherlands is a country, and one of its regions is called Holland.
There are actually two different provinces: North Holland and South Holland, which are in the western part of the Netherlands. It is a maritime region and is located in the North Sea. In common language, "Netherlands" called "Holland" and "Holland" are called "Netherlands" are acceptable. The people living in the province of Holland and other provinces of the Netherlands, called Dutch, are also universally recognized, but the people are not highly valued by the people living in other provinces of the Netherlands than the Holland region.
The Netherlands is a country located in northwestern Europe. It is officially known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It has land in the Caribbean. To the north and west is the North Sea; in the south - Belgium, and in the West - Great Britain and Germany. These are mainly coastal lowlands, and the climate in general is northern maritime, with mild winters and cool summers. The people living in the Netherlands are predominantly Dutch, but there are also other large minority communities of Turks and Moroccans. The people are predominantly Protestant, Catholic and Muslim.
The language spoken in the country as a whole is Dutch, which is also called "Netherlands" by people living in provinces other than North and South Holland. There are twelve provinces in the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democracy and has a constitutional monarch.
People living in Holland are called "Dutch" by the people of the country. It does not include people from other provinces of the country, but many people (foreigners) mistakenly consider them to be from any part of the Netherlands.
In Holland the language is predominantly Dutch. The Dutch call it Holland instead of "Netherland Islands", which is used to refer to the Dutch by people from other provinces of the Netherlands. People in other provinces of the Netherlands refer to people with a Dutch dialect as "Dutch".
The region of North and South Holland together consists of the three largest cities in the Netherlands, which are the seat of government, The Hague; Amsterdam, the capital of the country; and Rotterdam, Europe's largest port.
1. The Netherlands, officially known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a country in northwestern Europe. Holland, or South and North Holland, are two provinces in the western part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 2. People living in the Netherlands in general are called Dutch; people living in Holland are specifically called Dutch. 3. The language spoken in the Netherlands is sometimes called "Netherlands"; The language spoken by people in Holland is called Dutch. These are different dialects of the Dutch language.
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