FUN FACTS ABOUT THE NETHERLANDS

Did you know that the Netherlands is a country full of surprises and interesting facts? Here are some fun facts that you might not have known about this unique country.

• The Netherlands and Holland are used interchangeably to describe the country, but Holland actually refers to only two of its provinces.
• One-quarter of the Netherlands is below sea level, and the country has been working to keep the water at bay for centuries.
• The International Court of Justice is located at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the third-largest city in the Netherlands.
• The Netherlands has approximately 480 inhabitants per square kilometer, making it one of the most densely populated countries in Europe.
• With only 0.008% of the world’s area, the Netherlands is the world’s third-largest agricultural exporter, after the United States and Brazil.
• The Netherlands was one of the European Union’s founding nations, along with Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, and West Germany.
• The Netherlands has over 15,000 kilometers of bike paths, and biking is a popular mode of transportation for many Dutch people.
• Dutch is not only spoken in the Netherlands but also in northern France, Belgium, Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba.
• The Netherlands still has about 1,000 traditional working windmills, which were used for everything from grinding grain to pumping water.
• The Dutch are the tallest people in Europe, with an average height of 1.83 meters for men and 1.69 meters for women.
• Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, is entirely built on piles, as the city is located on marshy land.
• The Netherlands always has a coalition government, which makes it a country of compromises.
• The Netherlands has nearly 1,000 museums, with 42 in Amsterdam alone.
• Almost every Dutch person has a bicycle, and there are twice as many bikes as cars in the country.
• The Netherlands is the world’s eighth-largest exporter, with top exports including machinery, chemicals, and electronic equipment.
• Raw herring with onions is a popular snack in the Netherlands, especially during the summer months.
• About 30% of all Dutch babies are born at home, which is much higher than the global average.
• Amsterdam is home to 22 paintings by Rembrandt and 206 by Van Gogh, making it a great destination for art lovers.
• The Netherlands has the highest number of part-time workers in the European Union, with four in ten people working part-time.
• The highest point in the Netherlands is only 323 meters high and is called a “mountain.”
• A vase of fresh flowers is a common sight in Dutch homes, as the Netherlands is famous for its flower fields and exports.
• Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands, but The Hague is the seat of government and home to many international organizations.
• Most Dutch people speak at least one foreign language, with English being the most common.
• One in every three Dutch people belongs to a sports club, and soccer is the most popular sport in the country.
• After Scandinavians, the Dutch are the world’s biggest coffee drinkers, with a preference for strong coffee with milk.
• People of 200 nationalities live in Amsterdam, making it one of the most diverse cities in the world.
• The Netherlands has one of the youngest populations in the European Union, with a median age of 42.
• When your plane arrives at Schiphol Airport, it lands 4.5 meters below sea level, making it one of the lowest-lying airports in the world.
• The Netherlands has the highest density of fiber-optic cables in Europe, with over 38,000 km of fiber-optic cable laid out across the country.
• Amsterdam is often referred to as the “Venice of the North” due to its network of picturesque canals and waterways. In total, there are over 1,200 bridges that span these canals throughout the city.
• A longstanding Dutch tradition is for students who have passed their final exams to hang a Dutch flag and a school bag outside their homes. This signals to their community that they have completed their studies and are ready to move on to the next phase of their lives.