Holland

 

The Netherlands is the central trade in the world which has the largest port in the world. In addition to a disciplined society, obey the rules, this country has 3 important factors in the development of their economies. Three factors are agriculture, mining and manufacturing industries. The people here have a high level of life and prosperity.
 
Holland or the Netherlands?Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of the Netherlands itself and the six islands of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. The official name of this country is the Netherlands, which means 'a country that is in a low land', because most of the land is or below the water surface elevation.Today, the Netherlands is also known as 'Holland', a name that refers to the two provinces located on the west coast, North and South Holland, which is part of the most developed and richest during the 17th century.

SocietyFor decades, the country's historical ties with other parts of the world has brought many foreign nationals residing in the Netherlands brought some of their own ideas and culture. This makes the Netherlands in general to be a nation that is open-minded and tolerant. Dutch society has now become a place of origin for more than 190 different nations.Although the Netherlands became the national language, most people also speak English and often other foreign languages ​​such as German or French.Another characteristic of the Dutch is openness and lugasnya behavior. You can talk as it is, the Dutch are not easily offended.

Tourism
 There are many places that can be seen in the Netherlands, either by walking through the city, take a boat trip on the canal or lake, relax on the beach or walking through the woods and dunes.Many big international music stars are routinely performed in stadiums and smaller venues in the Netherlands. Musicals and theaters are also very popular and the Netherlands has more than 1,000 museums to explore.And do not be surprised if a lot of people wearing orange and partying in the street on Queen's Day or during the international football championship.

Population 
Dutch people are mostly descendants of Germans who settled in the region in ancient times. But the Netherlands also has become a sanctuary for immigrants from many lands. Among them were the Jews who were expelled from Spain and Portugal in the 1500s and persecuted in Germany in the 1900s. Recent immigrants came from the former Dutch colony that is now the independent state of Indonesia and Suriname.LanguageDutch is the main language of the Netherlands. This is a form of Low German spoken in the northern region. This language was first spoken by the Franks. Franks was the Germans who migrated from the east and settled there in the 300s. Dutch language related to modern German and English.In the northern province of Friesland, Frisian language is accepted as an official language along with Dutch standards. Frisian language is a Germanic language closest to English. The Dutch are also taught to speak English.

Religion 
The Dutch were evenly split between Roman Catholic and Protestant. Catholics tend to live in the south, were Protestants living mainly in the north and west. The largest single Protestant sects in this country is the Dutch Reformed Church. The Netherlands is also home to a small number of Jews and Muslims. The Netherlands has a long tradition in terms of religious tolerance. Freedom of worship is guaranteed in the constitution.

Education
 Dutch schools supported by the government. Children must attend school from age 4 to 16 years. After primary school, they can forward it to one of several types of secondary schools, depending on ability. These schools equip students with general education or vocational (trade) or prepare them to enter university. Leiden University, the oldest in the country, founded in 1575.Food and DrinkMost Dutch people are friendly and very loving country. Dutch food is simple and delicious. Cheeses such as Gouda and Edam (named for the cities in which they are produced) enjoyed around the world. Typical winter dish is erwtensoep, the thick pea soup.Indonesian food is very popular. One is rijsttafel ("rice table"), or rice with a variety of meat, fish and vegetable dishes were spiced. Other dishes are fried rice or fried rice with shrimp, pork, or chicken and so on. Fish, especially the salted herring, an important part of Dutch food. Netherlands is also known for various kinds of lager and ale.

Landscape
 Netherlands borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea in the west and north.The Netherlands can be divided into three regions, namely the narrow area of ​​dunes stretching along the North Sea coast; western lowland; and eastern highlands are a little higher. Western lowlands, where most people live in cities that are very close to each other, situated below sea level. This region is protected from the sea by dunes and dykes and dams. Eastern plateau has slowly rolling landscape. The highest point in the province of Limburg in the southeast.Lakes, Rivers and CanalsMany colored lake landscape in the north. The winding river divides the mainland to the North Sea. Canals connect the various parts of the country. Western delta region formed by the three biggest rivers, namely Rijn (Rhine), with branches that much; Maas (Meuse); and Schelde. Many rivers and canals makes the Netherlands is the country with one of the densest network of waterways in the world.

Reclaiming land from the sea 
The western region of the Netherlands was once a large marsh, separated from the North Sea only by the narrow sand dunes. The Netherlands have increased their area through the drying area. Embankment built around the flooded area, and the water pumped by windmills. Drained areas-referred to polder- now make up about a third of the total land area of ​​the Netherlands.Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, one of the busiest airports in the world, built on a polder that was once a lake Haarlem. Today most of the drainage pumps driven by electricity or diesel engine. There are still about 1,000 windmills in the country. They are carefully preserved as a national treasure, but most no longer be used to pump water.A large-scale reclamation projects involving the Zuider Zee (South Sea). Before an inlet of the North Sea, Zuider Zee protected from the sea by the dam and turn into freshwater lakes, now called IJsselmeer (Lake Ijssel). Five large polder created in this area. After years of rainfall remove the salt sea, this area is now a prosperous farm site.Delta Works, the largest water control project in the history of the world, was completed in 1986. The project consists of a series of dams which are placed between the islands that make up the province of Zeeland in the southwest. This area is a disaster in 1953, when the giant waves driven by high winds destroyed the levees. Flooding occurs and killed about 1,800 people and left thousands of people homeless. In addition to reclaiming more land, it is expected that the Delta project will prevent such a disaster from happening again.

Climate
 Moderate climate in the Netherlands. Summer temperatures average around 17 ° C and winter temperatures around 1 ° C. Periods of rain are common. About 760 millimeters of rain fell throughout the year.

Natural resources
The Netherlands has limited natural resources, but it has one of the largest natural gas reserves in the world. Oil mined in the North Sea. Salt are also mined.EconomicsAgriculture, fisheries, shipping, and trade traditionally the main economic activity of the Netherlands. Manufacturing now play a dominant role in the economy. Banking and other services are also vital. The Netherlands is a member of the original European Economic Community, which was established in 1957 and is now called the European Union (EU, European Union).ServiceThe service industry accounts for more than 70 percent of the economy. They employ more than 70 percent of the workforce. From government services to tourism services, banking, and business and personal, the Netherlands has one of the strongest economies in the EU services.ManufacturingManufacturing shaping up to about 26 percent of the economy. This sector employs 23 percent of the workforce. Goods produced primarily processed food, metal and engineering products, machinery and electrical equipment, chemicals, petroleum products, and microelectronics.Agriculture and FisheriesDutch agriculture is usually small. Only about 4 percent of the labor force engaged in agriculture. But agriculture is widely cultivated by mechanical means and produce a surplus for export. The main crops include wheat, flax (used to make linen), oats, potatoes, sugar beets, vegetables, and fruits. Fresh flowers and bulbs, especially tulips, hyacinths and daffodils are also grown in large quantities. All exported worldwide. 

However, the dairy farm is the most important part of the agricultural economy. Most of the land is used for grazing dairy cows. The Netherlands is famous for dairy products such as cheese, milk, and butter. Cattle and other livestock are also raised for meat. Dutch fishing industry has been around for centuries and are still contributing to the economy. The main catches are herring, mackerel, cod, haddock, and eel.

Trading 
The location of this country in the North Sea has made it a natural trading center. Not only trade with many countries around the world, but the ships also carry goods going to and from countries along the River Rhine. The most important trading partners are Belgium, Britain, Germany, USA, France, and Italy.

Transportation 
The Netherlands has a railway line along the 2,808 kilometers that connects all the major cities. The country also has 116 500 kilometers along the highway. International airport located in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.Dutch merchants and sailors ever to make their nation into a leading world power. Port city and port located in Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, and Vlissingen.CommunicationAbout 60 radio stations and 20 television stations broadcast in the Netherlands. Cell phone use continues to rise. And more than 14 million Internet users are served by more than 50 Internet service providers (ISPs). The main daily newspaper in the country, De Telegraaf, published in Amsterdam.Major citiesAmsterdam is the official capital and largest city in the Netherlands. It has a population of approximately 800,000 and is the center of the country trade, banking, and industry Netherlands. Den Haag, with a population of 505,000 inhabitants, located about 48 kilometers south of Amsterdam. This city is the center of the Dutch government and became the site of the International Court, the organ of the United Nations (UN).Rotterdam, with a population of about 615,000 inhabitants, is the second largest city in the country. Rotterdam-Europoort is the biggest port in the world and the gateway to many Western European deliveries. Other famous Dutch city of Haarlem, a city flower market; Groningen, in the north central market; Eindhoven, the industrial center; and the old university cities of Leiden and Utrecht.

Culture HistoryIn the early 1500s, humanism -gerakan intellectual who grew up in the days Renaissance- spread from Italy to northern Europe. Desiderius Erasmus, a Dutch scholar and pastor, became the leading humanists in the north. His writings uphold Christian values ​​while challenging the practices of the Catholic church leaders.

At that time, the Dutch began to produce works of art, an achievement that continues to this day. Among the most famous Dutch master was Hieronymus Bosch, Rembrandt, Frans Hals, Jan. Vermeer, Pieter de Hooch, Jacob van Ruisdael, Vincent van Gogh, Piet Mondrian, and MC Escher.Collection of art hanging in some famous museums in the world. Museums, among others, the Rijksmuseum (National Museum) and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Mauritshuis in The Hague, and the Kröller-Müller Museum in Otterlo near Arnhem. Stedelijk (Municipal) Museum, in Amsterdam, is devoted mainly to modern art.There are modern sculptures are striking in many cities, particularly in Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Utrecht and Amsterdam have a statue dedicated to Anne Frank. He is a German-Dutch Jewish girl who died in a concentration camp during World War II. Diary, published after his death, made him famous. The Netherlands also has several concert halls, such as The Hague Philharmonic, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam. The latter is regarded as one of the best symphony orchestras in the world.Government

Kingdom of the Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. The royal family belongs to the House of Orange-Nassau, founded by William I, Prince of Nassau and Prince of Orange, in the 1500s. All king of the Netherlands in the 1900s was the Queen. Queen Wilhelmina ruled from 1890 to 1948. Queen Juliana reigned from 1948 to 1980 and Queen Beatrix ruled from 1980 to 2013. When Beatrix retired, his son, Willem-Alexander, became king. King serves as head of state. But the leadership of the government lies in the Council of Ministers. Council is headed by a prime minister.The legislative body is the Staten Generaal (States General), consists of two assemblies. 75 members Eerste Kamer (First Assembly) elected by twelve provincial council for a term of 4 years. 150 members of the Tweede Kamer (Second Assembly) directly elected by the people for a term of 4 years. Legislation is done in the Second Assembly and must be approved by the First Assembly. The prime minister and other cabinet members appointed by the king from political parties with a majority in the States-General. The State Council, led by the king and serves as an advisory body. 

Income per capita: $ 42.194
GDP: $ 707 billion
Population: 16.8 million