40+ Details From the Life of the Dutch That Prove the Netherlands Is a Whole New World

The Netherlands is made up of 12 provinces — two of which are North Holland and South Holland. This is because Holland used to contribute the most in terms of monetary value.

So, the name “Holland” kind of stuck as the country’s name in many people’s minds. That is until last year the Dutch government opted for change and decided to officially name it the “Netherlands” to create a new image of the country in international eyes.

According to research done by the United Nations, the Netherlands is one of the most densely populated countries in Europe, with numbers of over 17 million. The Netherlands spans a total distance of 33,720 kilometers — meaning that, for each square per kilometer, there’s an estimated 508 residents.

Most of the population has found their home in modern and developed locations, and more than 40% live in Randstad. This is an amalgam of all the major cities in the Netherlands.

You’d probably be surprised to find out that the Netherlands is one of the lowest-lying countries as it sits well below sea level. It’s estimated that about 60% of the population resides in areas that are over 16 feet below sea level.

This rings true for the country as its name translates to0′ lowlands.’ If you’re afraid of waking up to finding your home submerged, then don’t fret. The country is prepared to deal with this with a water pumping system to keep everything dry.

Mental health is a big issue for many people nowadays. So, if you ever feel down, then a trip to the Netherlands might be just what you need. According to the World Happiness Report, which is a real thing, the Netherlands ranks sixth when it comes to how happy its people are.

The Dutch are a joyful bunch. Their ease in making connections with others and their freedom has helped to better their moods. They also have a greater life expectancy than some of their neighboring countries.

It’s easy to get swept away by the food, especially when it tastes so great. However, too much of a good thing will often dish out some side effects for your body and health.

The Dutch follow a healthy diet and lifestyle to keep themselves fit — this has led to them earning the number one spot when it comes to proper nutrition. Despite their sweet tooth, the Netherlands is one of the largest exporters of vegetables, and there are plenty of veggies around for the Dutch to partake in.

Health and happiness are an important focus for the Dutch, which is one of the reasons why they’re able to stay physically active and maintain a fit and healthy body. The estimation is that about 56% of the population takes part in an active sport.

This has helped the country reach the top in Europe in terms of how physically active its residents are. The main reason is that the Dutch love cycling around — so much so, in fact, that the Netherlands even has a bike path spanning 20,000 km long for any and all bikers.

If you didn’t know that the Dutch were the first to create a stock market, then you’ll be even more surprised to find out how long ago it was created. Dutch legislators and businessmen needed a way to fund the Dutch East India Company and its trade route, which resulted in the first-ever stock market in 1602.

The Amsterdam stock exchange followed and many businesses now have the Netherlands to thank for creating the stock exchange system that’s currently in use.

There are 17 million residents in the Netherlands and a total of 22 million bikes in the country. This means that there are more bikes than there are people. The Netherlands love their bikes and will often use them for daily outings, with some parents attaching a side box so that their children can ride along with them.

This availability of bikes helps keep the residents physically active. Unfortunately, the downside is that with so many bikes available, there are also a lot of bike thefts.

When moving to a new country, there are always a lot of hurdles to face, which stem from not being able to adjust to the language. This is not a big issue in the Netherlands, as the Dutch are some of the best English-speaking people around.

In the Netherlands, more than 90% of the population is fluent in English. So, it’s easy to ask for help if you ever get lost. Over 94% also speak at least two languages, which is more than most European countries.

Meeting new people in a foreign country can be scary, but that fear is squashed when you find someone with a similar background. More than three million residents come from different parts of the world, making it easy to find someone to relate to.

This mixture of culture and diversity creates a greeting point for many people across the world. More than half of them come from the Middle East, and this has also created diversity in the foods available in the Netherlands.

The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch, but they have another language called Frisian. This is only spoken by about 400,000 out of about 10 million locals. This means that there are more English speakers than there are people who speak Frisian.

There are also three minor languages spoken by the Dutch, but they are more common towards the border, closer to Germany. The Dutch also have their own form of sign language called NGT, and it’s used by about 15,000 residents.

You may have come across an article or two that says the Dutch are the tallest in the world. It isn’t surprising that this is true. Women, on average, stand at about 5’8 to 5’9 while men stand at 5’11- to 6’0 feet tall — making them the tallest in the world.

Many researchers have attributed this to the fact that the Dutch have a healthy diet and exercise daily. However, the most important factor is how many dairy products they consume on average.

If you ever decide to make the trip to the Netherlands, then you should try visiting the many windmills across the country, which are open to the general public.

Some of the windmills still serve a purpose in maintaining the country by grinding grain for flour or by pumping out water to keep the land dry. If you’re a historian, then you’re in luck as many windmills have been turned into museums filled with all kinds of history about the country.

It’s estimated that about six million wooden clogs are produced annually in the Netherlands. These shoes have many uses but are mainly used for jobs that require physical labor. These have been in use ever since the medieval ages.

Nowadays, most people do not prefer these, as there’s now more ideal footwear available. However, if you’re a tourist looking for a souvenir, then you can easily get your hands on wooden clogs to take back home.

The national flower of the Netherlands, the tulip, is not native to the country. In fact, you may be surprised to find out that these flowers were imported in large quantities from Turkey.

In the 1600s, many were crazed over tulips and the bulbs even rose to prices that were more expensive than a house back then. It wasn’t until WWII that many discovered the nutritional qualities of a tulip bulb, and now it has become a source of food.

Even though the tulip isn’t native to the Netherlands, the Dutch are still considered the largest exporters of tulip buds. According to experts, there are about two billion tulips that leave the country each year.

These buds are sold at the largest auction of flowers and plants in three different locations. Many people from around the world visit this location to learn all the details that go into buying and transporting these buds on a worldwide scale.

People who love frequenting bars may be excited to learn that one of the most famous drinks was originally made by the Dutch in the 1600s, although it later became more prominent in Great Britain.

The rise in popularity of the brew occurred after King William III ascended the throne. It was consumed by many soldiers of British and Dutch descent as they believed the consumption would boost their bravery in battle. So now, you know who to thank if it’s your drink of choice.

The color orange may not be found on the Dutch flag, but that didn’t stop the Netherlands from making it their national color. It goes back in history — the reason being that the monarchy was known as The House of Orange.

Willem Alexander was even given the title, Prince of Orange. This is the reason the Dutch go out garbed in orange clothes during many holidays and also why the jerseys worn by many of their teams are orange in color.

The Netherlands is to be thanked for introducing carrots to the world. However, what many people may not know is that carrots weren’t orange, to begin with. They were originally yellow, white, and purple. In the 17th century, however, they were turned orange due to political reasons.

This was done to show the sign of Dutch independence, which was thanks to Willem, Prince of Orange. Through various means, the original colors had been bred out. So, if you find one that isn’t orange, consider yourself lucky.

The Netherlands might be famous for its leniency in its consumption of substances, but they still maintain some control over the quantity that people can get access to. They may allow coffee shops to sell it to customers, but advertising the product is frowned upon.

For personal use, residents are also only allowed to grow up to five such plants at home. The government may often add additional rules as they see fit.

The Netherlands is one of the most progressive nations in the world and they are known for their diversity, So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to find out they were the first to legalize gay marriage.

It was made legal in 2001 and, since then, there have been more than 15,000 couples who have come out together. This was the first step taken that allowed other countries to follow the Dutch and legalize marriage between the same gender. Bravo, Netherlands, bravo!

In modern times, people prefer to give birth in a hospital where medical services are just a second away. However, it’s still common for mothers to give birth at home. The estimation is that one in eight babies are delivered at home, which makes the Netherlands one of the highest in home births.

The Dutch provide insurance for at-home birth, but it has seen a decline since people prefer the medical attention that a hospital provides to the baby and the mother.

Due to the National Climate Agreement, the Dutch are planning to ban fuel-run automobiles to limit the negative effects that emissions have on the environment. The government has decided to only allow cars powered by electricity on their streets and they plan to set this in motion by 2030.

This has led to a rise in sales of vehicles by Tesla, as the manufacturer provides all-electric powered cars. The rise in favor of Tesla is also thanks to the high taxes that the government charges on cars run by fuel.

Imagine that you want to go back home for Christmas, but you need to travel a long way with multiple layovers and pay an excessive amount of money. This isn’t an issue if you live in the Netherlands.

The Netherlands has one of the most direct flight paths — they allow travel to 97 different countries. So, you can get back home in time for Christmas dinner. The airport services are provided by the government.

The Dutch may follow a healthy lifestyle of eating right and exercising, but that doesn’t stop them from enjoying something sweet once in a while. By something sweet, we mean licorice. Also, to be clear, they consume this stuff as if it’s oxygen.

They believe it has anti-inflammatory properties and helps in healing the body from sickness. They consume 32 million kilos of the sweet black treat every year. From the sounds of it, nothing can come in between the Dutch and their black licorice!

Not many people around may know this, but all the digital and physical media that we use is thanks to the tech giant known as Philips. This Dutch tech-based company came out with the first cassette in 1963. They would then go on to work with Sony to introduce the CD to the world.

They revolutionized household technology by introducing blenders, television, and many more electronics. They also introduced the DVD to the market after the VHS had started to lose its popularity amongst users.

After spending 33 years on the throne, Queen Beatrix decided it was time to sit back and let her son take the helm of the nation. This was huge news for the nation, as this would be the first time since 1890 that a king would step up to sit on the throne.

It didn’t take long for the citizens to celebrate the rule of their new king by wearing orange and throwing many parties. After three different queens, it was Prince Willems’s turn to rule.

Before Prince Willem took the throne, the holiday — which was known as King’s Day — was actually celebrated as Queen’s Day because of the three women who ruled before Willem. It was decided by Queen Beatrix that Queen’s Day would be celebrated on the 30th of April, which was her mother’s birthday.

This decision went over well with the citizens who loved the idea of celebrating Queen’s Day on the previous queen’s birthday to honor her. This is because the holiday would be in spring instead of winter.

The Prince, who now has the title of King, is an avid lover of the skies and often enjoys flying planes. This was a big shock to many when they found out that his love for flying got him a job as a pilot for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, where he worked for about 20 years.

He’s known to take the wheel from other pilots during trips on the Dutch Royal airline. Twice a month, he takes short flights from Amsterdam airport.

The Netherlands foundation was initially supported by lots of wooden pillars, as it was built on lands surrounded by swamps. The land was entrenched in river beds, which — at the time — mainly consisted of mud and sand.

Over time, most of the wood rotted away and had to be built anew with better support. Right now, the land below Amsterdam has been replaced with tons of steel and concrete as support because wood is unable to hold up much weight.

French fries aren’t French, but they aren’t from the Netherlands either. However, unlike the rest of the world, the Dutch do not consume their fries with just ketchup alone. No! Instead, they prefer to dip their crunchy potatoes in mayonnaise.

They do still dip it in ketchup, but the mayonnaise part is what sticks out. Another dipping sauce that the Dutch love is peanut sauce, which you may have not heard of before. Well, you better hope you’re not allergic to nuts if you want to try it out.

The Dutch say that their contribution to their growth in height is their consumption of dairy products. So, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that the Netherlands ranks low in the number of people who are lactose intolerant.

The Dutch consume large amounts of cheese daily, and their healthy way of eating and maintaining a fit lifestyle helps them maintain their body for the better. If you are unable to enjoy the pleasures of dairy products, then the Netherlands isn’t the country for you — or you could just ignore all the cheese.

The Netherlands is boastful about its national flower, the tulip. Now, they have something to be even prouder of — and that’s the fact that the Netherlands is home to the biggest garden in the world. Keukenhof, which is also known as the garden of Europe, is home to the largest bed of tulips in the world.

If you ever decide to check it out, you’ll find yourself surrounded by 800 varieties of tulips. Most of them are sent through various means of transportation to spread tulips across the globe.

Amsterdam is one of the most populated cities in the world. It’s one of the most popular tourist destinations places. The entire city is connected by 1281 bridges, which are used by the many people that are trying to get from point A to point B in a timely manner.

These bridges also act as more than pathways, as they also connect many of the canals located in the city. However, there are only about 165 canals, which is way less than half of the bridges.

De Drie Gezusters is definitely one of the grandest cafes/pubs that you can come across. The name of the pub comes from the three buildings that are connected together.

You have the option to enjoy your drinks and food in the attractively furnished interior of the pub — or you can even go up to the heated terrace to down a few drinks with your friends. The pub doesn’t just offer you a great variety of tasty drinks, but also some excellent meals.

In the Netherlands, they want to make sure that you stay safe. In order to do so, the public authorities check their public warning sirens all over the country on the first Monday of every month exactly at 12:00 pm.

This siren goes on without any interruption for a minute and 26 seconds. However, there’s nothing really to worry about since they’re just test alarms. The alarms never go off on religious or national holidays even if they fall on the first Monday of the month.

If you didn’t know about this one, you definitely need to. The Dutch have an affectionate way of greeting each other — that is with three kisses on the cheek. While this might seem a bit novel to many Americans, it’s actually fairly common in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium.

So, it goes without saying that if a Dutch person were to suddenly greet you in that way, don’t get any romantic ideas. They’re just saying hello or goodbye.

The Dutch celebrate the start of spring with skirt day, or what they call Rokjesdag. It’s the day women start wearing short skirts, dresses, or even just shorts and show off their bare legs again. Many men participate in this as well by wearing shorts.

Some even go as far as wearing skirts as well. Rokjesdag is a term that was popularized back in 1996 by Martin Bril, a Dutch journalist. According to Bril, all women magically wear skirts on the first day of spring, showing off their legs underneath.

The Dutch are known to celebrate Sinterklass, which is a winter holiday. This celebration takes place on the fifth and sixth of December and is based around St. Nicholas. As most of you may already know, the holiday of Christmas is also centered around the same figure, St. Nicholas.

This day is celebrated by sharing gifts on Sinterklaas eve (December 5th), indulging in a delicious sweet feast consisting of whipped cream, hot chocolate, marzipan, and more. Families sing along and wait until the 6th of December to unwrap presents.

Every summer, a huge number of Dutch children, along with their parents, participate in what is known as the Avondvierdaagse. This is basically a four-day march that takes place across four evenings.

It’s basically a community walk done by thousands of parents, teachers, sports clubs, children, and even random people with their dogs who walk a certain distance every evening. This walk is mostly done while slurping on a half-cut lemon that’s topped with peppermint in order to give you energy.

If you ever wondered what country has the oldest national anthem, then you’ve come to the right place — it’s the Netherlands. The country’s national anthem is called the Wilhelmus. Even though the Wilhelmus didn’t really officially become their national anthem until 1932, the music was found to date back to the year 1572 at least.

This makes it the oldest melody that was used in a country’s anthem. While people are still uncertain about the origin of the lyrics, it’s believed to be at least 400 years old.

The Netherlands is quite serious about making sure that they are preserving greenery and playing their part in protecting the Earth. The Dutch government is taking big steps to promote green energy in their country.

They’ve already made plans of reducing the greenhouse emissions from the country to a flat zero within 2050. As mentioned before, the Dutch government is also hoping to ban diesel and petrol-powered cars within 2030, promoting the use of electric cars and vehicles for a safer and cleaner environment.

There has been a ton of controversies and talks about the healthcare system not being as great in certain countries, even the top-leading countries in the world. However, Dutch healthcare is almost always at the top of the annual Euro Health Consumer Index.

It also ranks in the global top five for its healthcare. Depending on the criteria that is considered, the ranking might differ somewhat. However, it still definitely does go without saying that Dutch healthcare is one of the best systems.

If you’re a coffee-lover, this might just be your calling. After the Nordic countries like Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland — which drink the most coffee in the world — it’s the Dutch. They definitely do love their daily dose of caffeine.

It is said that a Dutch person, on average, drinks about 2.4 cups of coffee in a day. This is definitely a place for you to visit if you’re a coffee fanatic and want to meet a whole country full of the same people.