The Netherlands: Updates & Travel

Travel to the Netherlands?

• The Netherlands, although a small country, has a lot to offer. Holland is quite small; the surface area is 41,528 square kilometers. The greatest distance from north to south is 300 kilometers, and from west to east 200 kilometers.
• Holland is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has a population of around seventeen million and an average of 481 inhabitants per square kilometer. Nearly half of the 17 million residents live in what is called the Randstad, a huge agglomeration in the west of the country that includes Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Utrecht, where during the rush hour, the motorways slow to a crawl.
• Dutch is the national language of Holland. However, English is spoken by almost everyone. In addition, many Dutch people speak German and French. Dutch is the mother tongue of well over 21 million Dutch people and Flemish people (Dutch-speaking nationals of Belgium).
• Amsterdam, the multicultural capital city, is known for its unique architecture and the canals throughout the city center.
• The main mode of transportation amongst the Dutch is a bicycle, therefore you can find bicycle lanes everywhere.
• For historical reasons, the government and parliament are in The Hague. The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system, and its government consists of the King and ministers.
• King Willem Alexander van Oranje (from Orange) is the head of state. His birthday, on the 27th of April, is extensively celebrated with a national holiday and festivals at which everybody dresses in orange.
• When you like to stay in a hostel, the most famous Youth Hostel Association in Netherlands is StayOkay.

Updates the Netherlands

• More about The Netherlands, updates and contributions, see the link below.