Netherlands

Netherlands

By: Levi and Caitlin R.

Did you know?
• There are more than six hundred museums in the
Netherlands.
• When you talk on the telephone, both the caller and
the receiver identify themselves before starting a
conversation; it is considered rude not to do so.
• Christmas gift-giving occurs on St. Nicholas Day, which
is December 6th.
• Rotterdam is one of Europe's most important ports, it
handles close to one-third of Europe's sea transit.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country.ph
p?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition.
ProQuest, 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2013.

The Flag
• Netherlands flag was most recently adopted on February 19, 1937. It
features three horizontal stripes: red, white, and blue. The red flag
was originally orange, and was in the honor of the prince of
Orange, the political leader of the Netherlands, with white and a
lighter blue, being colors of the prince’s coat of arms. The flag
gradually changed to the red-white-blue tricolor because the orange
and lighter blue were to faint of a color to notice in battle, especially
on the sea. The colors of bright red, white, and cobalt blue were
made official by royal decree in 1937.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country.
php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherla
nds

National Anthem
• http://online.culturegrams.com/axiom_conte
nt/multimedia/anthems/',%20'Netherlands_N
axos’
• It is called William of Nassau.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_co
untry.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&
cn=Netherlands

Photos

• http://online.culturegrams.com/gallery/index.
php?set_albumName=Netherlands

Famous People
• Desiderius Erasmus
• Jacob van Heemskerck
• Aletta Jacobs
• Vincent Willem van Gogh
• Hans van Manen
http://online.culturegrams.com/famouspeople/cou
ntry.php?fp_CountryID=111&contid=5&wmn=Eur
ope&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&whichedition=w
orld
"Netherlands: Famous People." CultureGrams
Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 16 Jan
2013.

Recipe
Main Dish- Poffertjes- Mini-pancakes
Ingredients: 15 grams fresh yeast,
250 milliliters milk, lukewarm
125 grams flour
125 grams buckwheat
250 milliliters water
50 grams butter, melted
1 egg
Salt, to taste
http://online.culturegrams.com/recipes/list.php?type=
World&id=111
": Recipe." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013.
Web. 16 Jan 2013.

Country and Development Data
• Capital: Amsterdam
• Latitude: 52.23
• Longitude: 4.54
• Population: 16,730,632
• Gender Inequality Index: 2 of 146 countries
• GDP (PPP) per capita: $42,700
• Adult literacy rate: 99% (male); 99% (female)
• Infant mortality rate: per 1,000 births
• Life expectancy: 79 (male); 83 (female)
• Currency: Euro
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country.php?co
ntid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013.
Web. 16 Jan 2013.

Land and Climate
• The Netherlands is probably the size of Switzerland or the U.S.
state of Massachusetts and Connecticut combined. It is
16,040 square miles. It borders the North Sea. Western areas
that have been reclaimed from the sea are called polders.
Windmills once pumped water from the land, and dikes held
back the ocean.Modern machines do the pumping now.
Because pumping has led to sinking land, water pollution, and
problems with the water table, the government is buying
tracts of agricultural land in the pumped territory and
returning it to nature. In the east, the land is above sea level
and has a few hills. Grasslands for grazing are common in the
north but they can be also found nationwide outside of the
cities.
• The climate in the Netherlands is temperate. Rain is common
all year. Winters can be cold, but some are quite mild.
Summers can be warm and sometimes cool.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid
=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Land_and_Climate&snid=1
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2013.

History
• For thousands of years, Germanic, Celtic, and Frisian tribes
inhabited the area.
• In 1568, Prince William of Orange rebelled against the Spanish
Crown and began an 80-year war for independence.
• In 1795, French forces made the Netherlands a subordinate
state.
• The Netherlands remained neutral during World War I but
was invaded by Germany in World War II.
• In 2006, the Netherlands passed a law requiring immigrants to
pass an exam on language and Dutch society that measures
their level of integration.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?contid=5&wmn=
Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=History&snid=2
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 16 Jan 2013.

Population
• The Netherlands' population of 16.7 million is growing at a
0.45 percent annually.
• More than 40 percent of the population lives in the two
western provinces of North and South Holland.
• The population is 81 percent ethnic Dutch.
• Much of the foreign population is made up of other
Europeans (5 percent), Indonesians (2 percent), Turks (2
percent), Surinamers (2 percent), Moroccans (2
percent), and Antilleans and Arubans (1 percent).
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?contid=5
&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Population&snid=3
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 16 Jan
2013.

Language
• The official language is Dutch, a Germanic language.
• English, German, and French are commonly understood
and spoken and are taught in secondary school.
• A form of Dutch is known as Flemish and is spoken in a
region of Belgium called Flanders.
• On the Caribbean islands of Sint
Maarten, Saba, Bonaire, and Sint Eustatius, English is the
official language.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_section
s.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&s
name=Language&snid=4
Web. 16 Jan 2013.

Religion
• Almost 30 percent of the population is Roman Catholic.
• 20 percent is Protestant
• 5.8 percent is Muslim
• 2 percent belongs to other churches
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_se
ctions.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Neth
erlands&sname=Religion&snid=5
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest,
2013. Web. 17 Jan 2013.

General Attitudes
• It’s official name is the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, but a lot of people know the country as
Holland.
• By peoples reputation, the people in the south are
more gregarious.
• The social status is measured mostly by occupation.
erlands&sname=General_Attitudes&snid=6

Personal Appearance
• European peoples fashions are popular in the Netherlands.
• Professionals wear long pants to work, but in their free
time they wear almost anything.
• Shorts and tank tops are common in the summer, and
head-to-toe waterproof gear is worn when it rains.
• Traditional attire is rarely worn.
• Dutch people are famous for wooden shoes.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sectio
ns.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands
&sname=Personal_Appearance&snid=7
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Greetings
• A handshake is an appropriate greeting for both men and
women.
• It is common for friends to kiss on alternating cheeks three
times when they greet.
• Some people might wave if they greet each other from a
distance, shouting isn’t polite.
• Younger people use first names while talking to each other.
&sname=Greetings&snid=8
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Gestures
• Eye contact and facial expressions are important.
• You have to cover your mouth when you yawn.
• It’s impolite to chew gum while speaking.
• Pointing your index finer to the forehead implies that
someone is crazy and is an insult.
• Moving your index finger emphasizes a point.
&sname=Gestures&snid=9
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Visiting
• The Dutch are hospitable and enjoy having visitors.
• Unannounced visits aren’t common.
• If there isn’t a time stated for an evening visit,it is normal to arrive
after 8:30 p.m. and you leave before midnight.
• Guests shake hands with everyone there, including children.
• Dinner guests usually give the host a bottle of wine and the hostess
some flowers.
• Social visiting is very important on birthdays.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?c
ontid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Visiting
&snid=26
"Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Edition. ProQuest, 2013. Web. 17
Jan 2013.

Eating
• They usually eat three meals a day.
• Dinner is the main meal.
• It is considered important to wash your hands before eating
and being at the table on time.
• It’s impolite to start eating before others.
• It’s proper to keep hands above the table.
• You can leave the table only after everyone is done eating.
&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Eating&snid=10
2013.

Family
• They have strong, small families.
• Immigrants usually have larger families.
• Grandparents often watch their grandchildren instead of
the children going to a babysitter.
• Children are expected to help around the house.
• Children move out and live on their own at 18.
• Mothers get sixteen weeks of maternity leave.
• 50 percent of the women work.
• There is discrimination against women.
&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Family&snid=11
2013.

Housing
• Houses are always constructed of reddish-brown brick and
clay tiles.
• Sometimes people live in farmhouses.
• Oak floors are popular.
• Available housing is rare.
• Houses are more expensive in the western part of the
country, and cheapest is in the northeast.
&sname=Housing&snid=27
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Dating and Marriage
• Teenagers start dating in secondary school.
• Girls often start earlier than boys.
• Couples usually know each other from a sports club, church, music
club, or neighborhood, but school is the most common place for
younger couples to meet.
• Students atauniversity typically have the most active dating lives.
• Working singles usually date people they meet through work or
work contacts.
• These singles also have less time on the weekend to socialize, so
they often go to online dating services.
• Before the wedding the couple usually have bachelor or
bachelorette parties.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?co
ntid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Dating_a
nd_Marriage&snid=12
Jan 2013.

Life Cycle
• Most of the women give birth at a hospital.
• Children are often named after their grandparents.
• When the baby is born, the parents give out a birth
announcement to family and friends.
• A nurse will help the parents with the baby for about 2
weeks.
• When you turn 18 you aren’t a minor anymore.
• It is common for the children to live with their parents until
they get married.
• Turning 50 is a big celebration.
• When there is a death of a family member an obituary is
placed in one of the national newspapers.
&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Life_Cycle&snid=28
2013.

Diet
• Bread or toast with jelly, Dutch cheese or cold cuts, boiled
eggs, and coffee or tea are the most common foods for
breakfast.
• The most popular breads include multigrain and dark-grain
varieties.
• Children often eat hot cereal for breakfast.
• A usual meal may be groentesoep (vegetable
soup), gekookteaardappelen (boiled potatoes), karbonade
(a pork chop), bloemkool (cauliflower), and yoghurtvla
(yogurt pudding).
• Seafood is an important part of the diet; herring and eel are
some favorites.
&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Diet&snid=13
2013.

Recreation
• The most popular sport is soccer.
• The most popular forms of exercise for both male and
female are cardio fitness and weight training at the gym.
• Local foundations help families that cant afford sports
activities for their children.
• The average worker receives a month of paid vacation
every year.
• During the winter people go on skiing trips in Austria or
Germany.
&sname=Recreation&snid=14
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

The arts
• There are more than six hundred museums.
• The Dutch school of painting was a major influence.
• Artists also explore such media as performance art and
photography.
• The Dutch also have a long tradition in literature, as
well as folk art, music, and dance.
erlands&sname=The_Arts&snid=15

Holidays
• St. Nicholas Day
• Christmas
• Little Flag Day
• Carnival celebrations
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_count
ry_sections.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=11
1&cn=Netherlands&sname=Holidays&snid=16

Government
• The kingdom is a constitutional monarchy made up of four
countries: the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten.
• Queen Beatrix is the head of state and oversees the affairs of the
kingdom.
• In the Netherlands, the prime minister is head of government.
• Amsterdam is the capital, but the government is headquartered at
The Hague.
• Legislation can be introduced either by the crown or the lower
house of parliament.
• Members of parliament's 75-seat upper house are elected by the
nation's 12 provincial councils.
• The voting age is 18.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_sections.php?c
ontid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&sname=Govern
ment&snid=18
Jan 2013.

Economy
• Have a stable economy.
• Inflation and unemployment are moderate.
• The Netherlands grows over half of the world’s flower
exports.
• Tourism and banking are key sectors of the economy.
• Before they had the currency euro, they had guilder, which
is also known as the florin.
&sname=Economy&snid=19
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Transportation and Communications
• The public transportation system in the Netherlands is
one of Europe’s best.
• Most people own cars and prefer to use them daily.
• They are divided into zones for public transportation.
• Communications system is well maintained.
• Radio and television stations are privately owned.
• Almost 90 percent of the population uses the internet.
erlands&sname=Transportation_and_Communications
&snid=20

Education
• The society considers education a high priority.
• Students are placed in one of four secondary school levels
based on the results of a standardized test taken the last
year of primary school.
• All students study the same 15 subjects.
• Students graduate from secondary school between the
ages of 16 and 18.
&sname=Education&snid=21
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Health
• Medical facilities are excellent.
• Health insurance is mandatory.
• People earning less than a certain amount, the government
partially covers insurance and health care.
• People making more than that amount must buy private
insurance.
• The government also provides unemployment and
disability benefits.
• Cancer and heart disease are the two biggest health
concerns.
http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country_section
s.php?contid=5&wmn=Europe&cid=111&cn=Netherlands&s
name=Health&snid=22
Web. 17 Jan 2013.

Netherlands

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