The Dutch contingent of our Rotary Club proudly present the history of their homeland.

1. THE DUTCH…
Why the Dutch always pop up like mushrooms in manure!
RotaryClub ofTsawwassen
February 18, 2016

2. A Watery but Fertile Land
• Most of Holland is river delta; Rhine
(Waal, Lek, Ijssel), Maas and Schelde.
• Its history, politics and development
closely tied to the sea.
• Netherlands = “Low Lands”, often
referred to as “Holland”
• Total – 41,500 sq.km
• Population: 17 m. (4th most dense)
• World’s 2nd largest food exporter
• World’s 2nd largest harbor

3. Holland Without Dikes
• Dike building since MiddleAges;
• Protect against the sea
• Empty a lake ~ polder
• Control river flow
• 75% of population below sea level
• 85% of industry below sea level.
• SchipholAirport;
• 9 ft below sea level
• Bottom of former lake; polder
• “Schiphol” = ships’ graveyard
• Lowest point in Holland; 24 ft
<sea level

4. Land Reclamation thr. Wind Power
Post Windmill, 1632 Smock Windmill, 1560

5. Modern Sea Protection
• “Delta Works” 1950 after
major floods in Zeeland
• Massive scale: protection
against current and future
sea storms and sea rises.
• Dike system throughout
Holland;Well prepared for
Sea Rise of future.

6. Modern Sea Protection

7. Holland’s Golden Age (17th C.)
• 1590’s; end of Holy
Roman Empire
• Freedom to trade
• Ongoing battles
with English, Spain
• Overseas
possessions;Cape,
Ceylon, Goa, New
Amsterdam, Dutch
Guinea, and….the
Dutch Indies(!)

8. Overseas Settlements
South Africa
• En route to the East
Indies, Dutch
settlement at the
Cape 1652.
• North migration;
Boers vs. Xhosa
• Many “Dutch”
settlers: French
Huguenots

9. Holland’s Golden Age (17th C.)
• Immense wealth –
Dutch East India Co
(VOC) – shared
investments:
– 1st Stock Exchange
– Bank of Amsterdam –
1st true Central Bank
• Book and Money
printing – rich
tradition to today.

10. Holland’s Golden Age (17th C.)
• Inquisition & political strife in
Europe caused migration of
wealth and intellect to tolerant
Holland; flourishing of arts &
sciences;
– French Calvinists (Huguenots)
– Sephardic Jews from Portugal
– Descartes, Hobbes (philosophy)
– Huygens (astronomy)
– van Leeuwenhoeck (microscope)
– Erasmus, Spinoza (political science)
– Rembrandt, Hals,Vermeer, etc.

11. Modern Art ~ Vincent van Gogh
• Impact of Holland’s Golden
Age still felt today.
• Among the highest densities
of art museums in the world.
• Ongoing public support for art
restoration and modern art.

12. Benefits of Maritime Trade
(Past & Present)
• Import & exports of
spices, teas and
coffees.
• Tobacco (all imported):
– Holland one of largest
tobacco exporters
• Agricultural crops:
– Friesian Holstein
– Tulips (~Anatolia)
– Dairy (Cheeses)
• Import & export of
resources and industrial
goods:
– To/from Germany,
France

13. Agri Products and Flowers
GreenhouseTechnology Flower & Bulb Exports

14. Small, but involved..
• Constitutional monarchy
• 3rd oldest parliament
• Founding member of EU
• Signatory to and member of:
– Eurozone, G-10 (=>G20)
– NATO, OECD, WTO

15. Small, but Involved…
The Hague, also called
“World’s Legal Capital” hosts:
• Permanent Court of
Arbitration
• International Court of Justice
• International Criminal Court
• International Criminal
Tribunal of FormerYugoslavia
• SpecialTribunal for Lebanon

16. Canada ~ Holland Relations
• Canadian Troops, principal
liberators of Holland, 1945
(Operation Market Garden,
Battle of the Schelde, etc.)
• Ongoing annual festivities and
remembrance ceremonies at
monuments and war
cemeteries.
• Large emigration of Dutch to
Canada.

17. What Else…..?
• World’s tallest population
(average):
– Male 1.81 m (6.0
ft)
– Female 1.67 m (5.8 ft)
– Diet related?
– Good protection against
floods
• Tallest woman in the world;
– 320 lbs., 7.4 feet.

18. What Else…..?
Bikes and Canals

19. What Else…..?
Tolerance........for a price

20. THE END…

23. 1985 Rotary Launches Polio Plus

24. 1985 Rotary Launches Polio Plus
1986 350,000 Polio Cases 125 Countries

25. 1985 Rotary Launches Polio Plus
1986 350,000 Polio Cases 125 Countries
2015 74 Cases 99.9% Eradicated

27. 30 Years into the Polio Plus
Program, we are nearly there.
Your donation no matter what
the size, will help us achieve our
goal of a polio-free world.

29. The Rotary Foundation
Appreciates The Support From
Henk, Andy, Gerry, Johann, Jeroen
Aart and Paul