Link to this pageRandom Article
| Tuesday, 14-Oct-2008 01:32:33 GMT | Tell a friendLink to this pageRandom Article |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Netherlands are divided into 12 administrative regions, called provinces (provincies):
All provinces are divided into municipalities (gemeenten), together 489; see Municipalities in the Netherlands, and also Cities of the Netherlands. A number of islands in the Caribbean Sea are dependencies of the Netherlands: the Netherlands Antilles (Nederlandse Antillen), a group of five islands, and Aruba, formerly part of the Antilles.
GeographyMain article: Geography of the NetherlandsA remarkable aspect of the Netherlands is the flatness of the country. About half the country is less than 1 meter above sea level, and large parts of it are actually below sea level (see map showing these areas (http://www.minbuza.nl/default.asp?CMS-ITEM=MBZ302750)). The highest point, the Vaalserberg, in the southeasternmost point of the country, is 321 m high. Many low areas are protected by dikes and sea walls. Parts of the Netherlands, for example almost all of Flevoland province, have been reclaimed from the sea - these areas are known as polders. The country is artificially split in two by three rivers Rhine (Rijn), Waal and Meuse (Maas). The predominant wind direction in the Netherlands is southwest, which causes a moderate maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Also of interest: National parks (Netherlands), Zuiderzee Works.
EconomyMain article: Economy of the NetherlandsThe Netherlands have a prosperous and open economy in which the government has successfully reduced its role since the 1980s. Industrial activity is predominantly in food-processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs no more than 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. The Netherlands successfully addressed the issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European partners. As a founding member of the Euro, the Netherlands replaced its former currency, the guilder, on January 1, 1999 along with the other adopters of the single European currency, with the actual euro coins and banknotes following on January 1 2002.
DemographicsMain article: Demographics of the Netherlands
The Netherlands are one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with more than 400 inhabitants per square km. There are two official languages, Dutch and Frisian. The latter is only spoken in the northern province of Friesland, and it is the language which most resembles English. In addition to Dutch and Frisian, several dialects of Low Saxon are spoken in much of the north; they have no official recognition. At the national borders in the south, the Dutch language shifts into other varieties of Low Franconian speech, which may or may not be best classified as Dutch, most notably West Flemish. The main religions are Catholicism (18% in 1999) (dioceses (http://62.144.115.184/kerkprovincie/bisdommen/index.html)) and Protestantism (15%). 63% of the Dutch don't consider themselves to be members of a church. The part of the country south of the three rivers is (or was) generally Catholic, with the northern part Protestant (mostly of the Dutch Reformed Church). The Dutch are known as a tolerant people. Their image abroad is mainly based on trade, tulips, windmills, wooden shoes[?], cheese and Delftware pottery. More recently the socially libertine Dutch policies on recreational drugs, prostitution, gay marriage and euthanasia have received international attention; Amsterdam is widely perceived abroad as a 'naughty' city. See also Drugs policy of the Netherlands .
CultureMain article: Culture of the NetherlandsMany famous painters originate from the Netherlands. The 17th century, when the Dutch republic was prosperous, produced many great painters such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen and many others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century are Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. A both famous and infamous Dutch master art forger is Han van Meegeren. The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of Rotterdam and Spinoza, and all of Descartes' major work was done there. In the Golden Age, Dutch literature flowered as well, with Joost van den Vondel[?], P. C. Hooft[?] as the two most famous names. Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers[?], Simon Vestdijk[?], Cees Nooteboom[?], Gerard van het Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. The Diary of Anne Frank was also written in the Netherlands. Also of interest: Sport in the Netherlands.
Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Holland Village, Nagasaki, Japan. A similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China.
Miscellaneous topics
External links
Austria | Belgium | Denmark | Finland | France | Germany | Greece | Ireland Italy | Luxembourg | Netherlands | Portugal | Spain | Sweden | United Kingdom
Countries acceding to membership on May 1, 2004:
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
