Introduction
The Netherlands blends some of the most liberal attitudes to be found in Europe today with an orderly, structured society. Dutch people are very friendly and speak excellent English because it is taught in state schools. But be forewarned, the Dutch can be blunt and do not mince words when it comes to expressing themselves. The saying “honesty is the best policy” must have originated in the Netherlands, so be prepared.
Facing the North Sea to its west and north, Belgium to its south and Germany to its east, the Netherlands (meaning lowlands in Dutch) has battled the sea for centuries along its 280-mile coastline. Without its famous dykes and protective systems, almost half of the country would be under water. Today, about 27 percent of the Netherlands is below sea level.
About twice the size of the state of New Jersey, the Netherlands continues to grow through reclaimed land from the sea, using a system of canals and pumps. The Netherlands also includes three special island municipalities in the Caribbean: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The broader entity, known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, also includes the constituent Caribbean island countries of Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten, all former colonies.
The Netherlands is often referred to as Holland, although North and South Holland are only two of the twelve provinces that make up the country. In the Netherlands, people live in close proximity. Nearly 500 residents share each square kilometer of land in the country. The nearly 17 million people who live in the Netherlands are called Dutch and the official language of the country is Dutch.
The Dutch do more than just talk about the environment. They do something about it every day by walking and cycling wherever they go. Amsterdam, for example, is one of the most bicycle-friendly large cities in the world, with numerous bike paths, bike racks and several guarded bike storage garages that can be used for a nominal fee. It is not much of an overstatement to say that Dutch children learn to cycle before they walk.
