The Netherlands is often called Holland, but it is not entirely correct. Holland (North and South) - the name just two of the 12 provinces. However, within the meaning of these names are quite similar and reflect the natural features of the country. Netherlands means "low-lying land" - the country is the lowest in the European landmass. Netherlands - "the land that does not have a solid foundation," or "hollow earth."
Geography
Netherlands - a small country in the north-west of Europe, situated on the North Sea coast.
The Netherlands, along with Belgium and Luxembourg are the Benelux Economic Union. Bordering countries are the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. Netherlands - literally the "lower earth" - so named not by accident. The main geographical feature of this country is the location of a large part of the land below sea level. But the highest point in the Netherlands - Valserberg - barely reaches the level of 321 m above sea level.
Landscapes of the country are mostly man-made, most of the territories changed man and a significant part of the vegetation - an artificial origin.
Area of the country - approximately 41.5 square meters. km
Climate
Dutch climate is temperate, and thanks to the proximity of the sea and the influence of the Gulf Stream climate becomes more soft features of a moderate sea. This means that the annual temperature is not so high. The average temperatures range between 2 ° C in January and 17 ° C in July. But it happens that the winter frosts come to -24 ° C, and in summer the temperature rises to 36 ° C. Relatively little rainfall (about 800 mm), and they are uniformly distributed in the year, although slightly drier spring than autumn.
Capital
Amsterdam
Population
About 16.15 million people
Language
National language is Dutch. English knows virtually the entire population. Widespread as French and German.
Currency
Dutch currency - the Euro. 1 EURO = 100 EURO cent.
The address used banknotes in denominations of 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 euros. Also used the coin - 2 and 1 euro, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. Currency Exchange Currency Exchange can be made at post offices and banks across the country.
Bank branches are open from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 to 20.00: on Sundays from 10.00 to 16.00.
Also, almost all accept all major credit cards. Services to cash credit cards are in most offices of Dutch banks and ATMs.
Time zone
Behind from Kiev at 1:00.
Religion
In 2002, Catholics made up 31% of the population, the supporters of Dutch Reformed Church - 13%, Calvinist - 7%, Muslim - 5.5%, Hindus and followers of other religions - 2.5%. 41% of the population are atheists or do not belong to any of the religions.
Political Structure
Netherlands are traditionally a constitutional monarchy. In the country the parliament - the States General - the government, who resides in The Hague.
Political system - a constitutional monarchy. As a part of the country - 12 provinces. The head of state - the monarch (Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard in power since April 30, 1980). The executive power is vested in the Prime Minister from the Cabinet. Legislative power is exercised by the monarch and the Parliament (the States General), which consists of two chambers - the first and second.
Visa regime
Netherlands is the Schengen agreement. For citizens of Ukraine Visas Embassy of the Netherlands Ukraine. You can contact the Embassy of the Netherlands in the following cases:
· If you intend to visit only the Netherlands;
· If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, and the Netherlands are the main destination (that is, most of the time you will be in the Netherlands);
· If you intend to visit several Schengen countries, and the Netherlands are not the main destination, you can contact the Embassy of the Netherlands, only if the Netherlands is the first country you intend to visit.
Remember that on arrival at the airport you may be asked to provide proof of your ability to pay.
Customs regulations
Import and export of currency is unlimited.
Banned the import and export without special permission objects and items of historical and artistic value, weapons, drugs, animals, flower bulbs without a health certificate issued by the service phytopathological Netherlands and unpreserved meat products (other unpreserved products are declared).
When goods are imported from outside the European Union can bring duty-free:
no more than 200 cigarettes or 100 small cigars or 50 cigars, or 250 grams. tobacco;
1 liter of alcohol strength of over 22%, or 2 liters of alcohol strength to 22%;
250 ml eau de toilette;
50 ml of spirits;
500 grams of coffee;
100 grams of tea;
and other products cost less than 60 euros.
Link
Post offices are open Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 17:00, and often also on Saturdays from 8:30 to 12:00.
You can call anywhere in the world from any phone box. Telephone machines are everywhere - in the streets, subways, trains, etc. Phone box in two types: taking the coin and card. More convenient to use card-phones, as they are much more than phones that accept coins. Phone cards can be purchased at the post office or at kiosks at railway stations and airports. There are also telephones, credit cards accepted.
Telephone service from the hotel several times more expensive than the connection from the machine. Also, if you live in a hotel, you are responsible for all calls, including local.
Emergency phone - police, ambulance, fire brigade - 112.
Electricity
Mains voltage - 220 V.
Shops
Stores do their work from Monday to Friday from 8:30 / 9:00 to I7: 30/18: 00 and on Saturdays from 8:30 / 9:00 to 16:00 / 17:00. Many shops are closed on Mondays in the morning hours and on Sundays. Shops are open in the evening on Thursdays or Fridays. In tourist areas (during the season) stores often work in the evenings and on weekends. In Amsterdam, stores can always be open on Sundays from 12:00 to 17:00.
Pharmacies are on a rolling basis by which they serve in the evenings, at night and on weekends.
Transport
Urban transport in the Netherlands is represented by buses, trams, metro and trains near and far distance.
Public transport.
In all the cities of the country has a unified pay scale and uniform samples of tickets, ie tickets purchased in this city, are valid in the rest. This is very convenient, especially for tourists traveling to the country. In the cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam of the ticket applies to the subway. Ticket compostable on one transport, valid for an hour on all modes of transport, ie during this hour you can make any number of transplants within the same area of the city. To travel to a neighboring area have to send two tickets for a trip through one zone have to send three tickets, etc. In the metro, the same rules. Tickets for travel in the Netherlands, it is most advantageous to buy tobacco shops, post offices, stations, subway.
Between cities ply comfortable buses. The same message is provided between the cities of the railway network.
Cars:
Dutch road network to the highest standards. It is well lit and has a clear and understandable signs. This network connects all towns Netherlands and has access to major highways in Germany, Belgium, France, etc.
Terms of rental cars vary from company to company. To get a car, you must have a valid driver's license and a credit card.
Tip
Cost of service in hotels and restaurants included in the bill (which does not exceed 15%). Tipping can be given a porter, maid, in a barbershop, a taxi driver (10% of the amount on the meter).
National characteristics
Dutch differ honesty, sincerity, and thrift, moderation. Wealth is never exposed to the show.
If the Dutchman enters the room, he greets all present, and this applies not only to business offices, and shops, waiting rooms, mini rail cars. With respect to the Dutch never to show a sense of superiority. Such manifestations give rise to a feeling of rejection. An important aspect of planning is getting on. Every aspect of the problem worked out in detail. This Dutch like Germans. Almost all Dutch entrepreneurs are fluent in English. People in the country are distinguished not only wide spread of English, but also respect for all British.
Netherlands - the only country in the world, where legally permitted use of soft drugs, which are sold to all adults in kafeshopah. That is officially permitted only natural agricultural products - marijuana, hashish. Potent opium, cocaine, crack, and the psychedelic "achievements" of modern chemistry prosecuted in the Netherlands as well as in the rest of the civilized world.
Weekends and holidays
January 1 - New Year
3rd - 4th week of April - Good Friday
April 30 - Queen's Birthday, a national holiday
May 1 - Labor Day
4 May - Memorial Day, the Day of Remembrance of the World War II
5 May - Victory Day
August 15 - National Day of Memories
December 25 - Day of St. Nicholas
25, December 26 - Christmas Day
December 26 - Boxing Day («Boxing Day»)
If a holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the weekend often declared previous Friday or the following Monday.
Festivals and events:
Amsterdam - Amsterdam Carnival (February), Amsterdam the week of Art and Blues Festival (March), the annual demonstration against Racism (March 21), the Dutch Theatre Festival (June), the North Sea Jazz Festival (July), a big annual parade (15 August), beautiful Flower Festival (September), Jordan Festival (mid-September), the International Festival of cannabis (the third week of November), the procession of Santa Claus (December 6), St. Sylvester's Day (December 31).
Main Attractions
Netherlands have built themselves, becoming the most beautiful European country, a kind of haven in Europe.
Today the whole world knows the stunning architecture of cities, paintings by Van Gogh, many kilometers of flower fields, international exhibitions with a colorful mural of tulips, windmills, Dutch cheese.
Amsterdam - the capital and largest city in the country, all channeled through them to spill over numerous bridges. Community transport - bicycles and rare colored trams. The city was built long ago, and the architects did not expect such a booming progress. However, the bike has long been a feature of the Dutch national. The Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands is considered quite normal to appear in public on a bicycle.
In Amsterdam, a lot of museums. The most famous - it Riksmuzeum, which houses the most comprehensive collection of paintings by Flemish artists XV-XVIII centuries, Museum Van Gogh and Rembrandt with brilliant creations of the great masters of modern art Stedelijk Museum. In cognitively interesting maritime museum, Madame Tussauds, the museum of sex and even the Museum of Torture.
Here, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands is the famous Opera House, the National Ballet and the Netherlands Dance Theatre. A Rock Star give concerts at the famous all over the world concert stage "Paradiso."
Amsterdam - the cosmopolitan city. Next to the old architectural buildings located very popular shop "hippies". In any cafe with traditional Dutch cuisine ... you can buy weed. In the Netherlands, the government strictly controls the drug business. Authorized official sales only those drugs that do not cause addiction. Just in the country believe that there should be freedom of choice. And this also explains why light-flooded windows with female bodies, offering for sale, in the "red light", located near the Cathedral and is guarded by reinforced police squads.
Dam Square for several centuries is a magnificent royal palace, where the royal family is happy the most important event. Another attraction - Montelbanstoren old tower, which still controlled the water level in the city canals.
In the evening Amsterdam transformed. For cyclists and motorcyclists are added continuously honking cars, pedestrians every minute. Glow of colored lights covering the city to the streets jugglers, musicians, opening the doors of nightclubs. Starts something like a fairy tale.
But beyond this, there are other tales of the city, no less important than Amsterdam.
The Hague - the seat of the parliament and the royal court. Here is the Royal Palace, used for official ceremonies, the museum with the royal collection of paintings, the museum justice, located in the building of a medieval prison.
Old town of Delft is known not only for its porcelain that quality can compete only with the Chinese. It is the birthplace of the great Dutch painter Jan Vermeer. And here is the tomb of the royal family.
The resort town of Scheveningen - a great place to relax. In addition to the sandy beach and the sea, the many bars and restaurants, there is a festival of jazz and pop music. Walking through the glass tunnel and aquatic center, just around the corner you can consider the inhabitants of the North Sea. Sometimes it happens that a shark's mouth is a few inches from the glass.
Amsterdam Rotterdam different in that it is dominated by modern architecture. True, keep a small historic town with Delfs-haven, but if you go up to the observation deck of "Europe" - the tallest tower in Rotterdam panorama typical "vanguard city". Of the attractions can be identified more Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and wonderful zoo.
There are in the Netherlands and his Monte Carlo. On the island of Aruba, bathed at night neon lights, numerous casinos, restaurants and other nightlife, unloading passengers of cruise liners. And in the main town of Oranjestad, where everything looks elegant toy, boutiques of well-known companies in the world. In addition, Aruba is a zone of free trade, and precious stones - emeralds and diamonds exported from the local facet of the island in large numbers.
And the Netherlands, rather Netherlands - home of Gulliver. And to feel like Gulliver in the country Lilliputii, you should visit Madurodam - a city where there are no residents, and the most famous places in the Netherlands decreased by 40 times. Here and canals with bridges and miniature Dam Square with the Royal Palace, and the railways to sweep past the houses with tiled roof tiny wagons, and the same aircraft preparing for takeoff. Night here, as in "big" Amsterdam tale begins. Tens of thousands of tiny lights illuminate the surrounding area, and it begins to seem that there is seething vsamdelishny life.
Gathering in the Netherlands, do not forget that the best guest for the Dutch who arrived only to contemplate and admire, and in any case not to destroy and not to interfere in the centuries-old Dutch way of life.
