Living in the Netherlands
The Netherlands is located in Western Europe on the North Sea, bordering Germany in the east and Belgium in the south. It is a constitutional monarchy. Although Amsterdam is the capital, the government resides in The Hague.
The country is made up of 12 provinces and has a total population of 16.3 million. That's an average of 485 people per square kilometre. One of the reasons that the Netherlands is so densely populated is that the country is so flat. The highest ‘mountain' is only 323 metres high.
The Netherlands has a moderate maritime climate, with an average temperature of 17.4۫ C in July and 2.8۫ C in January. On average, the Dutch are open-minded and helpful. They also have a reputation for being very direct and fond of giving their opinion. Most Dutch speak English.
Economy
The largest economic sectors in the Netherlands are the financial and business service sectors. Germany is the country's most important export partner. The currency unit used in the Netherlands is the euro.
Transportation
The most important airport in the country is Schiphol and the most important harbour is in Rotterdam. In fact, the port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. There are trains and buses throughout the entire country and metros and trams in the major cities. The Dutch road network is good, but often congested. Traffic jams during rush hour are more the rule than the exception. The Dutch can often be seen riding bicycles. There are no fewer than 15,000 kilometres of bicycle paths and twice as many bicycles as cars in the country.
House construction
Many houses were destroyed during World War II. During the post-war reconstruction period, large numbers of terraced houses were built in the cities. These are long rows of houses of the same structure and appearance. This was followed by a period during which many apartment buildings were constructed. Nowadays, you will find a wide variety of housing types in the Netherlands, from cottages and villas to semi-detached and detached homes. Large residential neighbourhoods called Vinex locations are often built on the outskirts of the cities.
National holidays
There are only a few official holidays in the Netherlands. These are:
- Easter
- Whitsun
- Boxing day
- Christmas day
- Ascension day
- New Year's day
- Queen's birthday
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Holland handbook
The Indispensable Reference Book for Expatriates in the Netherlands
This richly illustrated handbook offers 256 full-color pages of essential information for the expatriate on all aspects of living and working in the Netherlands such as: career, fiscal issues, health care, housing, insurance, international education, registration and telecommunications. more>>