Our reader Natasha Permyakova writes: So, having lived in Holland for almost 1.5 years now, I decided to collect all my observations and compile a list of facts about the country and its inhabitants.
1. The Dutch are famous for their excellent health. Almost everyone dresses very lightly even in winter; at -3, no one wears hats, not even small children.
2. Most of Holland is below sea level. The lowest point is 6.7 meters below sea level.
3. Bicycles are the most popular means of transportation in the country; there are about 16 million of them. Every resident of the country has a bicycle. In Amsterdam, the number of bicycles exceeds the number of city residents.
4. Bicycles are often stolen, especially in Amsterdam. Therefore, a bicycle lock often costs twice as much as the bicycle itself.
5. The Dutch do not eat hot lunches. They can get by with a couple of cheese or peanut butter sandwiches.
6. Almost all Dutch people speak English well. Films are shown on central and cable channels, as well as in cinemas. original language With subtitles. In addition to English, many Dutch people speak German and French - the languages of neighboring countries.
7. Contrary to popular belief, the Dutch are not big fans of weed at all; it's mainly a hobby for tourists. However, the Dutch government is trying to combat the use of weed, and since 2012, a pilot program has been introduced in one of the cities where only local residents can purchase weed in a coffee shop.
8. In Holland, it is allowed to grow up to 5 cannabis bushes at home for personal consumption.
9. Flowers in Holland are very cheap and of excellent quality. A fresh bouquet of 50 tulips can be bought for only 5 euros (about 200 rubles).
10. Holland exports 2/3 of the world's volume of living plants, flowers and roots. The Dutch agricultural sector ranks third in the world in terms of profit after the United States and France.
11. Prostitution is legalized in Holland, and representatives of this ancient profession are required to pay taxes on an equal basis with other citizens.
12. The Dutch are the tallest nation in the world. Average height in Holland it is 182 centimeters.
13. Locals don't close their curtains and you can always see what's going on in their houses. This habit remains from war times, when open windows were a symbol that the residents of the house had nothing to hide.
14. People in the country live by the rules and under no circumstances violate them. Even if the bus is still standing, but the doors are already closed, you are unlikely to be able to get inside.
15. The Dutch are a very sporty nation. Many people run or cycle almost all year round.
16. At school and university, a 10-point grading scale is used, instead of the usual 5-point grading scale. 10, however, is almost impossible to get, so 9 is the equivalent of our five.
17. The weather in Holland is very rainy, windy and very changeable. Therefore, talking about the weather is one of the favorite topics of conversation for local residents.
18. Almost all shops in Holland are open until 18.00. Once a week, however, on the so-called shopping evening (koopavond), the shops close at 21:00 and you have the chance to buy everything you need.
19. In addition to house and land taxes, the Dutch pay an annual tax for the maintenance and construction of flood control systems.
20. The highest point in the country, which the Dutch call "the mountain", is only 323 meters.
21. Holland has a very high density of museums. There are about 1,000 museums in a country of 16 million inhabitants.
22. The population density of Holland is the highest in Europe - 391 people per square kilometer.
23. The Dutch live according to a schedule. Even close relatives plan meetings in advance - several weeks, and sometimes months in advance. If you happen to be nearby and decide to “drop in” on a Dutch friend for half an hour, you are unlikely to succeed, since, most likely, her day was already planned long before.
24. One of the local delicacies is herring. You can buy it right on the street - in one of the special kiosks. Locals eat herring generously sprinkled with onions and held by the tail, or like a hamburger - in a white bun.
25. The second Dutch delicacy is French fries with mayonnaise (Vlaamse fries). For many Dutch people this can also be an everyday lunch.
26. Holland is one of the largest beer producers in the world. Brands such as Heineken, Amstel and Grolsch were born here. Heineken is the 3rd largest beer producer in the world. However, contrary to this, Dutch beer does not taste very noticeable. The best beer is brewed in Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium.
27. Dutch vodka is called Jenever. It tastes like a cross between Calvados, schnapps and cheap whiskey.
28. The Dutch are very straightforward. They are unlikely to stand on ceremony and beat around the bush, and most likely will tell you everything as it is.
29. The Dutch are very informal in their communication. On business meeting, for example, the director can easily offer to make coffee for everyone.
30. If you do not show up for work claiming to be sick, a doctor may be sent to you to check whether you are really sick.
31. Instead of Father Frost, familiar to us from childhood, the Dutch every year meet Sinterklas (St. Nicholas), who comes from Spain on his white horse. Sinterklas is quite similar to our Father Frost, but instead of the Snow Maiden he is accompanied by black assistants - Petes. When celebrating the Sinterklass holiday, children put down their shoes, putting carrots there for Sint's horse, and receive gifts in return.
32. The Dutch love to sprinkle their toast with a kind of chocolate chip called Hagelslag. This refers to the kind of shavings that children sprinkle on ice cream, but in Holland adults sprinkle it on bread that has been previously buttered.
33. When Dutch children finish school, they hang the Dutch flag and school bag outside.
34. When meeting, the Dutch kiss each other on the cheek 3 times, instead of the usual 2 times.
35. 40% of the country's population are atheists. There are more Protestants in the north of Holland, and more Catholics in the south.
36. In those winters when the rivers in the country freeze, the Elfstedentocht, beloved by the Dutch, is organized - the famous speed skating marathon through 11 cities of the Dutch province of Friesland with a length of 200 kilometers.
37. The Dutch are one of the most well-travelled nations in the world. At the age of 20–40, they often work/live for several years in other countries. In most cases they return back to Holland.
38. The main reason for Dutch emigration from the country is bad weather. Due to the maritime climate in the country, it often rains and cold winds blow.
39. Many Dutch people are not officially married, even if they have children together.
40. All pets are equipped with a special microchip, which greatly facilitates the search if the animal is lost.
41. The color of Holland is orange, due to the fact that the name of the royal family literally sounds like “House of Orange”.
42. April 30 - Queen's Day - is considered the main holiday of the Netherlands. Locals dress in all orange and organize street celebrations. On this day, it seems that all the inhabitants of the country took to the streets, where one half of the population sells all sorts of things orange color, and the other one buys it. The streets of Dutch cities are decorated with orange lanterns. Orange garlands of balloons, ribbons, flags are visible everywhere, and even people's faces are painted orange.
43. Holland is the unofficial name of the Netherlands, which is not very popular with local residents. Holland is the region in the west of the country.
44. To see a doctor, such as a cardiologist, you first need to get a referral from a GP. No doctor will see you just like that, without a referral.
45. Medicine in Holland is paid and covered by insurance. Everyone should have insurance; its cost is about 100 euros per month.
46. Fireworks in Holland are only allowed in New Year's Eve: from 10 am on December 31 to 2 am on January 1.
47. In Holland it is not customary for a man to take the initiative towards a woman. This is partly due to the fact that women want to be independent and regard male initiative as an attack on their self-sufficiency.
48. Because it rains most of the year, the Dutch have learned to enjoy even brief spells of good weather. As soon as a ray of sunshine appears, local residents pour out into the streets, drink beer on open tracks, even if it’s only +5 outside.
49. A special category of the population consists of Surinamese, Indonesians, Turks and Moroccans. Their stay in the country can be characterized as coexistence with the local population. They have created their own closed subculture, reading newspapers and watching films in their own language. Official quantity There are more than 1 million immigrants in Holland.
50. The Dutch are a very well-read people. There is one bookstore for every 2,000 inhabitants.
51. In Holland, you can drink alcohol from the age of 16.
52. There are 1180 mills in Holland.
53. The Keukenhoff Tulip Park is 32 hectares of land planted with flowers and is the most photographed place in the world.
54. Public toilets are paid (from 20 to 50 euro cents), even in some nightclubs, which also have an entrance fee.
55. In Holland it is not customary to give expensive gifts. Even for a wedding, as a rule, the budget is limited to no more than 50 euros.
56. 30% of Dutch children are born at home. At the same time, do not be surprised if, a few hours after birth, neighbors come to your house to inquire about the mother’s condition and look at the baby.
57. Dutch girls do not pay much attention to their appearance. Many people don’t wear makeup, style their hair, or wear heels. They wear what is comfortable. In the morning, Dutch girls go out with wet hair without having time to dry it.
58. However, unlike the British, Americans and other representatives of Anglo-Saxon countries, the Dutch have a sense of taste and look very neat.
59. Dutch men pay much more attention to their hair. Most Dutch people have semi-long blond hair, and they all have hair styling products.
60. If a police officer stops you for a traffic violation and you try to offer him a bribe, most likely he will return the money to you, being sincerely convinced that it came to him completely by accident.
61. In Holland they love football. Here they either play football, or watch, or, if there is nothing to watch, they re-watch old matches.
62. The Dutch are quite stingy and do not like to show their wealth. On the other hand, they have a highly developed feeling of envy.
63. Very popular in Holland dance music techno or trance. Don’t be surprised if, walking along the city streets, you see people 40–50 years old rocking out to trance. DJs Armin Van Buren, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten - all come from Holland.
64. Every August, Amsterdam hosts one of the largest gay pride parades in the world, attracting around half a million visitors. The parade itself is very similar to the Queen's Day celebrations and is a parade of barges through the canals of Amsterdam.
65. In Holland you can be fined for not having lights on your bike at night.
66. “Dutch disease” - the so-called increase in production dependence syndrome natural resources and decline in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. In 1959, the largest natural gas field in Europe was discovered in Holland. Due to its exports, the Dutch guilder greatly increased in price, which negatively affected other export sectors of the economy.
67. During the Second World War, german army exported a very large number of bicycles from Holland. This is why the Dutch really dislike the Germans and still make fun of German tourists, saying: “Bring back our bicycles!”
Hello, Dear friends, site readers! Vadim Dmitriev is in touch again. It's no secret that the most tall people The Dutch are now considered in the world, but few people think about why this nation is so big. Today I bring to your attention an article by a girl named Maria Worrell. She moved to Holland from the USA and wrote on her blog about why the Dutch are so tall. I found her article and translated it from English to publish here. The story contains very interesting observations, you should like it.
I had a conversation on Twitter with several people about why Dutch people are the tallest in the world. My friend is 195 cm tall and the people around him are tall. Even the women here are tall and proud of it. Later, I had a conversation with my friend Amber, who is working on a project related to the availability of local food. All this got me thinking.
My short stature gives me some difficulties here. Shelves and racks are high, toilet seats are high, and so on. Much has been written about why Dutch people are so tall and here are the arguments I've come across:
- Genetics
- Abundant consumption of dairy products containing calcium. The Dutch consume tons of milk and dairy products. You can easily see people walking down the street with cartons of milk.
- Healthy lifestyle. They walk a lot. This likely reduces cholesterol levels from dairy products and improves their health. Most people ride bicycles regardless of height, weight and age. It's also surprising how active the elderly people are here. If they don't ride bicycles, they walk or ride wheelchairs, but they certainly don’t sit at home waiting to die.
- The Dutch eat in cafes and restaurants less often than Americans. It's quite expensive here. It is preferable to have a snack with homemade food from a bag taken with you. Many times I have seen people on bicycles taking out food wrapped in foil to snack on. Apples are very popular. At the same time, they love diners where everything except the ice cream is well-done... sometimes twice.
- Affordable medical care. Every person should buy himself medical insurance and use it when necessary. If you cannot afford it, you receive an allowance to pay for medical care. And it's not just for the poor. Even people earning 30 thousand euros a year receive a small benefit. I come here, but I receive my allowance. Easy access to medical care likely influences their health and height.
Since moving to Holland, there is one thing that has bothered me the most - the cost of eating out. They are quite big. Weekly markets near the city are helpful, where you can buy cheap and fresh products. I buy a lot of fruits and vegetables for less than 20 euros. They cost much more at the grocery store or farmer's market in the US.
Let's take a recent food outing as an example. I went to a small market near my house, where the prices are a little higher, but it's still cheap. Here's what I bought for 19 euros (please note that I took several expensive products that I do not eat regularly - strawberries, mangoes, avocados): 1 kg plums, 3 grapefruits, 4 oranges, 8 tangerines, 5 big apples, 3 avocados, a bunch of basil, a bunch of mint, a bunch of parsley, a bunch green onions, green salad, 2 large heads of broccoli, sweet peas, 250 grams of champignons, 2 bags of strawberries, red Bell pepper(about 10 pieces), 2 chili peppers, 1 large cucumber, 1 zucchini, 4 lemons, 3 limes.
True, none of this is positioned as “organic”; some products were from local producers, but they are available to the population. I don't know what food prices are like in America these days, but I don't remember being able to buy that much food for less than 25 bucks. For this money, I could, of course, fill the refrigerator with fast food or discounted, rotten fruit, but definitely not with fresh fruits and vegetables. And here everything is fresh and pretty good quality. The Dutch are big on freshness when it comes to their food.
Still, I miss America with its abundance of take-out restaurants, especially now that I am a student again. After all, there you can find not only establishments with fatty, disgusting dishes, but also really healthy food, if you set your mind to it. And in Holland you only have to choose from McDonald's, KFC or fast food restaurants, because all healthy food restaurants are incredibly expensive and require more than 12 euros per dish. But in general, the Dutch and Europeans have done a better job than Americans of making sure they have local, cheap sources of healthy food within reach.
Best regards, Vadim Dmitriev
All tourists are told the story that Montenegrins are the tallest people in Europe. Today I decided to delve into various statistics and check this fact. It turned out that according to the latest data, they share 1st place in height with the Dutch, and in the world, and not just in Europe! Meeting a 2-meter guy (or taller) here is not surprising! And Montenegrins are not deprived of beautiful appearance in their youth, it’s a delight to the eye. But, unfortunately, only the eyes are happy; I will not mention the presence of intelligence in this article...
Indeed, in Montenegro I began to feel of normal height; in my native Ukraine I was considered tall at 175 cm, and in Perm region in the Russian Federation, where my grandparents live, in general - a giantess, I always hit my head there when I enter some dressing rooms, and when leaving the train in Perm, it seems that the people have sharply decreased...
At the bottom of the Wikipedia article there is a table where you can check the average height data for different nationalities.
1. Dutch and Montenegrins - 183.2 cm
2. Danes and Norwegians - 182.4 cm
3. Serbs - 182 cm
...
8. Germans - 181 cm
9. Croats - 180.5 cm
10. Slovenes - 108.3 cm
In general, the Dinaric Highlands, where ex-Yugolsavia is located, leads the ranking in terms of tall men. But women with an average height of 171 cm from this region are generally in 1st place!!! I took a sign from the Serbian website for some countries, so here the Serbs are in the top line.
I found a map of the world where nations are sorted by height by color. I don’t know what year it is, but Montenegrins also stand out here. The average height of men is taken as a measure.
- Red color - from 180 cm and above
- Yellow color - 175 - 179.9 cm
- Blue color - 170 - 174.9 cm
- Green color - 165 - 169.9 cm
- Purple color - from 164.9 cm
Since I am a lover of old photos, I will show you how they looked before - the growth is visible even here. In the photo - Montenegrins are walking around Cetinje at 6 am! Apparently they dressed up for a trip to the nearest kafana, where they could wash the bones of their wives-mistresses. Eh, there were no tourists then :) 
The famous magazine The National Geographic about a hundred years ago photographed Montenegrins in their nationality. clothes. It is noticeable that mustaches predominated back then :) I looked at various military photographs of those years - all the men were slender, elongated, with a proud posture and for some reason with a mustache... It’s good that they became fashionable in Montenegro. 
By the way, over the past 100 years, European men have grown by 11 cm. This is data from scientists from Australia and Great Britain. Before this, for thousands of years, max. the growth rate did not exceed 2 cm per century. Even two world wars did not stop the intensity of the process. According to scientists, this sharp jump in growth indicates a tremendous improvement in health, nutrition and social hygiene conditions.
Over the last century in Europe (including Russia), men and women have grown by about 10 cm. But Americans have now dropped somewhat in stature and gained a lot of weight - fast food and all sorts of Coca-Cola will soon turn them into pot-bellied dwarfs: )
And I will show modern Montenegrins, of whom the country is proud - these are water polo players. They are one of the best in the world in this sport. I looked at the data for the Olympics for 2008 and 2012 - both times they were in 4th place.
Interestingly, those who eat more meat grow faster: chicken, pork, beef. Montenegrins have a great love for meat, they are still meat-eaters!!! But lamb lovers don't stand out tall. This fact is confirmed by the Turks. When I walk through Istanbul Ataturk Airport in search of my gate (and here you can see people from all over the world at the same time), I see Montenegrins from afar due to their height, and everyone else immediately gets lost against their background :)
I am glad to announce the launch of my website, now read all the most interesting about Montenegro and the Balkans on
What are the features of Dutch national character? Of course, this is primarily the well-known Dutch tolerance. Not only in relation to non-traditional sexual orientation and one of the most ancient professions (remember the red light district), but also in general to everything strange and unusual. For example, the Dutch will not at all judge a guest who comes to a social reception in old jeans and a frayed sweater. And at the same time, they will calmly treat a loader in a jacket and tie. They won’t even blink an eyelid when they see a half-naked passerby in winter. Without a shadow of amazement they will look at a man in a woman’s headscarf and with pigtails. They will smile calmly at a person loudly singing opera arias as they walk. They were probably just used to wonders and surprises. To understand this, just take a walk around Amsterdam at night - you will see so many interesting, extraordinary people that you will lose the ability to be surprised.
The Dutch, who are not surprised by anything, are no strangers to curiosity bordering on tactlessness. This is not immediately obvious, since the people of the country are extremely polite and accommodating. They will never ask questions about salary, religion or political preferences. But they can easily ask a woman they don’t know how old she is, if she is married, if she has children. (It should be noted that they do not consider the absence of a husband and children to be a disadvantage at all). The Dutch also often strive to get to the heart of things, asking: why do you think this way, why do you act this way and not otherwise? However, they rarely give unsolicited advice.
The Dutch are hardworking, conscientious and obliging people. At work - even a not very beloved one - they give their best not to please their superiors, but out of a sense of duty and internal discipline. And they almost always keep their promises. If for some reason they let you down, they apologize and, if possible, compensate for the damage or inconvenience caused. The Dutch, without shame or complexes, admit that they do not know something - even if it concerns historical, geographical or cultural facts that everyone is supposed to know. They can also calmly admit that they don’t read books or go to museums. They know that the interlocutor will not look at them with contempt and will not even think badly about them.
The Dutch value honesty above all else. If a child has committed a serious offense, for example, stealing money from his parents, they often tell him: “We can forgive you for the theft. But never a lie." If the Dutch don't like something, they announce it directly. They easily criticize their interlocutor without being embarrassed by the presence of other people. And if a discussion starts in the company, they always take part in it. And this is not for the sake of standing out. It is simply important for them that others know their opinion.
In general, we can say that the inhabitants of the country are straightforward open people. But, unfortunately, sometimes they are too open. For example, they will frankly report to their boss that a colleague went home too early. Or he said or did something wrong. And that same colleague won’t even be offended by this. Of course, this does not happen in all teams, but this is the general trend.
Looking at the balanced, helpful and always smiling local residents, it is difficult to imagine that they can shout, pound the table with their fists, or slam the door. It seems impossible to piss them off – at least not in a business setting. However, this is only an appearance: the Dutch quarrel with their colleagues and neighbors - but only differently than our compatriots. They express their indignation and dissatisfaction peacefully and politely - from the outside it seems that people are having a normal conversation. They also calmly make peace: they discuss who was right and wrong about what. They consider reconciliation after a quarrel necessary, even if the main conflict remains unresolved.
The Dutch are supporters not only of unconditional honesty, but also of complete justice. Nobody gives bribes to anyone. Try to suggest, they simply won’t understand you. Of course, corruption scandals happen, but rules always mean exceptions. The Dutch are law-abiding people and demand the same from others. Any privileges are excluded. So, when entering an elite school or in competition for a prestigious position, everyone equal chances: The son of a minister, for example, will not receive the slightest advantage. This does not apply only to the royal family - all its members are well settled. And no one blames them for this. The royal house is a symbol of the country and lives by its own ‘symbolic’ laws, so a lot is forgiven to them.
It seems the story is almost finished. Everything I have said so far corresponds to both generally accepted views and my own observations. But the reader may ask: what about the famous Dutch stinginess? Even the residents of the country consider themselves exaggeratedly thrifty and enjoy telling the following joke: “Do you know how wire appeared? Two Dutchmen found a ten-cent piece and each took it towards him.” However, I personally do not consider the Dutch to be stingy and I do not notice that they save on themselves and their loved ones. The modesty of their feasts is explained, in my opinion, only by moderate needs and a reasonable attitude towards food. It should be added that in financial matters the Dutch are extremely prudent and careful, so they do not count on “maybe” and insure themselves for almost all eventualities.
I also do not agree with the popular opinion that the Dutch are unemotional and dry. For example, they never cry in public, except at funerals. No, that’s not true, even if they are more reserved than, for example, the Italians. They also say that the Dutch do not like to gossip. It’s not true – they love it, although they don’t abuse it. In general, the inhabitants of the orange kingdom are normal nice people, but in some ways they are special and unique. I would say: great guys. I like them.
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The country, which is mistakenly called Holland, attracts millions of tourists not only for its permissiveness and endless fields of tulips. Here are the tallest men in the world, policemen who will help wash the dishes and feed the children, and your pilot on the plane could easily be the king himself.
We are in website found unexpected facts about the homeland of Van Gogh and Rembrandt, which will amaze even those tourists who have already been to the Netherlands.
1. The tallest men in the world
if you love tall men, then they are easiest to find in the Netherlands. The average height of the Dutch is about 183 cm, and they are considered the tallest in the world. The average height of women is 169 cm, and they occupy the second place in the ranking of the tallest nations.
2. Red day
Every year at the beginning of September, Red Head Day is held in the Dutch town of Breda. This festival lasts 2 days and attracts hundreds of people from sunny color hair from 50 countries around the world.
3. Police officers are heroes of social networks
Dutch police officers often become the subject of social media posts, and not only because of their heroic deeds on duty. So, in the town of Eindhoven, law enforcement officers stayed at home to wash the dishes and prepare lunch for 5 children when their mother was taken to the hospital.
2 other female police officers became famous on Facebook when they discovered a missing phone and decided to make a post on the smartphone owner’s page on social network: “Hey, we found your phone, come and get it.”
4. Free housing for students with adult neighbors
Nursing homes in the Netherlands are willing to provide free housing to students in exchange for volunteering. Your neighbor may be a sweet 90-year-old grandparent who just needs communication. You will be required to volunteer at least 30 hours a month, and for this you will be given a free room in this institution completely free of charge. While on average students in the Netherlands typically spend around €366 on rent, in neighboring Germany a studio can be found for €210–€360 per month.
5. Life on the water
When a large part of the country has been reclaimed from the sea, and any Big City run through dozens of canals, you get used to living in harmony with the water element from childhood. Many people even prefer cozy houses on the water to cramped apartments. Here you can even find an animal shelter moored to the embankment.
And in the Dutch village of Giethoorn there are no roads at all and people move exclusively by boats.
And the Dutch prefer to sail along the waterways of their country with special comfort.
6. A country on two wheels
The Netherlands has about 16 million people and over 18 million bicycles. And in Amsterdam, the number of two-wheeled vehicles is 4 times higher than the number of cars. It is not surprising that with such Great love For the Dutch this type of transport, traffic jams from cyclists are a completely common occurrence in this country.
The total length of all cycling routes in the country is 100,000 km. Therefore, local residents do not feel the need to buy a car at all and use their two-wheeled friend even in the most unusual situations.
And it doesn't matter which one you have social status or a high position, it is impossible to imagine life in the Netherlands without a bicycle. Even the Prime Minister prefers to cycle to work.
