How many amazing paintings by famous Dutch artists can be seen in any gallery in the world, how many stunning types of Dutch flowers are sold around the globe and how many exciting adventure novels take place in the Dutch lands! Everyone, at least once in his life, has heard something about this country: beautiful houses, many flower fields, legalized prostitution and much more. This unusual country often becomes the topic of television programs that talk about its dissimilarity to other European countries, and even more so to the countries of the East.
A large number of tourists tend to get to Holland to look at the huge number of bicycles, hemp, which is openly grown in the gardens near the house. But by trying to get to this country and applying to the embassy to open a visa, you will receive permission to enter the Netherlands, not Holland. Many people feel stupid in such a situation and try to change their visa. Why is Holland called the Netherlands, isn't it the same country? Our article will answer this question.
Mysterious European country
Netherlands and Holland - what's the difference? To some extent of this issue, this is one and the same country, but on the other hand, not quite. According to any encyclopedia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is a constituent sovereign state in Western Europe.
The word "Netherlands" can be translated as "lower lands". This name originated in the Middle Ages, since most of the country's territories were located below sea level, in lowlands and depressions. That is why, for many inhabitants of the Netherlands, a mountain with a height of 300-400 meters is considered huge and unbearable to climb. There is a little joke that says that due to the dislike of the height of the country's citizens, such mundane laws were adopted, allowing too much, unlike neighboring countries.
This is how the Netherlands was historically called. For the indigenous population of the country, there is simply no other name. This country is quite rich, both culturally and historically. The territory of the Netherlands was occupied by the enemy troops of Germany. Perhaps it was after those difficult times that the government began to care even more about its citizens. After all, it is here that the highest benefits for the unemployed and people of retirement age are the highest, the sale of drugs is legalized and prostitution is legalized, and all the girls of this profession pay taxes.
A small summary of all of the above: the Netherlands is a state!
What is Holland and where is it located?
Holland is just a province of the Netherlands, or rather two provinces - South and North Holland. The territories of these provinces were formed during the Middle Ages and remain the same to this day. But most often, when talking about the merits of Holland, these provinces do not separate from each other, they speak of them as a single whole.
Since the sixteenth century, Holland has been the main territory of the entire country. It was here that traders from all over Europe flocked, because trade was very developed here. All the people of Europe did not hesitate to say that they bought this or that item in a country called Holland, although the country had a completely different name. The sailors from this country have always presented themselves as the Dutch, which is the famous ship "The Flying Dutchman".
On the territory of the Russian Kingdom, Holland became known after the European travels of the famous first emperor Peter I. The great Russian figure praised craftsmen from distant Holland, admired its technical achievements. It was this country that he set as an example, and it was along its path that the Russian Empire began to develop.
Conclusion
Another reason why many people confuse the two concepts is that it is in the province of Holland that all the most important events take place and the most important government institutions are located, and not in the capital Amsterdam. Therefore, the fact was born that the city of The Hague, located in the western part of Holland, is the unofficial capital. And of course, all significant events for tourists take place in Holland.
In the end, I would like to summarize what is the correct name for this attractive state in Europe. When conducting business negotiations, writing documents, it is nevertheless necessary to use the name "Netherlands". When talking to a friend or operator of a travel agency, you can use "Holland", although there is one small "but": when talking with people in Europe, it is better to also use the word "Netherlands", it is more familiar to them, and this will once again emphasize your readiness.
