Everyone knows that Holland is famous for its cheese, windmills and wooden shoes. But did you know that Holland also has the world’s highest museum density? Or that as much as 26 percent of Holland is below sea level and the Dutch are the world’s tallest people? We have collected the most fun and surprising facts about Holland for you.





Coaches in front of palace Noordeinde

Country

Did you know...

· The Netherlands and Holland are one and the same place?

· Holland is the third biggest exporter of agricultural produce, preceded only by the US and France, even though only 4% of the Dutch population works in the agriculture sector?

· The Netherlands has approximately 1,5 million cows, which together produce 10 billion liters of milk?

· 500 million kilos of cheese are exported per year?

· When you arrive at Schiphol Airport, you are four meters below sea level?

· The highest point in Holland is in Vaals and is 323 meters above sea level, and is also the point where the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium meet?

· 3% of the Netherlands consists of National Parks?

· The canals of Amsterdam, the former island of Schokland, the fortifications around Amsterdam, the windmills of Kinderdijk-Elshout, the Beemster Polder, the Wadden Islands, D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station and the Rietveld-Schröderhuis are all on UNESCO’s World Heritage List?

· Flevoland, the twelfth province, was reclaimed from the Zuiderzee (‘Southern Sea’) in 1986?

Politics

Did you know...

· Holland always has a coalition government, so it is a country of compromises?

· Holland was one of the six founding members of the European Community?

· Amsterdam is the capital, but the government is in The Hague?

· The International Court of Justice (at the Peace Palace) and the International Criminal Court are both situated in The Hague?

· In the Netherlands, anyone aged 14 or older is obliged to carry an original and valid proof of identity?

Windmills

Did you know...

· Holland still has around a thousand old-fashioned working windmills?

· The mills in the Netherlands represent the age-long battle against water?

Museums

Did you know...

· The Van Gogh collections in the Van Gogh Museum and the Kröller-Müller Museum are the largest in the world?

· Holland has the highest concentration of museums in the world?

City

Did you know...

· Amsterdam was built entirely on piles?

· Amsterdam has over 1200 bridges?

· Rotterdam is one of the largest ports in the world?

· Nieuwerkerk aan den IJssel is 6.76 meters below sea level, which is the lowest point in Holland?

Cycling

Did you know...

· Every Dutch person owns a bike and there are twice as many bikes as there are cars?

· Holland has no less than 37,000 km of cycle paths?

Water

Did you know...

· 26% of the Netherlands is under sea level?

· Holland has more than 4,400 km of navigable rivers, canals and lakes?

· You can see how Holland waged war against the sea at Deltapark Neeltje Jans in Zeeland?

Culture

Did you know...

· The Dutch are the tallest people in the world?

· Most Dutch people speak a foreign language as well as Dutch?

· The Dutch saying “Act normally, that’s crazy enough” fits the Dutch like a glove?

· Saint Nicholas’ Eve on 5 December is the Netherlands’ number one traditional holiday?

· There is no country in the world where more liqorice is consumed than in the Netherlands: 32 million kilos per year?

· On average, the Dutch eat 14.3 kg of cheese per person per year?

· Many of the Dutch eat raw herring with onions using only their hands?

· King Willem-Alexander, takes personal interest in water management?