Interesting facts about the Netherlands.

1. The Dutch are famous for excellent health. Almost all dress very easy even in winter, to -3 degrees caps is not nobody, not even little children.

2. Most of the Netherlands is below sea level. The lowest point is 6.7 meters below sea level.

3. Bike - the most popular means of transportation in the country, there are about 16 million. He has every inhabitant of the country. In Amsterdam, the number of bicycles exceeded the number of residents.

4. Bicycles are often stolen, particularly in Amsterdam. So often lock the bike costs twice as much of the bike.

5. The Dutch do not eat hot meals. They could cost a couple of sandwiches with cheese or peanut butter.

6. Almost all Dutch speak good English. Movies by central and cable channels, as well as in cinemas shown in the 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 herbs, mostly, it's fun to tourists. However, the Dutch government is trying to deal with the use of herbs and since 2012, in one of the cities that have introduced a pilot program in coffeeshops where marijuana can be purchased only local resident.

8. In the Netherlands are allowed to grow at home to 5 bushes of cannabis for personal consumption.

9. Flowers in Holland is very cheap and of excellent quality. A fresh bouquet of 50 tulips can be bought for 5 euros (about 200 rubles).

10. Holland 2/3 of the world's exports of live plants, flowers and roots. Dutch agricultural sector occupies 3rd place in the world in profits after the US and France.

12. The Dutch are the tallest nation in the world. The average growth in the Netherlands is 182 centimeters.

13. The locals did not close the curtains and you can always see what is happening in their homes.

14. people in the country live by the rules, and under no circumstances do not violate them. Even if the bus is still standing, but the doors are closed - you are unlikely to get inside.

15. The Dutch - very sporty nation. Many people engaged in cycling or running all year round.

16. The school and the university used a 10-point grading scale, instead of the usual 5-point to us. 10, however, practically impossible to obtain, however 9 is the equivalent of our five.

17. The weather in Holland is very rainy, windy and very changeable. Therefore, talk about the weather - are one of the favorite topics of conversation of local residents.

18. Almost all the shops (except for some food) in the Netherlands are open until 6 pm. Once a week, however, the so-called evening shopping (koopavond) shops close at 9 pm and you have the chance to buy everything you need.

19. In addition to the taxes on the house and land, the Dutch annually pay tax on the maintenance and construction of anti-flood.

20. The highest point in the country, which the Dutch called "mountain" is only 323 meters.

21. In the Netherlands, the highest density of museums. In a country with 16 million inhabitants around 1000 museums.

22. The density of the Dutch population is also the highest in Europe - 391 people per square kilometer.

23. The Dutch live on schedule. Even close relatives are planning a meeting in advance - a few weeks, and sometimes months. If you are nearby and decided on the half-hour "drop" a Dutch friend, you is unlikely, since it is likely to have the day was laid long before that.

24. One of the local delicacies is herring. It can be bought on the street - in one of the kiosks. Locals eat herring, generously sprinkled with onions and holding the tail, or a burger - 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.

28. The Dutch are very direct. They are unlikely to stand on ceremony and walk around it, and most likely, you will express it as it is.

29. The Dutch are very informal communication. In a business meeting, for example, the director can easily invite all to make coffee.

30. If you do not come to work, he said patients, you can send a doctor to check whether you really are sick.

31. Instead of the familiar to us from childhood of Santa Claus, the Dutch meet every year Sinterklasa (St. Nicholas), arrives from Spain on his white horse. Sinterklas quite like our Santa Claus, but instead of the Snow Maiden, he is accompanied by black assistants - Pita. Encountering Sinterklas holiday, children put their shoes, put the carrot for the horse Cinta, and in return receive gifts.

32. The Dutch love toast sprinkled with some kind of chocolate chips - Hahelslah (Hagelslag). This refers to such chips, which the children sprinkle ice cream, but in Holland adults sprinkled her corn, previously smeared with butter.

33. When the Dutch children leave school, they hang out on the street Dutch flag and a school bag.

34. The meeting with the Dutch kiss each other on the cheek three times.

35. 40% of the population are atheists. In the north of the Netherlands lives longer Protestants and Catholics in the south greater.

36. In those winter, when the rivers freeze over in the country, arranged by the Dutch favorite Elfsteydentoht (Elfstedentocht) - the famous skating marathon through 11 towns of the Dutch province of Friesland length of 200 kilometers.

37. The Dutch - one of the most traveling nations in the world. At the age of 20-40 years, they often work / living for several years in other countries. In most cases, they go back to Holland.

38. The main reason for emigration from the Dutch is bad weather. Due to the maritime climate in the country often does it rain and the cold wind blows.

39. Many Dutch are not in status, even if raising children together.

40. Many pet supply special microchip, which greatly facilitates the search in case the animal is lost.

41. The color of Holland is orange, it is connected with the fact that the name of the royal family literally sounds like "House of Orange".

42. April 30 - the day of the Queen - is considered the main holiday of the Netherlands. Locals still clothed in an orange suit and street festivals. On this day, it seems that all the inhabitants of the country took to the streets, where one half of the population sells sundries orange and the other buys it. Streets Dutch cities are decorated with orange lights. Everywhere visible orange garlands of balls, ribbons, flags, and even people's faces are painted in orange.

43. Netherlands - is the informal name of the Netherlands, which do not really like the place residents. Holland called the region in the west of the country.

44. To get to the doctor, such as a cardiologist, you first need to get a referral from a general practitioner. Just like that, without a referral, you will not accept any doctor.

45. Medicine in the Netherlands paid and payable by insurance. Everyone should have insurance, the cost of it is on the order of 100 euros per month.

46. ​​Fireworks are only allowed in the Netherlands New Year's Eve: 10 am Dec. 31 to 2 am on January 1st.

47. In the Netherlands, it is not accepted that the man showed initiative in relation to women. This is partly due to the fact that women want to be independent, and men regard the initiative as an attack on their self-sufficiency.

48. Due to the fact that most of the year in the country is rain, the Dutch learned to enjoy even a short manifestations of good weather. As soon as the sun peeks beam, locals poured into the streets, on the open road, even if the street is just +5.

49. A special category of the population are Surinamese, Indonesians, Turks and Moroccans. Their stay in the country can be characterized as coexistence with local communities. They created a closed subculture, they read newspapers and watch movies in their own language. The official number of immigrants in the Netherlands - more than 1 million. People.

50. For every 2,000 inhabitants of Holland there is one bookstore.

51. In the Netherlands, alcohol can be used from 16 years.

52. In 1180 the Netherlands mills.

53. Park tulip Keukenhoff - is 32 hectares of land planted with flowers, is the most photographed places in the world.

54. Public toilets are paid (from 20 to 50 euro cents), even in some of the night clubs, the entrance to which is also an extra charge.

55. In the Netherlands, it is not accepted to give expensive gifts. Even the wedding, as a rule, limited to budget no more than 50 euros.

56. 30% of Dutch babies are born at home. Thus do not be surprised if in a few hours after birth, you will drop the neighbors to inquire about the state of mother and look at the baby.

57. The Dutch girls do not pay much attention to their appearance. Many are not painted, not style your hair and do not wear heels. Wear what is convenient. In the morning, they go outside with wet hair, not having their dosushit.

58. However, unlike the British, Americans and other representatives of the Anglo-Saxon countries, the Dutch have a sense of taste and look very neat.

59. The Dutch men pay their hair much more attention. The majority of the Dutch are of medium length blond hair, and each of them is a means for hair styling.

60. If you are stopped by the police for violation of the road, and you try to offer him a bribe, most likely, it will return the money to you, being sincerely convinced that they came to him by chance.

61. In the Netherlands, adore football. Here, either playing football or watching, or, if there is nothing to watch - to reconsider the old games.

62. The Dutch are rather stingy and did not like to show their wealth. On the other hand, they have a pretty strong sense of envy.

63. In the Netherlands, very popular dance music techno or trance. Do not be surprised if walking through the streets, you will see people 40-50 years kolbasyaschihsya a trance. Armin Van Buren, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten - all natives of the Netherlands.

64. Every August in Amsterdam runs one of the largest gay pride parades in the world, collecting about half a million visitors. Sam is very much like a parade to celebrate the Queen's Day and is a parade of barges on the canals of Amsterdam.

65. In the Netherlands, you can be fined for lack of lanterns on a bicycle in the dark.

66. "Dutch disease" - the so-called dependency syndrome increase the extraction of natural resources and the decline in industrial and agricultural sectors. In 1959, the Netherlands was discovered large deposits of natural gas in Europe. Due to its exports of Dutch Guilder greatly increased in value, which had a negative impact on other export sectors of the economy.

67. During the Second World War, the German army has taken out a very large number of bicycles from Holland. For this Dutch do not like the Germans, and still make fun of German tourists saying "Bring back our bikes!".