The Netherlands
by: Daekwon Norman
History
The Netherlands has a pretty long history. This history includes being ruled by a corrupted king, Phillip II of Spain, being freed by Prince William of Orange, and to top things off being invaded by Germany in World War II - when Hitler was in town (Lambert). These are the only major things in Dutch history; the Netherlands has really been a safe place ever since, other than the little threats from terrorists and other countries. Today these people are well known because of their capital, Amsterdam.
Major Issues/Problems in the country/Crime
Problems in the Netherlands don’t happen very often, well anymore. Their government tends to keep things to themselves unless there is a tragedy occurring. Most problems are small crimes, such as pickpocketing, phone thefts, and breaking into unattended vehicles (OSAC). “In Amsterdam, thieves are very active in/around Centraal Station; Amsterdam Zuid station; tram stops near the red light district, restaurants, and hotels; and on trams between Centraal Station and the museum district” (OSAC.gov).
Geography
Religion Diversity
Music
Government Structure
The Netherlands is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarchy (Netherlands). They have a king that is head of state yet not head of government. The Prime Minister, currently Mark Rutte, is the head of government (Netherlands). In this form of government the citizens have a voice. The citizens “govern” through voting.
Economy
Fun Facts
- There are more than six hundred museums in this country.
- Capital is Amsterdam, which is also the most visited.
- Ranked 65th in population with 16,947,904 people.
- Their national language is Dutch, yet most citizens speak English just as good.
- The most popular sport in this country is Soccer, aka futbol.
- Most people like to refer to the country as Holland.