The Netherlands
History of the Netherlands
The Netherlands first became part of the Roman Empire in 50 BCE. When the Germanic Empire overthrew the Romans in 476 CE, the Netherlands were under their rule and later the Frankish Kingdom. In the 1500s, the Netherlands was part of Spain. In 1648, 80 years after Prince William of Orange first fought for freedom, the Netherlands received independence. Napoleon took over however in 1810 but only for 5 years. In 1830, Belgium became a separate country from Netherlands. The Netherlands is in Western Europe. It borders the North Sea, Belgium, and Germany. Netherlands the Rhine, Maas, and Schelde Rivers as geographical features.
Joining the EU
The Netherlands had joined the European Union 1958. It was one of the founding members of the European Union.
Flag
The official flag of the Netherlands was adopted in February 19,1937. The original colors of the flag were orange, white, and light blue in honor of the Prince of Orange, an important political leader, and the colors of his armor. But because the colors were too faint to notice in battle, they were changed to red, white, and cobalt blue.
Geography
The Netherlands has many lowland and many land below sea level. That is how the county got its name (Netherlands means low lands). There is so much water that machines and windmills pump water from the land. There are also many grasslands especially in the north. There are also some hills in the east and south.
Major Cities
Tourism
- The Van Gogh Museum is a popular sight for many artists. It shows all of Vincet Van Gogh's paintings in one building. If you like Van Gogh or art, then this would be a good place.
- The Rijksmuseum is the main national museum of the Netherlands and shows you many things about the Netherlands from the Middle Ages to now. If you want to learn more about the Netherlands history, this is a good place.
- The Euromast is a 185 m. tower in Netherlands that has a lift to see as far as Beligum, many rooms that show the view, and even zip line down 100 m. This is great if you like scenery, towers, or you're not afraid of heights.
Government Type
The Netherlands's government type is a constitutional monarchy. The current king is King Willem-Alexander.
Currency Type
The Netherlands now uses the euro as their currency. They used to use the Dutch Guilders.
Interesting Facts
- There used to be 10,000 windmills. Now there are only 1,000 left.
- Almost everyone has a bicycle. There are twice as many bikes as cars.
- Wagging your index finger emphasizes a point.
Citations
- "The Netherlands." CultureGrams Online Database: Subscriber Area Only. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
- "The Netherlands." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2015.
- "Tourism in the Netherlands - Holland.com." Tourism in the Netherlands - Holland.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.