The Netherlands as a meeting place

Only the Dutch could have created Holland...
If there was a nation built on the character of its people, that nation would be Holland. The Dutch people are well-known for their hard-working. They are sensible, business-like, dedicated to order and neatness, analytical, open-minded to the exchange of new ideas and historically tolerant of foreigners. For centuries, this tolerance has made The Netherlands a haven for refugees. It has helped to make the Netherlands one of the most stable and socially advanced countries in the world. Holland has one of Europe's lowest strike records and excellent public safety.

Holland is friendly in every sense of the word
Friendly people, welcoming villages and towns, and user friendly, that is Holland. As comfortable as the Dutch are at home, they are also the most international of people. They welcome visitors with a natural hospitality. One awkward habit of the Dutch is that they persistently speak their own, very difficult language. Obviously, it would be easier if they spoke yours! The chance that they do is not inconsiderable. If you speak English as your first language, you will be struck by the high standard of English spoken by almost all the Dutch people you meet. They are also pretty good at German, French and, in some cases, Spanish.

Holland and The Netherlands: a strategic location
How started the confusion regarding the name of Holland/ The Netherlands? By tradition, the two provinces called North and South Holland form the historical seat of the political and economical structure of the country. Throughout the ages the name Holland was used when the whole country was referred to. Nowadays Holland as well as The Netherlands are used.

Holland is a compact country - 200 miles north-to-south, 110 miles east-to-west - filled with surprising variety of things to see and do. Within its boundaries, which kept growing as the Dutch battled with the sea to reclaim their land, you can find peaceful farmlands, flat polders, miles of canals, picturesque villages, old fishing ports, medieval castles and bustling cities. And of course Holland's international symbols like windmills, dikes, wooden shoes, tulips and cheese.

Within Europe, Holland occupies a unique strategic location. Within a 300 miles radius are London, Paris, Bonn, Brussels, Copenhagen and Luxembourg, with a total of 250 million well-off consumers. Holland is more and more seen as the gateway to Europe. It has its two famous ports; the port of Rotterdam, world's biggest and busiest port, the vital centre of world trade, with its 23 miles of piers, and Schiphol International Airport, the second largest airport in Europe and the most user-friendly airport in the world. Transportation and communications networks are models of modern efficiency in Holland.

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