Netherlands is in northwestern Europe. The country is well known for its flat landscape, canals, tulip fields, windmills, and cycling routes. The capital is Amsterdam. The official languages are Dutch, Frisian, and Papiamento. Here are other interesting facts about Netherlands for you.
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Population: 16.8 million (2013)
Capital: Amsterdam
Currency: Euro
Monarch: Willem Alexander
Prime Minister: Mark Rutte
Continent: Europe
System of Government: monarchy
Official Languages: Dutch, Frisian, Papiamento
Interesting Facts About Netherlands
1. WEALTH IN YOUR POCKET
Great wealth is encouraged and the opportunity to achieve such is ensured by the government. But ostentatious living and public spending of large sums of money is considered to be vice.
2. LUXURY IS VICE
The society encourages hard work and accumulation of wealth. But an ostentatious life style is considered wasteful by most people. Such life style is not in line with the egalitarianism of Netherlands, and is usually met with suspicion.
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3. BEING DIRECT IS THE WAY
They Dutch hate ambiguity. They never leave any issue to the imagination. Their communication style is the direct one. Going by that, they are direct and blunt to a fault in everything.
4. ALL ARE EQUAL
Egalitarianism rules the life and living of them Dutch; they do not defer to hierarchy. There is general believe that everyone is equal. What that means is… that you are rich does make you anything else but human.
5. MOST HATED VICES
Two things the Dutch despise most are: insincerity and hypocrisy. In a way, they hate anyone who talks from the two sides of their mouth. And you must blow hot and cold at the same time.
6. HAND SHAKE CUSTOMARY
At social gatherings and at all first meetings, it is the Dutch custom to shake hands. It is bad manners to not introduce oneself or to not shake hands. If you plan a visit to the country, commit it to mind.
7. BOTH HANDS EQUAL
To the Dutch, both hands are of equal quality. Anything that can be done with the right can as well be done with the left hand. One hand is not considered as more important or purer than the other.
8. THE KISSING RITUAL
On the number eight facts about Netherlands cheek-kissing is rare as part of greeting. But where is it practiced, it is on both cheeks one after the other. And it is men to women or women to women. It is never men to men.
9. LEVEL HEADED MONARCH
The current Dutch monarch, Willem Alexander can be addressed without the usual title of HRH. He is so down to earth that it makes no difference to him if you use no titles or prefixes at all.
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10. WORST TIME TO CALL
In the Netherlands, there are periods of the day that most people will see it as a taboo if you phone them. Dutch people hate being called on the phone before 10.00am on Sundays!
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