HOLLAND VS THE NETHERLANDS

What is the difference between the Netherlands and the Netherlands? The Netherlands consists of 12 provinces, but many people use “Holland” when talking about the Netherlands.

  • The two provinces of Noord- and Zuid-Holland together are the Netherlands.
  • The 12 provinces together are the Netherlands.
  • The Netherlands is often used when referring to all the Netherlands.

The official name of the country is Kingdom of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander is the king of the nation. The Netherlands actually only means the two provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland . However, the name Holland is often used when referring to all the Netherlands.

A Brief History of Holland and Holland

Between 1588 and 1795, the area currently representing the Netherlands was the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. The republic was conquered by French troops in 1795 and became the Republic of Batavia. Napoleon named his brother Louis king in 1806, turning the country into a kingdom. Holland remained a kingdom after Napoleon's defeat. At that time, the area called “Holland” made the greatest contribution to the economy and wealth of the whole nation. As such, it became the commonly used name to indicate the whole country.

The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces: North Holland, South Holland, Zeeland, North Brabant, Utrecht, Flevoland, Frisia, Groningen, Drenthe, Overijssel, Gelderland and Limburg. Each province has its own capital. Check the holiday destinations and cities by province, and the attractions of each region.

TYPICALLY SPEAKING

When you think of the Netherlands or Holland, you probably think of tulips, windmills and cheese . These and other icons can be found across the country. Frisia and Zeeland are wonderful provinces for bike tours, Noord-Brabant and Gelderland are the place to discover the art of Vincent van Gogh, Bosch and other Dutch masters, and traditional cheese can be enjoyed in Limburg. Unique in Holland: Drenthe has prehistoric remains, such as the megalithic tombs called hunebeds . If the weather gets cold enough, ice skating enthusiasts can sign up for Elfstedentocht . This natural ice route takes you to eleven Friesian cities. If there is no ice, it is worth visiting cities even when the weather is nice.

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