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 About Netherlands |
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The name Holland is widely used as being equivalent to The Netherlands; its use is similar to that of England incorrectly being used instead of the United Kingdom, or Russia instead of the defunct Soviet Union. In some countries, however, embassies of The Netherlands use Holland as the name of the country they represent. |
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Location |
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The Netherlands is located in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany. |
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Population |
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Netherland is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It has a population of sixteen million and an average of 481 inhabitants per square kilometer.
The Dutch people descend from two early medieval people: the Franks and the Saxons. Dutch people living in the southern and western parts of the Netherlands descend from the Franks, while Dutchmen living in the eastern part of the Netherlands (those living in the provinces of Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe and Groningen) descend from the Saxons.
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Climate |
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Mild, maritime climate. Summers are generally warm with changeable periods, but excessively hot weather is rare. Winters can be fairly cold with the possibility of some snow. Rainfall is prevalent all year.
Required clothing: European according to season, with light- to medium weights worn in warmer months and medium- to heavyweights in winter. Rainwear is advisable all year.
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Religion |
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A plurality of Dutch people (41% of the Dutch people) does not belong to any denomination. Those belonging to a denomination are Christians. 30% of the Dutch people are Roman Catholic and 13% are Protestant. |
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Language |
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All ethnically Dutch people speak the Dutch language. The Dutch language is a West Germanic, Low Franconian language. The language originated in the Middle Ages, was standardized in the 16th century and has many Frankish and some Saxon influences. As the Netherlands have colonized Suriname in the 17th century, the language is also spoken there. Most people in Flanders speak Dutch as well. |
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Food |
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The main ingredient in old-fashioned Dutch dinners is potatoes, usually accompanied by meat and boiled vegetables. The Dutch traditionally don't use very sharp spices and are very fond of pouring gravy onto everything. The Dutch have however always been internationally orientated and nowadays you can expect to find meals varying from Italy to the Orient and from China to Afrika on Dutch dinnertables, especially amongst younger people. The consumption of dairy produkts is extremely high, which, according to some scientists, accounts for the high average height of Dutch men and women.
Below is listed some typical Dutch food which you should certainly experience during a visit to Holland. Most of the listed food is available at any supermarket.
Vla: a thick sweet milk pudding which is similar to English custard, made mainly from milk and offered in a variety of tastes ranging from vanilla and chocolate to strawberry. If you get the chance, you must try hopjes-vla and bitterkoekjes-vla which have a very typical and also unexplainable tastes.
Karnemelk: literally 'churned milk' (buttermilk). It has a thin substance and is rather sour. It is supposed to be quite healthy, but admittedly you must acquire a taste for it.
Poffertjes: these resemble very small pancakes and are traditionally served warm with lots of powdered sugar sprinkled on top. You can make them at home if you have a special pan, but it might be easier to go to a poffertjeskraam (kraam is literally a market stall, but also indicates larger eating-houses) and get them ready made.
Hagelslag: traditionally lots of chocolate-snippers which the Dutch sprinkle on their bread. Nowadays it comes in quite a number of (chocolate-) varieties.
Muisjes: literally meaning 'mice', it falls in the same category as hagelslag and is also used as bread-spread. Of course the ingredients do not consist of an actual mouse, although the blue & white muisjes do resemble very small mice crawling around on your slice of bread. Traditionally the blue & white muisjes are served on beschuit (rusk) to celebrate the birth of a child. Although now available in different varieties (like gestampte muisjes or 'crushed mice') it is essentially made from anise with a sugar coating.
Drop: a sweet (liquorice) that comes in a very large number of different forms and tastes, from salt and hard to soft and sweet. It is very popular among the entire Dutch population and is claimed to have something of an addictive-effect if eaten regularly in very large quantities.
Stamppot: a very down-to-earth meal consisting of mashed potatoes with varying ingredients like carrot (wortel stamppot), kale (boerenkool stampot) or endive (andijvie stamppot) and usually served with rookworst, a delicious, smoked, juicy, mild sausage.
Pea Soup: Another famous Dutch delight. Dutch pea soup is a meal in itself and is full of fresh winter vegetables and chunks of bacon and sausage. You should be able to stand a spoon upright in a good pea soup.
Patat: patat or 'french fries' may not be an exclusively Dutch food, but the thickness of the french fry itself and the fact that it is very often eaten with mayonaise ('patat met('patat with') is french fries with mayonaise) does make some foreigners stare. Even more extreme is a 'patatje oorlog' - literally meaning "french fries war" - indicating french fries with mayonaise and sat?-sauce. ‘patat speciaal’ is french fries, mayonnaise, ketchup and raw onions. Patat in all its varieties can be obtained in any snackbar.
An iteresting way to get takeaway in Holland is from the wall. There are snack bars that have rows of little windows where you slot in a coin and choose what snack you would like.
Kroket and frikandel: both are fried, roll-formed snacks containing (some kind of) meat. Available at any snackbar and not advisable for vegetarians.
Haring: a typical Dutch delicacy is eating a raw herring (fish) with raw onions. You pick the fish up by the tail and let it slide into your mouth gradually. Of course the head is removed and the fish has been cleaned. The first catch of the season is called Hollandse nieuwe ('Dutch new') and is considered a special treat.
Stroopwafel: is a unique type of cookie that has been around for centuries. are made with two thin wafle-type wafers that have a very special caramel filling. The waffle is cooked at a very high temperature on a waffle iron then sliced in half. The syrup then spread on and the two halves come together again.
Vlaai: this a pastry or a sweet pie typical of the southern regions of the Netherlands (Limburg and Brabant) but available all through the country. It comes in many different varieties and usually contains some kind of fruit filling. |
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Currency |
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The official currency is the 'euro'.
Business hours differ between banks. Most banks are open from Tuesday to Friday between 9 am and 4 pm. On Mondays businesses hours start mainly at 1 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays banks are closed.
GWK offices are opened 7 days a week.
All major credit cards are accepted widely, but not everywhere |
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Livings Cost |
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The typical gross monthly salary in the Netherlands is 2,269 Euro (US$2,204) including overtime, according to the Central Bureau for Statistics.
One week’s supply of groceries (for one person) costs approximately 45 Euro (US$44).
One-liter bottle of mineral water: €2.50
33cl bottle of beer: €1.50
Financial Times newspaper: €5
36-exposure color film: €7
City-centre bus ticket: €1.60
Adult football ticket: €25
Three-course meal with wine or beer: From €30 |
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Visas |
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A valid passport is all you need to enter Holland. Check with the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in your own country whether you need a visa. They also have the necessary forms you have to complete. You will find the addresses of the Dutch embassies and consulates on the home page of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.holland.com/ |
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Residency & Documentation Issues |
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The Netherlands is a country of endless bureaucracy. When it comes to work or just a stay for longer than three months much paperwork needs to be done. Anyone who is an EU national requires only a valid passport to enter and remain in The Netherlands, you do not need a residence document. As an EU national you are not obliged to report to the Foreign Police upon your arrival in the Netherlands, unless you want to work. In that case you’ll have to report to the Foreign Police within eight days after your arrival in the country. Even if you do not need a residence document it may be useful to have one, as other authorities may request it. For instance, you can use it to open a bank account in the Netherlands. You apply for a residence document at the (im)migration window or the Department of Civil Affairs in your municipality.
If you’re not an EU national different rules apply. For instance your documentation needs to be specifically tailored to the goal you want to be in The Netherlands for. Work or marriage to a Dutch national, long term visit or retirement all require different documents, funding and skills.
For a complete overview and a step-by-step guide to what you need, visit the website of the Immigration and Naturalisation Service at http://www.ind.nl/EN/index.asp |
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Employment |
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If you have not already been hired by a firm in The Netherlands, you may want to find a job yourself. As an EU citizen you’ll need to report to the Centre for Work and Income (CWI) to register as looking for work. At https://www.werk.nl you’ll find all the necessary information on how to go about finding employment legally and obtaining the necessary permits.
EU nationals working in The Netherlands and in possession of a valid Dutch Residence permit have the same rights as nationals of this country with regard to pay, working conditions, access to housing, vocational training, social security and trade union membership. Families and immediate dependants are entitled to join them and have similar rights.
For non EU citizens and citizens of the new EU member states (Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania) different rules apply. In their case an employer must have a valid work permit before the employee enters the country. Please check the IND website http://www.ind.nl/EN/index.asp thoroughly before planning your search for work in The Netherlands.
There is a third alternative to finding employment in The Netherlands before you enter the country. Various commercial agencies state that they can find you a job and arrange for you to work legally. They can be readily found on the web. A word of warning on the use of these agencies however: any legal job in The Netherlands requires a work permit. Whether it is obtained through an employer or through the CWI. Without a work permit hiring a foreign national is illegal. Another stumbling block may be that most jobs advertised through agencies require a command of Dutch. |
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Education |
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There are many types of schools in the Netherlands, representing different beliefs and approaches to education. Children are obliged to attend school between the ages of five and sixteen. Education is free of charge for children in this age group. For the final two years, partial compulsory education applies. The subjects that have to be taken are set, as are the objectives. Because of this, the government guarantees the level of each diploma that is presented in Holland.
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
Dutch children go to elementary school from the age of 4 to the age of 12. During these eight years, they enjoy education that is aimed at their emotional, intellectual and creative development and at obtaining sufficient social, cultural and physical skills.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
After the age of 12, children can choose from a range of schools:
-Preparatory vocational education (VBO)
-Lower general secondary education (MAVO): these two types of education take four years and give access to vocational education.
-Higher general secondary education (HAVO): a five-year course that makes the successful student eligible for higher vocational education.
-Pre-university education (VWO): this six-year course entitles the successful student to go on to university.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Higher education comprises higher vocational education (HBO) and academic education (WO) as offered by colleges and universities. The duration of the courses offered by these institutions is four years.
TITLES
The graduates of higher vocational education are entitled to use the title B.Eng. or Bachelor. Graduates from university are entitled to use the title B.Sc., M.Sc. or LL.M. Instead of these titles the graduates may choose to use M.A.. People who have finished their thesis may use the title of Ph.D. These titles are laid down by law and protected. |
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Health |
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The state of Dutch healthcare is generally good with all modern medical options being available. Many expats find it hard to cope with the fact that healthcare is less “medicated” than elsewhere in Europe or the States. For instance you don’t have to go and see an eye specialist in hospital to get a new prescription for glasses. This service is provided by opticians in shops. They can do all sorts of optometry and will only refer you to a GP if you have a disease or if they detect a medical problem. The system works so that everybody has a General Practitioner (“Huisarts” in Dutch) who will be your first entry point into the healthcare system. You will have to register with one of them to make use of the system. Most insurance companies will provide you with a listing of GPs in your area. Only a GP can refer you to a specialist, the second rung of the ladder. Waiting lists are fairly long and not all medical specialities are offered in every hospital. Your specialist will ensure your admittance to the right hospital. Most daily medical care is covered by the National Insurance (Ziekenfonds). Emergency services are very good, but sometimes hard to get to, even with medivac helicopters in general use. Everyone who is not insured will be helped in emergencies regardless. |
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Weights and Measures |
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The official System in Netherlands is the Metric system with local variation. |
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Electricity |
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The voltage in Netherlands is 230V ,50Hz |
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Time Zone |
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The Netherlands is located in the Central European Time zone. This implies that the time difference with EST is +6 hours and with PST +9 hours.
GMT/UTC + 1 (Central European Time) |
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