The Netherlands

There aren't many countries with so much land below sea level. There aren't many - if any - countries this flat. There aren't many countries with so much reclaimed land. There aren't many countries this densely populated, and yet so liberal. There aren't many countries with so much water and wind, or so many boats, sails, bikes, birds, dykes, polders, windmills, flowers, fish, bridges, cafés, cheese - and tall people. And there certainly aren't many countries who can claim such a vibrant color as their own. Simply put, there is no place like the Netherlands.

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-west Europe and with some islands in the Caribbean. The Netherlands in its entirety is often referred to “Holland”, although North and South Holland are actually only two if its twelve provinces. 

The Netherlands has a typical maritime climate, with cool winters and mild summers, so any time is a good time to visit.

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds.

Now, as Netherlands' commercial capital and one of the top financial centers in Europe, Amsterdam is considered an alpha world city by theGlobalization and World Cities (GaWC) study group. The city is also cultural capital of the Netherlands.

by Daisy