THE NETHERLANDS

WHAT IS THE NETHERLANDS? The Netherlands is a country that is part of (a constituent country) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Most of it is in Western Europe, but there are also some parts in the Caribbean. More than 17 million people live there. To the north and west of the European part of the Netherlands is the North Sea, and to the east is Germany and to the south is Belgium. The Netherlands is one of the countries that started the European Union (EU). People who live in the Netherlands are called ‘Dutch’. The language of the Netherlands is also called Dutch. The official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam. This however, is not the place where the government is seated, which is in The Hague.

TYPICAL FOOD Bitterballen: Bitterballen is deep fried crispy meatballs traditionally served with mustard for dipping. Stroopwafel: Stroopwafels are thin waffles stuck together with a layer of sweet syrup; these delectable delicacies are best enjoyed hot and gooey. Thick Dutch Fries Thick Dutch fries are also known as ‘patat’ or ‘frites’ on menus, and traditionally they were served in a flaming hot paper cone slathered with any manner of tasty toppings (Ask for ‘patatje oorlog’ for a dollop of peanut satay sauce, mayonnaise and onions). There are other foods that are found in Netherlands such as: raw herring, kibbeling and oliebollen. A stroopwafel

CLOTHING Traditional Netherlands costumes worn by women include ankle-length dresses with long sleeves, aprons and a small fitted cloth hat. Men wear a traditional costume with a long sleeve button up shirt, pleated front pants, neck scarf and hat. Some of the Dutch menswear brands are: Avelon Denham Scotch & Soda

ANIMALS Some of the animals that live in The Netherlands are: geese hares rabbits pine martens bats birds, especially wood pigeons, crows, jackdaws, seagulls and rooks foxes A pine marten

MUSIC The Netherlands has multiple musical traditions. Contemporary Dutch popular music is heavily influenced by music styles that emerged in the 1950s, in the United Kingdom and United States. The style is sung in both Dutch and English. Dutch house music are typically made up of complex percussion and drumbeats, dramatic build-ups and short riffs of high pitched synths. Some of the international music hits by Dutch artists are: Radar Love Venus Eruption

FAMOUS PEOPLE Famous Person: Vincent Van Gogh Vincent Van Gogh was the famous painters of the 20 th century and he created about 2100 artworks in just one decade. Famous Inventor: Galileo Galilei Galileo Galilei was an astronaut and he invented the telescope in After a year before, Galileo used the device to observe the stars. Famous Athlete: Ranomi Kromowidjojo Ranomi Kromowidjojo is a Dutch swimmer who won many medals. She is a triple Olympic champion, winning the gold medal in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay at the 2008 Olympics, and in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle at the 2012 Olympics. There are also some other famous people that are music artists in The Netherlands, such as Martin Garrix and Marshmello. Vincent Van Gogh

DUTCH ART Paintings in The Netherlands were found in these two art museums: Van Gogh Museum Rijksmuseum The Van Gogh Museum is one of the biggest art museums in Amsterdam. It has more than 1000 paintings. Rijksmuseum is a Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history in Amsterdam. The museum is located at the Museum Square in the borough Amsterdam South, close to the Van Gogh Museum, the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, and the Concertgebouw.

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