The+Netherlands


 * The Netherlands **

The Netherlands is a small country is located in the northwestern region of Europe that borders Germany, with it large population and known for its beautiful floral landscape and biking trails. It neighbors Belgium and Luxembourg as well, making it The Benelux countries.The Netherlands’ official name is the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the capital is Amsterdam. Dutch is the national dialect, and its currency is the Euro. The country proclaimed its independence from Spain in 1648 during the Dutch Revolt. Despite its size and flat landscape, the Netherlands is known one of the happiest countries in the world.

For Americans, The Netherlands is especially known for its capital, Amsterdam, in part because of the popular book, //The Diary of Anne Frank//. The book is a non-fiction piece that takes place during World War II in Amsterdam. It is literally the diary of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank who had to hide from the Nazis, along with her family, in a small secret annex. To this day, her house is still there open to the public as a museum. Other interesting things about this country, The Dutch government is very liberal - shown by the fact that they legalized same-sex marriage in 2001, long before any other countries. The Netherlands has also spawned many world-class painters, such as Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Jan Steen, Vincent van Gogh, and Piet Mondriaan. And lastly, there are about 1180 windmills in the Netherlands today.

The unique thing about the Netherlands is that in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, and others, most residents travel riding bicycles. There are almost three times more bikes than there are cars. Tourism is also really important to the country, too. There are so many places to visit besides Anne Frank’s home. One of it’s biggest tourist attractions--tulips. Tulips are the biggest industry to the Dutch.

Keukenhof, also known as the Garden of Europe, is one of the world's largest flower gardens. Located in Lisse, the Netherlands. There is also the Rijksmuseum, the Dutch national museum in Amsterdam, located on the Museumplein. The museum is dedicated to arts, crafts, architecture, and history. Vondelpark is another popular place of interest. It’s the largest city park in Amsterdam. A nice way to enjoy a sunny day. Walk around, meet the people, and surround yourself in the relaxing atmosphere of Netherlands.