HISTORY

Holland is one of the first six original members of the European Community and one of the three partners of Benelux. The Netherlands (Lage Landen or Nederlanden refer in Dutch, to the low countries) have presently more than one third of their territory conquered over the sea thanks to a system of dunes, dikes, canals and pumps (the lowest point at Alexander polder, near Rotterdam is 6.5 m/21 ft below sea level).

With a total population of nearly 16 million souls, the Netherlands have one of the highest densities in the world (465 persons per km2 or 1 187 per sq. mi.). Since the 16th century, Dutch people have been traveling overseas and established in number of places (including Nieuw Amsterdam which was later to become New York, New Holland which became Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Mauritius, South Africa) plus West Antilles & Aruba.

Dutch people are fierce multilingual businessmen, expert in worldwide trading and in importing raw materials to transform them into processed goods with high added values. In all respects, Holland is a place worth being visited, may it be for its tulip fields in spring, its cheese market, its Art museums (hosting masters such as Rembrandt & Van Gogh), its canals, its windmills and its architecture, the tolerance and open-mindedness of its inhabitants, all this, of course, under the condition one likes herring !