Questions tagged [netherlands]

A country in Western Europe, bordering Belgium, Germany and the North Sea.

Netherlands flag, from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Netherlands.svg Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country in Western Europe, bordered by to the South, to the east, and by the North Sea to the North-West. The main language is Dutch.

The Netherlands is sometimes referred to as Holland, which is actually only a part of it. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of the Netherlands proper and several oversea territories.

Useful links

enter image description here David Liuzzo [Public domain or Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons

Provinces

The Netherlands consists out of 12 provinces. A province can be seen as a county. The 12 provinces are the following (including the capital cities):

Noord-Holland may be better know for Netherlands main capital city . Zuid-Holland may be better know for .

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One foot in Belgium and the other in the Netherlands?

I come across this photo in Facebook where the borderline between Belgium and the Netherlands is drawn in the ground splitting a house in two sides one side at each country. One can literally put one foot in Belgium and the other in the Netherlands.…
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Is weed still legal for tourists in Amsterdam?

I have heard it's not legal starting from 2013. I also heard they postponed applying this? So what's the deal? Allowed or not?
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What point on the main land of The Netherlands is furthest away from any buildings?

Living in The Netherlands, I know my country is a crowded one. I typically can't leave a town for a couple of steps before arriving in the next one. So I was wondering, Where in The Netherlands am I furthest away from any city or town? I know that…
SQB
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Is it ok to take a break near the cycle path, on the grass, in Netherlands?

Today was the first time I cycled in Netherlands. I really enjoyed it. I cycled from Amsterdam to the North Sea and back to Amsterdam. When I was cycling on the cycle path I became thirsty and tired and I stopped on the right side, on the grass,…
Ionică Bizău
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What are these huge ‘fields’ of light just north of Amsterdam?

I flew over the Netherlands last week, and while we were going over an area just off the coast northwest of Amsterdam, I noticed something that looked like enormous, square lights shining quite brightly in the twilight. There were a good half a…
Janus Bahs Jacquet
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In the Netherlands, does the green stripe in the middle of a road always allow to drive 100 km/h?

In the Netherlands, there are roads with a green stripe in the middle. Here an example from Google Street View: Both times I was driving on such a road there was an autoweg (expressway) sign at the beginning of that section allowing to drive at…
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Can a shop in the Netherlands force you to buy clothes if you take a photo?

I've just been in a shop in Amsterdam which had a sign saying: No pictures allowed and specially not when wearing our garments!!! If we see you making pictures anyway, you will have to buy them by law!! To my British sensibilities, it seems…
gsnedders
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How do you exit Dutch railway stations with an international paper-based ticket?

According to the media the Dutch railways are getting rid of the paper-based ticket, relying fully on a chip based prepaid card called the ov chip card. I do have such a card. However, when arriving from abroad I can't iniate this journey on a…
user141
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Expectations when dressing in a Dutch hotel room (no curtains)

I am traveling to the Netherlands. The hotel (I've been there before) has no curtains or blinds in the rooms - very typical for the country. In front of the window runs a street, not particularly wide, then comes a residential building (the…
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Forced to pay a customs fee for importing a used wedding dress into the Netherlands. Is there a way to avoid paying?

I have been required to pay a hefty Value Added Tax (VAT) and customs duty on my wedding dress that I brought from Australia to the Netherlands (I was stopped at customs, so I likely also need to pay a fine). Do you have any ideas on how I can get…
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May a Dutch citizen enter the Netherlands using a foreign passport?

EDIT: I have just noticed that the linked page on the Dutch identification requirement has changed. I do not know when or why it changed. It now reads Identificeren bij dubbele nationaliteit Heeft u naast de Nederlandse nationaliteit een andere…
phoog
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Languages spoken in the Netherlands

I'm preparing a trip to Amsterdam. I know that the official language is Dutch but I have read that 90% of population speak English. So, Is it enough to speak English or should I learn some basic expressions for communicating on restaurant, shop, and…
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Am I able to travel to the Netherlands without a visa to seek asylum?

Can I travel to the Netherlands to seek asylum with out a visa, because I want to seek asylum? Will Kenya Airways allow me to board a plane with out a visa to Schiphol Airport, considering I have my passport?
kentmaina
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How can I effectively compare data plans available in a country?

I'm going to spend 5½ months in Netherlands, and need to be able to make calls to Italy without spending a fortune. After some hunting on Wikipedia I found that there are only three non-virtual operators in the country; I've since then started…
badp
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Is it possible to recharge an OV-chipkaart without a Dutch banking card?

I have an anonymous OV-chipkaart (Dutch public transport electronic card). I don't have a Dutch banking card. (In other words, I'm a foreigner who goes to the Netherlands occasionally.) What are my options to recharge the OV-chipkaart, either with…
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