Fields covered in thousands of brightly coloured tulips, centuries-old historic windmills along famous Dutch canals, bustling streets and cheese markets, antique Delftware and traditional wooden clogs … No wonder the 2020 World Happiness Report indicated that the Netherlands is the sixth happiest country in the world. It almost feels as if you are looking at a close-up of one of Vincent van Gogh’s original paintings! We decided to investigate and give you a little more information before you head off to the apparent land of milk and honey.

… not Holland

Telling your family you’re moving to Holland is like telling them you’re moving to Paris without telling them whether you’re referring to Parys in the Free State or Paris in France. Holland is a region in the Netherlands and covers only about one-third of the country. So, if you say you’re moving to Holland, you’re ignoring two-thirds of the country. But we won’t blame you if you do confuse Holland and the Netherlands. After all, the Dutch cheer for their national soccer team with “Holland! Holland! Holland!”

Transport in no time …

The Netherlands or Bicycle Land? You can easily (and comfortably) explore various parts of this country with its more than 22 million bicycles and only 17 million inhabitants by bicycle. The Netherlands offers cycling routes with beautiful scenery, the roads are well maintained and cyclists are given priority over motorists on the road – which makes it safe to cycle. Also, cars, petrol and insurance in the Netherlands are very expensive.

… gold in the mouth

It is well known that the Dutch are one of the healthiest nations in the world. This is not only due to their very healthy diet, but also their excellent and very effective healthcare system, basisverzekering, a compulsory health insurance scheme that costs residents around €95 to €120 per month. In 2016, the Euro Health Consumer Index, a comparison of European healthcare systems, named the Netherlands’ basisverzekering as the best healthcare system in Europe.

The taxman may set you back

The Netherlands is notorious for its high taxes on everything! Income tax, in particular, is much higher than in other European countries. Rent, electronic items and food are also costly.

Little housing

The Netherlands is a small country but has more than 17 million inhabitants. It is one of the most densely populated European countries. There is a huge shortage of housing and it isn’t easy to find accommodation.

A bright future

Children are the future of a country – and it is clear that the Netherlands takes this seriously. Education is compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 and most children leave school with good marks; many get jobs or go to university to further their studies. Children take English as a second language at school and Netherlanders speak English well.