What is the differnce between Holland and The Netherlands?

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Jack

North and South Holland make up 2 of the twelve states in the Netherlands. Throughout history, because these areas were the most prosperound and powerful regions of the country, foreigners tended to equate Holland with the Netherlands. But that is incorrect. Here's a website with a map to show you where Holland is within the Netherlands.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland

zoeksalamander

The Netherlands is the whole country and in the country there are two provinces called Holland. (South Holland and North Holland)

tom t

Netherlands is the whole country.
Holland is a part of Netherlands.

seantherunner

The Netherlands is officially known as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antiles and Aruba. The Netherlands Antiles are a group of islands in the Caribean, Aruba is obviously in the Caribean and the Netherlands is made up of North and South Holland. All together the Netherlands consits of twelve provinces

Stillwater

Holland is part of the Netherlands, but many people use Holland when they mean the Netherlands. Two provinces of The Netherlands are called North Holland and South Holland. They were the richest and most powerful parts of the Netherlands and they still are the most populated parts.
Are there also many who ask about the difference between England and the UK? It is about the same.

Endie vB

Where do you guys find the bull**** info that Holland is the old name for The Netherlands??? Don't believe everything that you read on the web......

There certainly IS a difference between Holland and The Netherlands......

...... as there is a difference between Texas and the USA
...... as there is a difference between England and Great Britain

Holland is only part of The Netherlands, two provinces in the west: North and South Holland.

Born a Fox

The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is not terminologically precise, since the provinces of North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces. Holland is a region in the central-western part of the Netherlands.

BrockleyDave

Relating to the Netherlands
Holland is properly a region within the Netherlands, now divided into two provinces: North Holland and South Holland
In English, Holland is often colloquially (albeit inaccurately) used as synonym for the whole of The Netherlands

nanrai18

The Netherlands (Dutch: Nederland (IPA: [Ëˆne:dÉ™rlÉ‘nt])) is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (Dutch: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden), which is formed by the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
The Netherlands is often referred to by the name Holland. This is not terminologically precise, since the provinces of North and South Holland in the western Netherlands are only two of the country's twelve provinces.
The Netherlands are known under various terms both in English and other languages. These are used to describe the different overlapping geographical, linguistic and political areas of the Netherlands. This is often a source of confusion for people from other parts of the world. In English the country is called 'the Netherlands' , while the people and the language are called 'Dutch'.

JimHist

Further to previous answers, some long-winded historical rambling.

The term 'Holland' for the Netherlands is somewhat akin to the use use of 'England' for the United Kingdom, ie incorrect but in very common usage. Holland in fact refers to two of the original seventeen provinces of the Netherlands - South Holland and North Holland. These two provinces were very much the political and economic powerhouse of the Netherlands, often providing the Stadtholder (head of state). They also provided the main opposition to Spanish rule during the Eighty Years War of 1567-1648 (which was in fact nearly 81 years!).

However, the term 'Netherlands' appears to have two possible origins. In most translations, the term 'nether' or 'neder' is used to denote low, and Netherlands therefore means 'low lands', reflecting the fact that most of the country lies below sea level. However, there is also good evidence to show that the senior Spanish political and military figures used the term 'Netherlands' from around 1540 in an imperial/hierarchic sense, ie the 'nether' or 'far flung' and low-lying lands. Given that the centre of gravity of the Spanish Empire lay in the Iberian Peninsula (obviously!) and in Italy, the Netherlands were regarded very much as the farthest-flung European outpost of the Spanish Empire. After the political revolt of 1567, and the open rebellion of 1572, the provinces of the Netherlands titled themselves 'The United Provinces' (ie, united against Spanish rule), a name which stuck until 1795.

After the conclusion of the Eighty Years' War in 1648, the Netherlands was broken into two distinct political units. The 12 rebellious 'United Provinces' became what is today called the Netherlands, while the southern provinces, which remained under Spanish rule (and were transferred to the Austrian branch of the hapsburg family) became what is today Belgium. In fact, what was loosely called 'The Netherlands' in the 16th and 17th centuries in fact covers the current Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and some territory in France and Germany. In other words, it was a mess.

blu.boy

nederlands means the low lands,which once took in what is now belgium,until the 1850 war of independance,the country was originally settled by a tribe called the hollanders,hence the calling it of holland,the first shot fired in the war of independance was shot in the park de brussel,in the centre of that city,and holland/nederlands is sometimes refered to as part of the benelux because it along with what is now belgium and luxenbourg were the first three countries to form the common market that is now the eu states,so also hence the saying benelux,,,be.. ne.. lux..hope that helps a little,,,

Avatar13

The Netherlands refers to Nederland, meaning lowland because of its position towards the sea. Holland stems from Houtland because of the woods that were in the Netherlands for many centuries before it slowly became populated. Hout means wood.
Holland means the north part of the Netherlands where the aristocracy of merchants, the chic middle class, the regents seated. Nowadays, two provinces are called Holland: noord en zuid-holland, so the Netherlands is more accurate.

Basement Bob

Holland, former county of the Holy Roman Empire and, from 1579 to 1795, chief member of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Its name is popularly applied to the entire Netherlands. Holland has been divided since 1840 into two provinces, North Holland and South Holland. The county was created in the early 10th cent. and originally controlled not only present North and South Holland, but also Zeeland and part of medieval Friesland. William II was elected (1247) German king, but was unable to exert his authority; he died (1255) in a campaign against the independence-minded West Frisians. In 1299, John of Avesnes, count of Hainaut, seized Holland, which came (1345) into the hands of the Bavarian house of Wittelsbach through marriage. The house of Wittelsbach retained possession of Holland until 1433, when Philip the Good, duke of Burgundy, wrested it from Jacqueline (or Jacoba), countess of Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland, and Friesland. In the civil strife that accompanied this event the party of the Kabeljauws [codfish], representing the cities, fought the Hoeks [fish hooks], the nobles who supported Jacqueline. The Hoeks again rebelled when Archduke Maximilian (later Emperor Maximilian I) assumed the guardianship over the Netherlands after the death (1482) of Mary of Burgundy; their fleet was annihilated and their leaders executed in 1490. The cloth industry and commerce of Holland, though they developed later than those of Flanders and Brabant, began to rival those of Bruges and Antwerp in the 15th cent. The ports of Holland were closely linked with the Hanseatic League and later became, after the Netherlands had gained independence, major entrepÃ´ts and shipbuilding centers. Holland led in the struggle (16thâ€“17th cent.) for Dutch independence, and because it dominated the States-General, its history became virtually identical with that of the Netherlands.

cheekbones3

Holland is a district of the Netherlands.

hughgo-a-go-go

For most purposes there is no practical difference. People use the names interchangeably. However, technically speaking, the term Holland more correctly refers to some provinces within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

lu2trav

Holland is one of the province that composes the country of the Netherlands. Most forreigners make this mistake and the Dutch are sensitive to this so use the appropriate word.
BTW, a dictionnary would have told you that.

beano

the spelling

dot&carryone.

and the people are called 'Dutch'!

ngiapapa

Making the long story short: same country, different names.

georgia

they are the same

chass_lee

One is Holland and the other is Netherlands. So the answer is a H and a N. Sorry i have to say that as i have never been to any of them and i don't want to lie to you

Noelle S

There is no difference .. The netherlands is just a more formal way of saying holland =)

Michael H

About 15 years, no idea why they morphed into TNL.

Holland used to have a great football team, The Netherlands doesn't

Very Confused

gd finally this question is asked i was wondering too.. i always thought its the same country .. btw im always confused by the dutch n portugese people. they all seem the same.. haha

Buboy

These two are synonymous. Holland is the old name of what Netherlands is what we called now. This country is located east of France, Belgium and Luxembourg and Germany on the West. They are famous for windmills, wooden sandals, tunnels and tulips...

marksc1

there is none its just a different way of saying the coutries name like in the uk we say united kingdom or great britain it all means the same thing

HeavyRain

no difference normally.

RICHA JAIN

netherlands is the capital of holland