Why is Holland also called Netherlands?

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Willeke

When the country Nederland came into existence Holland was one of the provinces that joined the new country.
As usual in that time the countries surrounding the new country translated the name of the new country into their own language, so Nederland became known as the Netherlands in English, Niederlande in German and le Pais Bas in French and so on.

But as the Duchy of Holland was well known over the world that name did become the nickname for all the country Nederland.
It was its most influential area, and the name was established enough not to be 'translated' or not more than needed for local pronunciation.

Nowadays Holland is nothing but an informal region in the west of the country, and the name for two provinces, which together make up the region: Noord Holland and Zuid Holland.

So your question should read 'why is the country the Netherlands also known as Holland.' I guess that the answer will be something like:
Because the people are still too lazy to use the proper name, still after all these centuries.
(The Dutch often go wrong themselves too, even our prime minister.)

lady

The Netherlands is often called Holland, which is formally incorrect as North and South Holland are merely two of its twelve provinces.

cdhl_nethockey

When English-speaking people first started dealing with the Dutch, they usually came from the region of Holland, because it was closest to the sea. Dutch people later united into a country called The Netherlands, but English-speakers still often call it Holland as a habit that has developped over centuries.

HELEN L

Holland isn't technically a country, but refer to the north and south polder lands of the Netherlands.

LEYTON IS FIVE NOT OUT

From 1815-1830 the United Kingdom of the Netherlands existed, but then Belgium became independent. The Northern Provinces continued using the name "the Netherlands". Outside the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Netherlands" may be used as the conventional short form to describe the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The latter encompasses the Netherlands, a constituent country within the Kingdom, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. In Dutch common practice, however, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is shortened to "Kingdom" and not to "Netherlands", as that may confuse the Kingdom with the constituent country. The Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands also shortens the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kingdom rather than "Netherlands".

Historically Suriname and Indonesia were also part of Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Netherlandish
The adjective "Netherlandish" denotes both a period and a place, the latter being the Low Countries. Most common is the use of this adjective when referring to paintings produced before about 1530â€“1570 anywhere in the Low Countries, which are referred to as Early Netherlandish painting (in Dutch Vlaamse primitieven, Flemish primitivesâ€”also common in English before the mid 20th century). From around the 16th century onwards, art or artists from the southern Catholic provinces are usually referred to as "Flemish" and from the northern Protestant provinces as Dutch, but art historians sometimes refer to Netherlandish art for art produced in both areas between 1400 and 1830.

old know all

Holland is to the Netherlands as England is to the United Kingdom. It's the biggest bit, but not all of it.

Barbara Doll to you

It's a bit like calling the UK, England. Holland is a part of the Netherlands.

pippa h

holland is not really a country,but part of the netherlands

Shygirl

holland is an area in the netherlands. I think rotterdam and amsterdam are in "holland" but other parts of the netherlands aren't classed as holland.

Barbarossa

I like Willeke's answer, and don't expect any votes.

It's similar to asking why the USA is called America by people from other continents.

Firiun

Technically, the Netherlands are also called Holland. Netherlands is split into states, like the US and the UK's County's. Two of the twelve Netherlandish states are called North and South Holland, and it is from these two states that the mis-interpretation arose.

best ever

The Netherlands is often called Holland, which is formally incorrect as North and South Holland are merely two of its twelve provinces (see terminology of "the Netherlands"). The word Dutch is used to refer to the people, the language, and anything appertaining to the Netherlands.

Unnamed

Dutch people call their country Holland, which means:

"Low-land".

Al though, Holland only contains only 2 of the 12 provinces, so the real name is The Netherlands, which contains all of the provinces.

Sweetzoe

Hi

The Netherlands (Nederland) is a country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is a parliamentary democratic constitutional monarchy. The Netherlands is located in Northwestern Europe, and bordered by the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east. The capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague.

The Netherlands is often called Holland, which is formally incorrect as North and South Holland are merely two of its twelve provinces (see terminology of "the Netherlands"). The word Dutch is used to refer to the people, the language, and anything appertaining to the Netherlands.

My parents where born in The Netherlands so I am kind of dutch

wenvorster

In the distant past the Netherlands used to consist of only two provinces: North and South Holland, hence the name Holland. Then gradually more provinces were added, there are approx. 12 now, so Holland was no longer a relevant name and it became the Netherlands (Low Countries)

Norman O

United States-America, United Kingdom, Great Britian-England.....got me?

leo

Netherlands the word is derived from the german niederland, which simple means low land.

Jane S

The Netherlands is the real name of the country...Nether meaning low, and land being obvious to any speaker of Germanic tongues...meaning that the country is largely lower than sea level.

Holland is a province WITHIN the country of The Netherlands.

English speakers mistakenly mix the two up, because, well, they just do. I would say it is probably because the people in question don't take the time to really learn what they are saying. (You now have! Congratulations!)

Clear?

Madalyn luv the 80's

It has two names, but the people in this country mostly call it holland.

faraax

england is also called UK i think holland and netherlands are just 2 names

daniel l

holland never existed, it was land fill man made,if it was not for this there would not be a holland

Karl Pilkington

Holland is NOT also called the Netherlands. Holland is just a part of the Netherlands.

But we do call it Holland in the same way we call USA - America.

Lets just pretend that Netherland is actually called Asia. Then Holland is actually China.

L e x i e

isnt holland the capital of the netherlands?
ive been there, but i just called it the netherlands?
i dont know actually, good question

Liz T

Nether means low The Netherlands are very low lying some of the country is below sea level.

Angel

Because its in the Nether Regions of Europe, lol

Beatnick

The Netherlands is divided up into small countries and the largest of these is called Holland, so Nederland is usually just called Holland in much the same way as lots of people refer to UK simply as England.

map of the netherlands
http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/europe/nl.htm

ronnie m

More accurately it's why the Netherlands is also called Holland. It's like why is Great Britain also called England. Holland is home to both Amsterdam and Den Haag which are the cultural and administrative capitals of the Nederlands.

My pleasure

So much ignorance all in one place. Why do people answer questions based on their own mistaken belief rather than based on referenced fact.

Christian T

holland/the hague is part of th enetherlands but msot english htink it's the whole country

sehn71

Niederlanden.

This is the name in German.
So judging from the German name, nieder means down, landen means countries.

Holland is the down/low country, because of its geography. I think it is below sea level.

Hope i helped.

Suzanna I

Holland is the main country and where its capital city is but Holland is part of The Netherlands which is a much bigger land mass with other provinces. It is like Britain and the United Kingdom, Britain is England where the capital - London is contained and the UK is the inclusion of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland (including the british channel islands).

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