Facts
Capital: Amsterdam (seat of the government is in The Hague)
System of Government: Constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system
Area: 41,528 square kilometres
Estimated Population: 16,400,000 inhabitants

Size
Holland is quite small; the surface area is 41,528 square kilometres. The greatest distance from north to south is 300 kilometres, and from west to east 200 kilometres. Holland is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world, with an average of 481 inhabitants per square kilometer. To the east the Netherlands borders Germany, to the south Belgium, and to the north and west the North Sea.

Language
Dutch is the national language of Holland. However, English is spoken by almost everyone. In addition, many Dutch people speak German and French. Dutch is the mother tongue of well over 21 million Dutch people and Flemish people (Dutch-speaking nationals of Belgium). The people in the province of Friesland speak Fries, in addition to Dutch.

Climate
The Netherlands has a temperate marine climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Rain is spread pretty evenly over the year. Summer temperatures average about 16 or 17 degrees Celsius but highs of 30 degrees Celsius are not unheard of. Winters are mild with increased rainfall and average temperatures of between 1 and 5 degrees Celsius. The most popular months to visit are between May and October when temperatures are at their highest and rainfall is at its lowest.

Time
The Netherlands is located in the Central European Timezone (GMT +1). This implies that the time difference with EST is +6 hours and with PST +9 hours.

Currency
The Netherlands is one of 12 European Union countries whose common official currency is the euro (€). 1 euro is divided into 100 cents. The coins come in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros. The notes are differentiated by their size and colour and come in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros.

VAT and Tax Refunds
In the Netherlands VAT (BTW) is charged at a rate of 19% and is included in the sales price of all items. It is worth double-checking before making a purchase, however, to avoid any confusion when it comes to payment. Non-EU nationals can reclaim this VAT when leaving the EU. In order to avail of this service you must make purchases in stores which state that they participate in this scheme. Your purchases must exceed €135 in one shop in one day and the gooda must be exported from the EU within ninety days of the month of purchase. When departing you must show the purchases, the receipts and the Global Refund Check which you received in the store. Following this you will have several choices as to how to get your money back. You can get an immediate refund at the Cash Refund Office in Amsterdam Airport, you can get a refund on your credit card, or you can receive a check.

Opening Hours
Most shops are open from Tuesday to Friday between 9 am and 6 pm, on Saturdays between 9 am and 5 pm. On Monday, many shops are closed in the mornings and open between 11 am and 1 pm and close at 6 pm. Most cities have late-night shopping (until 9 pm) on Thursdays or Fridays. In the main cities, many shops are open on Sunday from 12 noon to 5 PM. In most holiday and tourist resorts many shops are open at night, too.

Electrical Current
The voltage in Holland is 220 volts. Hotels may have a 110-volt or 120-volt outlet for shavers, but travellers are advised to bring a power converter and an adapter for two-prong, round-prong plugs with side grounding contacts.