Have you just been told off for calling the Netherlands, Holland? Have you booked a trip to Holland, only to find out you are flying to the Netherlands? Never fear my friend. You have just stumbled upon the Holland vs. the Netherlands debate, and this post will help set everything straight on the difference between Holland and the Netherlands.

Why All the Confusion?

To be fair, not many people would blame you for getting the Netherlands confused with Holland. The country has gone through its fair share of name changes over the years. There’s been the Dutch Republic, the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, and even the Kingdom of Holland. Plus, several other languages refer to the Netherlands as Holland (or a version of it)–for example, Olanda (Italian), Hollandia (Hungarian), and Hollanda (Turkish). Not to mention even the Netherlands sometimes gets confused, especially during sporting events where they are participating as a country. “Hup! Holland! Hup!” being the rally call of the Dutch.

So What’s Going On?

To explain the difference between Holland and the Netherlands, we need to go on a little geography trip.

The Netherlands is made up of twelve provinces. In alphabetical order, these are Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, North Brabant, North Holland, Overijssel, South Holland, Utrecht, and Zeeland. People who live here are called Dutch, and they speak Dutch (adding a little confusion to the mix, in the Dutch language, “the Dutch” become Nederlanders and “Dutch” becomes Nederlands).

When you say “Holland” you aren’t referring to all 12 provinces, you really mean the two here in yellow and orange.

You might notice that two of these–North Holland and South Holland–have the word “Holland” in them. When you say “Holland” you aren’t referring to all 12 provinces, you are technically referring only to North and South Holland–whether you mean to or not. These are the two provinces with the most attractions and major Dutch cities, so while you might spend most of your holiday in Holland, it still isn’t the name of the country.

Cheat Sheet on the Difference Between Holland and the Netherlands: the Netherlands = 12 provinces; Holland = 2 provinces

If “the Netherlands” is the Real Name, Why is “Holland” Used So Often?

Good question! For many, it is a habit. For others, it is simply easier. You try fitting “the Netherlands” on all those tiny wooden shoes.

But I Want to Know More About the Difference Between Holland and the Netherlands!

If you have ever seen photos of brightly coloured houses in traditional Dutch style with beautiful blue water in front, then you’ve probably seen a picture of Curaçao–one of the Dutch Caribbean islands with its own government and currency. There’s also Aruba and Sint Maarten, (technically half of Sint Maarten—the other half belongs to the French). These three islands together with the Netherlands, make-up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. [clickToTweet tweet=”Curaçao, Aruba, Sint Maarten, and the Netherlands makes up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. ” quote=”Quiz Night Knowledge: Curaçao, Aruba, and (half of) Sint Maarten, together with the Netherlands makes up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. “]

That’s enough to get you invited to quiz nights, but if you desperately want to be a show off at dinner parties, you’ll also want to learn Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. All three are Dutch islands that have earned a special municipality status, making them Dutch, but without the Euros.

Together, these six islands are known as the Dutch Caribbean, and their citizens are Dutch citizens.

What About Flemish?

If you have ever been to a city in northern Belgium, Ghent for example, you may have noticed that the residents speak a softer, slightly different version of Dutch. That’s Flemish (sometimes referred to as Belgian-Dutch). These northern Belgian dialects of Dutch are spoken by about six million people.

I Heard Something About Suriname…

Was it that they have Dutch colonial architecture and tropical rainforest? Suriname (and other destinations) used to be a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Suriname became independent in 1975.

So there you have it. A “quick” and “easy” guide to the Holland versus the Netherlands debate. With all that you now know about the difference between Holland and the Netherlands, what will you call the country?

Featured Photo Credit: Patricia Hofmeester/Shutterstock.com