风车之国-荷兰

荷兰是一个著名的旅游国度。它被称之为风车王国，花卉之国，它由风车、木屐、郁金香所串起的如织美景，带给人们无数的梦幻与想象。
荷兰还是一 个大博物馆，它是世界博物馆密度最大的国家，全国有600多座博物馆可供对历史或文化感兴趣的旅游者参观。这些博物馆内集了古代的绘画、玩具、铜 、钱盒、陶器、冰鞋等等文物。

荷兰有很长的海岸线和很多趣味迥异的村镇、城市和自然风光。沙丘与森林是荷兰海岸的独特风景，海滩边是各种水上运动（冲浪、帆板、游泳等）的 最佳场所。许多内陆水域也有大量的适合水上运动之场所。人们可以驾驶帆船、机动船或独木舟穿梭于美丽的自然风景区惬意畅游。众多的桥梁、堤坝 和风车将水上荷兰装点得熠熠生辉。威力强大的三角洲水利工程，向人们展示荷兰人如何与水抗争，获得了无数外国游客的青睐。

The Netherlands is located in Western Europe and borders Belgium and Germany with a North Sea coastline. The formation of the Netherlands dates back to 1579 when the Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spanish control. The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815, by which time the province of Holland had become a major commercial and trading power and had many overseas colonies and settlements. The country is still often referred to by the alternative name of Holland, a practice which reflects the dominant role the Province of Holland played in its historical development.

The Netherlands is a popular destination for expatriates from other western countries as well as many other immigrants from around the world, and there is a very big expatriate community. Its popularity with foreigners has been largely due to the tolerant and liberal attitudes of the Dutch towards people of all races, religions, political persuasions and sexualities.