The difference between Holland and the Netherlands is simple; Holland is the combination of the provinces of North- and South Holland, while the Netherlands is the complete country, consisting out of 12 provinces. Let’s dive into why this country is known as ‘Holland’ instead of its original name.
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ToggleWhy do people call the Netherlands ‘Holland?’
It all has to do with history. The two provinces of North and South Holland were the most powerful provinces during the ‘Golden Age’ in the 17th century (when The Dutch colonized and traded spices and humans) and created the Dutch West- and East Indie Company (VOC). To date, this is still the biggest company ever to exist, with a value of over 8 trillion dollars.

Important trading posts
North Holland is home to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. While South Holland hosts both Den Haag (The Hague) and Rotterdam, where you can take wonderful bike and walking tours with us!. Both Rotterdam and Amsterdam have ports, and while Rotterdam has the biggest harbor of Europe now, Rotterdam was not of that much significance back then. It was Amsterdam making all the money and greeted most traders. That is why you can admire the beautiful houses at the ‘Grachten Gordel’ or canal belt in Amsterdam.

Culture
It aren’t just the harbors that made North and South Holland famous, but it was also the home to many renowned painters. Think of Rembrandt van Rijn and Frans Hals, but also Johannes Vermeer, Piet Mondriaan and Vincent van Gogh (born in Noord-Brabant).

As these provinces brought in most money and fame, Holland stuck to the country, even nowadays. It is good to know that the Netherlands has this name only since 1813 as ‘Kingdom of the Netherlands’. Before that, it was called the Low Lands (Lage Landen and later the Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden (Republic of Seven United Low Lands) van 1588 to 1795.
Over the years, The Netherlands has carried many names, but nowadays, the Netherlands is the official name.
Why do people still call the Netherlands ‘Holland’?
Both Dutch people and foreigners still call the Netherlands ‘Holland’ and that is because it is just easier and better-known. For years, our country presented itself as ‘Holland’ in tourism, we shout ‘Holland’ during football (soccer) games, and most people in the world still know this country by the name of ‘Holland’. Similar to Turkey’s decision to officially market itself as ‘Türkiye’ in English to distance itself from the bird, the Netherlands also officially presents itself as ‘The Netherlands’.

Where does the name ‘Holland’ come from?
The name ‘Holland’ originates from the Old Dutch term ‘Holtlant,’ meaning ‘wood-land.’ This translates to ‘Hout Land’ in modern Dutch. Given the region’s dense forests in early times, it was aptly named ‘Holtlant,’ which gradually evolved into the familiar ‘Holland’.
Nowadays, the Netherlands is one of the countries with the least amount of forest in Europe. We’re almost last after Iceland, Malta, and San Marino.
An insult to some Dutch
You’re likely aware that ‘Holland’ only encompasses North and South Holland. But what about residents of Zeeland, Brabant, Limburg, Gelderland, Overijssel, Drenthe, Groningen, Utrecht, Friesland, and Flevoland? Many find it inaccurate to be labeled ‘Hollanders’ since they reside outside this specific region. It’s akin to calling an Ohioan a Californian – simply incorrect.
While ‘Hollander’ is often used in Dutch to refer to someone from the Netherlands, the proper term is ‘Nederlander.’ However, the reverse is more common.
Officially, ‘Hollander’ is reserved for those from North and South Holland, while ‘Nederlander’ is the appropriate term for individuals from other provinces. Alternatively, you can specify their province of origin.
But why are the Dutch called ‘Dutch’? We will get into that later!