Holland

This article is about a region of the Netherlands. For that country as a whole, see Netherlands. For other uses, see Holland (disambiguation). Not to be confused with Halland.
Holland
North and South Holland (in orange) shown together within the Netherlands
North and South Holland (in orange) shown together within the Netherlands
CountryNetherlands
Largest settlements
List
Area
 • Total7,511 km2 (2,900 sq mi)
 • Land5,476 km2 (2,114 sq mi)
Population
 (1 November 2019)[1]
 • Total6,583,534
 • Density1,203/km2 (3,120/sq mi)
DemonymHollander
GDP
[2]
 • Holland€404.217 billion (2022)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

Holland is a geographical region[3] and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands.[3] From the 10th to the 16th century, Holland proper was a unified political region within the Holy Roman Empire as a county ruled by the counts of Holland. By the 17th century, the province of Holland had risen to become a maritime and economic power, dominating the other provinces of the newly independent Dutch Republic.

The area of the former County of Holland roughly coincides with the two current Dutch provinces of North Holland and South Holland into which it was divided, and which together include the Netherlands' three largest cities: the capital city (Amsterdam), the home of Europe's largest port (Rotterdam), and the seat of government (The Hague). Holland has a population of 6,583,534 as of November 2019,[1] and a population density of 1203/km2.

The name Holland has frequently been used informally to refer to the whole of the country of the Netherlands.[3] This casual usage is commonly accepted in other countries, and is even employed by many Dutch themselves.[4] However, some in the Netherlands (particularly those from regions outside Holland or the west) find it undesirable or misrepresentative to use the term for the whole country.[5] In January 2020, the Netherlands officially dropped its support of the word Holland for the whole country, which included a logo redesign that changed "Holland" to "NL".[6]

  1. ^ a b "CBS Statline". Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2020-01-10.
  2. ^ "Regional key figures; National Accounts". www.cbs.nl. 22 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b c G. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I, Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105
  4. ^ Netherlands vs. Holland Archived 2020-11-24 at the Wayback Machine, Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions
  5. ^ "Holland or the Netherlands?". Dutch Embassy in Sweden. Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 15 December 2012.
  6. ^ Romano, Andrea (January 7, 2020). "The Netherlands Will No Longer Be Called Holland". Travel + Leisure. Retrieved 2022-02-05.