The Dutch have a code of etiquette which governs social behaviour and is considered important.[citation needed] Because of the international position of the Netherlands, many books have been written on the subject. Some customs may not be true in all regions and they are never absolute. In addition to those specific to the Dutch, many general points of European etiquette apply to the Dutch as well, as the Dutch generally view themselves as "taking the lead" in Europe but also part of it and the wider world as a whole.[1]
