The Dutch are the highest nation. Why are Dutch people so tall and healthy? Life on the water

Our reader Natasha Permyakova writes: So, having lived in Holland for almost 1.5 years, I decided to collect all my observations and compile a list of facts about the country and its inhabitants.

1. The Dutch are famous for their excellent health. Almost everyone dresses very lightly even in winter, no one wears hats in -3, even small children.

2. Most of Holland is below sea level. The lowest point is 6.7 meters below sea level.

3. The bicycle is the most popular means of transportation in the country, there are about 16 million of them. Every inhabitant of the country has a bicycle. In Amsterdam, the number of bicycles exceeds the number of inhabitants of the city.

4. Bicycles are often stolen, especially in Amsterdam. Therefore, often a bicycle lock costs twice as much as the bicycle itself.

5. The Dutch don't eat hot meals. They make do well with a couple of cheese or peanut butter sandwiches.

6. Almost all Dutch people speak English well. Films on central and cable channels, as well as in cinemas, are shown in the original language with subtitles. In addition to English, many Dutch people know German and French, the languages ​​of neighboring countries.

7. Contrary to popular belief, the Dutch are not at all big fans of weed, mostly it is the fun of tourists. However, the Dutch government is trying to crack down on the use of weed, and since 2012, one of the cities has introduced a pilot program where only a local resident can buy weed in a coffee shop.

8. In the Netherlands, it is allowed to grow up to 5 cannabis bushes at home for personal consumption.

9. Flowers in Holland are very cheap and excellent quality. You can buy a fresh bouquet of 50 tulips for only 5 euros (about 200 rubles).

10. The Netherlands exports 2/3 of the world's live plants, flowers and roots. The Dutch agricultural sector ranks third in the world in terms of profit after the US and France.

11. Prostitution in Holland is legalized, and representatives of this ancient profession are required to pay taxes on an equal basis with other citizens.

12. The Dutch are the highest nation in the world. Average height in Holland is 182 centimeters.

13. The locals don't close their curtains and you can always see what's going on in their houses. This habit has remained since war times, when open windows were a symbol that the inhabitants of the house had nothing to hide.

14. People in the country live by the rules and under no circumstances violate them. Even if the bus is still standing, but the doors are already closed, you are unlikely to be able to get inside.

15. The Dutch are a very athletic nation. Many people run or cycle almost all year round.

16. Schools and universities use a 10-point grading scale instead of the usual 5-point scale. 10, however, is almost impossible to obtain, so 9 is the equivalent of our five.

17. The weather in Holland is very rainy, windy and very changeable. Therefore, talking about the weather is one of the favorite topics for local residents to talk about.

18. Almost all shops in Holland are open until 18.00. Once a week, however, on the so-called shopping night (koopavond), the shops close at 21:00 and you have the chance to buy whatever you need.

19. In addition to taxes on house and land, the Dutch pay an annual tax on the maintenance and construction of flood protection systems.

20. The most high point in the country that the Dutch call "the mountain" is only 323 meters.

21. Holland has a very high density of museums. There are about 1,000 museums in a country with 16 million inhabitants.

22. The population density of Holland is the highest in Europe - 391 people per square kilometer.

23. The Dutch live by the schedule. Even close relatives plan meetings in advance - several weeks, and sometimes months. If you happened to be nearby and decided to ‘drop in’ to a Dutch friend for half an hour, you are unlikely to succeed, since, most likely, her day had already been planned long before that.

24. One of the local delicacies is herring. You can buy it right on the street - in one of the special kiosks. Locals eat herring, generously sprinkled with onions and holding the tail, or like a hamburger - in a white bun.

25. The second Dutch delicacy is french fries with mayonnaise (Vlaamse fries). For many Dutch people, this can also be an everyday lunch.

26. Holland is one of the largest beer producers in the world. Brands such as Heineken, Amstel and Grolsch were born here. Heineken is the 3rd largest beer producer in the world. However, contrary to this, Dutch beer does not taste very remarkable. The best beer is brewed in Germany, the Czech Republic and Belgium.

27. Dutch vodka is called Jenever. It tastes like a cross between calvados, schnapps and cheap whiskey.

28. The Dutch are very straightforward. They are unlikely to stand on ceremony and beat around the bush, and most likely will tell you everything as it is.

29. The Dutch are very informal in communication. On business meeting, for example, the director can easily offer to make coffee for everyone.

30. If you don't show up to work because you say you're sick, a doctor may be sent to see if you're really sick.

31. Instead of Santa Claus, familiar to us from childhood, the Dutch meet Sinterklas (Saint Nicholas) every year, who comes from Spain on his white horse. Sinterklas is quite similar to our Santa Claus, but instead of the Snow Maiden, he is accompanied by black helpers - Petes. When celebrating the Sinterklas holiday, the children put their shoes on, putting a carrot for the Sinta horse there, and in return receive gifts.

32. The Dutch love to sprinkle their toast with a kind of chocolate chip called Hagelslag. This refers to such shavings that children sprinkle on ice cream, but in Holland adults sprinkle it on bread, previously smeared with butter.

33. When Dutch children finish school, they hang the Dutch flag and school bag outside.

34. The Dutch kiss each other on the cheek 3 times when they meet, instead of the usual 2.

35. 40% of the country's population are atheists. There are more Protestants in the north of Holland, and more Catholics in the south.

36. In those winters, when the rivers in the country freeze, Elfstedentocht, beloved by the Dutch, is arranged - the famous speed skating marathon in 11 cities of the Dutch province of Friesland with a length of 200 kilometers.

37. The Dutch are one of the most traveled nations in the world. At the age of 20–40 they often work/live for several years in other countries. In most cases they return back to Holland.

38. The main reason for the emigration of the Dutch from the country is bad weather. Due to the maritime climate in the country, it often rains and a cold wind blows.

39. Many Dutch people are not officially married, even if they raise common children.

40. All pets are provided with a special microchip, which greatly facilitates the search in case the animal is lost.

41. The color of Holland is orange, this is due to the fact that the name of the royal family literally sounds like "House of Orange".

42. April 30 - Queen's Day - is considered the main holiday of the Netherlands. Locals dress in all orange and organize street festivities. On this day, it seems that all the inhabitants of the country took to the streets, where one half of the population sells all sorts of things orange color and the other one buys it. The streets of Dutch cities are decorated with orange lanterns. Orange garlands of balloons, ribbons, flags are visible everywhere, and even people's faces are painted orange.

43. Holland is the unofficial name of the Netherlands, which is not very popular with the locals. Holland is a region in the west of the country.

44. To see a doctor, such as a cardiologist, you first need to get a referral from a general practitioner. Just like that, without a referral, no doctor will accept you.

45. Medicine in Holland is paid and paid for by insurance. Everyone must have insurance, its cost is about 100 euros per month.

46. Fireworks in Holland are only allowed in new year's eve: from 10 am on December 31 to 2 am on January 1.

47. In Holland, it is not customary for a man to take the initiative in relation to a woman. This is partly due to the fact that women want to be independent and regard men's initiative as an attack on their self-sufficiency.

48. Due to the fact that most of the year it rains in the country, the Dutch have learned to enjoy even short manifestations of good weather. As soon as a ray of sun peeps out, the locals take to the streets, drink beer on open tracks, even if it's only +5 outside.

49. A special category of the population are Surinamese, Indonesians, Turks and Moroccans. Their stay in the country can be characterized as coexistence with the local population. They have created their own closed subculture, they read newspapers and watch films in their own language. Official quantity There are more than 1 million immigrants in Holland.

50. The Dutch are a very well-read nation. There is one bookstore for every 2,000 inhabitants.

51. In the Netherlands, you can drink alcohol from the age of 16.

52. There are 1180 windmills in Holland.

53. The Keukenhoff Tulip Park is 32 hectares of land planted with flowers and is the most photographed place in the world.

54. Public toilets are paid (from 20 to 50 euro cents), even in some nightclubs, the entrance to which is also paid.

55. In Holland it is not customary to give expensive gifts. Even for a wedding, as a rule, they are limited to a budget of no more than 50 euros.

56. 30% of Dutch children are born at home. At the same time, do not be surprised if, a few hours after the birth, the neighbors come to you to inquire about the condition of the mother and look at the baby.

57. Dutch girls don't pay much attention to their appearance. Many do not put on make-up, do not style their hair and do not wear heels. They wear what is comfortable. In the mornings, Dutch girls go out with wet hair before they have time to dry it.

58. However, unlike the British, Americans and other representatives of the Anglo-Saxon countries, the Dutch have a sense of taste and look very neat.

59. dutch men pay more attention to their hair. Most Dutch people wear semi-long blond hair, and each of them has a hair styling product.

60. If you are stopped by a police officer for a traffic violation and you try to offer him a bribe, most likely he will return the money to you, being sincerely convinced that they came to him completely by accident.

61. The Dutch love football. Here they either play football, or watch, or, if there is nothing to watch, they re-watch old matches.

62. The Dutch are rather stingy and do not like to show their wealth. On the other hand, they have a strong sense of envy.

63. Very popular in Holland dance music techno or trance. Don't be surprised if walking through the streets of the city, you will see people in their 40s and 50s bobbing under a trance. DJs Armin Van Buren, Tiesto, Ferry Corsten are all from Holland.

64. Every August, Amsterdam hosts one of the largest gay pride parades in the world, attracting around half a million visitors. The parade itself is very similar to the celebration of the Queen's Day and is a parade of barges through the canals of Amsterdam.

65. In Holland, you can be fined for not having flashlights on your bike at night.

66. "Dutch disease" is the name given to the addiction syndrome of increased natural resource extraction and decline in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors. In 1959, the largest natural gas field in Europe was discovered in Holland. Due to its export, the Dutch guilder greatly increased in value, which negatively affected the rest of the export sectors of the economy.

67. During the Second World War, german army took out very a large number of bicycles from Holland. For this, the Dutch really do not like the Germans and still make fun of German tourists, saying: "Give us back our bikes!".

British scientists wondered why the Dutch are the most tall people in the world.

It is known that the Dutch are the tallest nation in the world: for example, the average height of Dutch men is 1.84 m, and women - 1.71 m. US residents? The matter is not limited to one improvement in nutrition and living conditions. A study that lifts the veil on this evolutionary mystery has been published in the respected British journal Royal Society Journal Proceedings, led by Gert Stulp, Fellow London School Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 8 April.

Of course, according to Stalp, the improvement in nutrition had a certain effect on the growth of the Dutch, but this is not an exhaustive explanation, because the standard of living has risen in other countries as well. Western world. It is noteworthy that over 150 years the average height of the Dutch has increased by 20 cm, while the inhabitants of the United States - by only 6 cm. And if in the second quarter of the 19th century the Americans were the tallest on the planet, then at present they are “furnished” not only by citizens of the Netherlands but also Danes, Norwegians, Swedes and even Estonians.

It's all about what makes it happen natural selection. It so happened that high dutch on average have more children than their shorter rivals, while their mortality is much lower than that of the offspring of the undersized inhabitants of the kingdom. These data are derived from studies various characteristics lives of almost 94,500 inhabitants of the Northern Netherlands, who lived there from 1935 to 1967. It turned out that among Dutch men, the most fertile, on average, are those whose height exceeds the average by 7 cm. They have a fertility rate higher by 0.24 points compared to those men whose height is 14 cm below the average. The same trend is observed and among Dutch women, but on a smaller scale.

Stalp was curious about how things are with these indicators in other countries. He took data from Wisconsinians born between 1937 and 1940 and concluded that average Americans have more children than their taller and shorter counterparts. At the same time, the fertility rate is higher in America in men of average height and women of short stature. Taking this into account, Stalp cautiously suggested that a different trend is currently observed in the United States, namely, a decrease in average population growth, at least its stagnation. This is partly why, under favorable nutritional conditions, Americans have been the fattest nation on our miserable planet for more than a decade.

No other study has reached such conclusions, which is what makes it so exciting, says Simon Verhulst of the University of Groningen. At the same time, he emphasizes that these studies have not yet been confirmed by genetic tests.

An important influence on the average height of the inhabitants of the Netherlands is also high culture consumption of milk, cheese and other dairy products, which is widespread in Holland.

The Netherlands means "lower lands", but now this European kingdom is increasingly called differently: the Land of Giants and Giants. There is nothing strange in this and this is not an exaggeration, because the average height of a Dutch woman is 1.71 meters, and a Dutchman is 1.85 meters.

The reason for this superiority in growth over the inhabitants of other countries remained a mystery until recently. Scientists did not know why the Dutch became the tallest people on the planet. Although, that just a couple of centuries ago, the subjects of this kingdom in the north of continental Europe were considered among the most ... low.

How could such a significant metamorphosis take place in just two hundred years, a very small period by evolutionary standards? The most common explanation is increased nutrition and a high-calorie diet in which important place occupied by meat and dairy products.

However, now scientists are sure that it is not only about nutrition and diet. Many other European countries also made great strides in improving the well-being of their people, but this did not make them grow at the same astronomical rate as the Dutch. The average Dutchman, according to the statistical department of the army of the Netherlands, has added a very impressive 20 centimeters over the past 150 years, i.e. became higher than the ancestors who lived in the middle of the 19th century, a head. For the same century and a half average american, 15 years ago, who had the status of the tallest person on the planet, became only 6 centimeters taller, although he also did not starve and ate a lot of meat.

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, led by public health specialist Gert Stulp, decided to solve the mystery of such a rapid growth of the Dutch. They checked the statistics of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the so-called LifeLines), a huge database containing the most detailed information about more than 94,500 Dutch people living in 1935-67.

British scientists drew attention to a curious pattern - the growth of large fathers, who had an average of 0.24 children more than the least prolific Dutch, was 7 centimeters higher than the average Dutch. The growth of the least prolific parents was 14 cm below average. In addition, tall and handsome men of Dutch blood are more likely to get divorced and start new families in which more children appear.

The researchers attributed this pattern to evolution in action. It turns out that it is much easier for tall men to find a partner for themselves than for short ones, and women of short stature are more likely to choose men who are taller than average as their life partners. So tall men have greater chance to pass on their gene pool to the next generation.

The same pattern is observed among Dutch women, although to a lesser extent. expressed form compared to men.

British scientists did not conduct research at the gene level. They concluded from the results of observations that, obviously, over time, more and more more Dutch acquired high growth genes.

"Natural selection in addition to good environment may explain why the Dutch are so tall,” says a research paper published in the Royal Society journal Proceedings B.

“Height is a very hereditary trait,” explains Gert Stulp. “Taller parents produce taller children. Because tall people next generation more children are born, who are also taller, then the average height of this generation, other things being equal, also increases.

The tallest people in Africa share the palm with the Americans and the Dutch. This representatives of the Nuer people from Eastern Sudan - (average height of men 184 cm).

Tall groups (170 centimeters and above) also live on the east coast North America and in Argentina. In Europe, tall people tend to live in the north of the continent. In addition to the Dutch, these are Norwegians, Swedes, Danes, Scots. For a long time, among Europeans, the record was for Montenegrins: the average height of men in the country is 177 centimeters, and in the city of Trebinje - 183 centimeters.

In 1960-1970, the average height of Soviet men was 168 cm, women - 157 cm. In Russia in the early 90s, the average height of men was 176 cm, women - 164 cm.

In the world, the average height of an adult male is currently 165 centimeters, women - 154 centimeters. The difference in height between men and women different peoples fluctuates between 8-12 centimeters.

The shortest people on Earth are the Mbuti pygmy tribe. The average height of men is less than 140 centimeters, women - 120-130 centimeters. They live in Equatorial Africa in the Congo Basin, in the least accessible wooded places. Pygmies - "people with a cam", this is how the word is translated. Very small humans can be found in many places near the equator. These are the Aeta tribes living in the Philippines, the Semangs of the Malay Peninsula. Small growth is also characteristic of the population of the far north of Europe, Asia and America (Lapps, Mansi, Khanty, Eskimos).

Each people of the world has its own characteristics, which are absolutely normal and ordinary for them, but if a person of a different nationality gets into their midst, he may be very surprised at the habits and traditions of the inhabitants of this country, because they will not coincide with his own ideas about life. We suggest you find out 9 national habits and features of the Dutch, which may seem surprising and a little strange to Russian people.

They have an iPhone cheaper than going to a restaurant

The Dutch know the value of things and services. At the same time, their logic and ours are incompatible. So, if Dutch young people save money, they will not visit a restaurant (this is entertainment and a waste of money!), but they may well give a friend a birthday latest iphone. But what about savings? It turns out that the restaurant, according to the Dutchman, is irregular expenses, wastefulness. But the phone is an investment object that is used for three or four years and pays for itself.

Similarly, they apply to other expenses: it is an investment in a stable life. For example, taxes go to the development of various infrastructures. Payment for public utilities- to maintain and maintain the cleanliness of houses, insurance payments return in the form of quality medical care, etc. The Dutch are confident in tomorrow, but also understand that the guarantee of stability is good financial planning. And that's why...

They make strange gifts

If you are dating a Dutch guy, something like this could very well happen to you: “One day my boyfriend called me and said that he had surprised me and sent him to e-mail. With great enthusiasm I opened Mailbox, and it turned out that he sent me an Excel file in which he planned our joint budget for six months. A very good present."

They hang pictures of their relatives in the toilet

However, the Dutch are not alien to sentimentality. If a Russian always has a book in the restroom - the thicker the better - or at worst a newspaper, then the Dutchman's toilet walls are decorated with a calendar on which the birthdays of relatives and friends are marked. Perhaps there will also be photographs of family members, maybe even children's drawing. This does not seem strange to people, although none of them can explain what this tradition is connected with.

They close the door to an intruder

The Dutch are not spontaneous. On the contrary, every inhabitant of the Orange Kingdom has an agenda. Agenda is a schedule of tasks for the day, week, month and even a year ahead. So running to a friend for tea, because you happened to be nearby, will not work. Will answer the phone polite refusal, and if you immediately ring the doorbell, they will ask you to leave.

According to the schedule, they meet here not only with friends, but even with family members. Family weekend is discussed six months in advance: booked Vacation home, then the schedules are compared for a long time, a date is chosen, then everyone meets at the appointed place, and after three days they leave and start planning the next meeting. And most importantly - in this country you can not be late. Being ten minutes late is a terrible crime.

They are treated with ascorbic

Askorbinka and advice to do yoga is a completely normal prescription that you can get from a Dutch doctor. Here we are sure that the body itself is able to cure itself and does not need to interfere with serious (and less serious) medications. Antibiotics can be prescribed only in case of severe illness.

The main person for the patient is the family doctor. If you are unwell, it is he who conducts the first examination and prescribes examinations, referring, if necessary, to other specialists. If the family doctor has not found anything abnormal, then it will be almost impossible to get an appointment with a doctor in the hospital.

They don't make a wedding an event.

Dutch weddings are modest and simple: no fancy four-day meals, no borrowed dresses, no fun parties. After the wedding ceremony in a church or in a municipality, where only the closest people are invited, everyone goes to a cafe or restaurant, where other guests join the newlyweds.

Instead of a banquet table - small interest groups, instead of a suckling pig - cocktails and light snacks, instead of a service for 120 people as a gift to young people - a modest envelope with €20. No toastmaster and flying drones with a video camera - in the Netherlands they are trying in every way to save money on organizing and holding a holiday, because money can always be spent on something more necessary.

They keep their eggs in a jar

The Dutch have large and cheerful families. But then - when a career has developed, funds have been accumulated, that is, not earlier than 30, or even 40 years. Young couples live together for years, not in a hurry to register a relationship, sometimes - until the birth of a child.

Actually, there is nothing surprising in this. In Holland, there is an egg preservation program that is paid for by insurance. Thus, a woman in adulthood has the opportunity to give birth to a healthy child.

They don't steam

Future parents plan in advance where they will live and how. They move to a country house with a garden in advance so that the children grow up in comfortable conditions. The husband will be present at the birth, and then, along with his wife, participate in bathing, feeding, walking, raising children, and may even take a decree.

And at the same time, suspiciousness is alien to Dutch parents. A baby can lie comfortably in a stroller without socks in early spring and sit naked in a bicycle stroller in January. Children with early age learn to be independent. Already in adolescence many begin to earn extra money, and then, when the time comes for universities and colleges, they leave parental home and receive government support.

They have been friends since kindergarten.

It is believed that it is difficult to find contact with the Dutch. The reason lies not in the fact that the Dutch are cold, constrained and unsociable people - no. Strong friendship they are connected with childhood. They will communicate to the last with their faithful comrades, with whom they painted train cars together. The Dutch periodically meet with old friends and cherish friendship.

Are the Netherlands and Holland the same thing? Yes and no. How to look.

The name of the state is translated as "lower lands". In the Middle Ages, this territory was called that - "The Low Countries" (plus Belgium). Well, fair enough. After all, most of the state is below sea level. An elevation over three hundred meters is considered local residents high mountain. Perhaps for this reason, when developing rights and obligations, the population easily took into account their "earthly desires", thanks to which there is no need to break the law in order to feel flight and freethinking. When a lot of things are allowed, there are almost no temptations, and everyone lives in peace and harmony.

The country developed its own culture, had its own language. The state experienced each historical turn in its own way. If it was possible to stay away during the First World War, then the Second World War did not pass by. Within five years this area was occupied by Germany. The Marshall Plan, created by the United States of America, helped the country quickly recover.

Today in this area they pay great attention social rights of all segments of the population. It has the highest unemployment benefits and pensions. This is one of those rare places where residents are almost 100% satisfied with their government and laws. For example, prostitution and the sale of weed are legal here.

Thus, The Netherlands is a full-fledged state. With its own language, with its territory, history, culture. The country has its own way of development, its own view of the life of its population. Then why is the Netherlands called Holland? Where exactly are the two countries that are so often confused?
most developed province

Holland is a province of the Netherlands. Surprisingly, this is a fact. one of the provinces. Or rather, two. Because there is a difference between North Holland and South Holland.

The northern part of this area was territorially isolated in the sixteenth century. South - much later, at the end of the eighteenth. But here we will talk about Holland in general. To make it easier.

So. From the sixteenth to the eighteenth century, Holland is the most important province wonderful country, the most developed in many respects. She was known to all states that had trade relations with the Netherlands. So they called the whole territory as a whole "Holland".

There is some fairness here. Take at least the capitals of the Netherlands, official and unofficial. The official capital, Amsterdam, is located in the northern part of the country. Here the monarch swears allegiance to the Constitution. Unofficial, actual - The Hague - in the South. The royal residence is located here, the Government meets, and many foreign embassies are located. That is, the most important events The Netherlands occur precisely in the provinces of Holland.

But still. How should you choose the right name when mentioning this amazing area?

In official speeches, documents - "Netherlands". On travel websites fiction, in the museum of painting, in flower shop- Holland. By the way, the second name is used more by the Russian-speaking population than by other-speaking people.