Why Is Netherlands Also Called Holland?

The reason The Netherlands is also known as Holland frequently baffles visitors. It is strange, in fact, to refer to the same country by two different names. Let’s clarify any misunderstanding by describing the origins of the names Holland and The Netherlands.

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Despite being a small portion of the Netherlands, Holland has always been its most significant and influential region. As a result, The Netherlands is frequently referred to as Holland.

Metonymy is the term used by linguists to describe using a part (Holland) to describe the whole (Netherlands). In order to understand why The Netherlands is also referred to as Holland, let’s delve deeper into the history of these names.

History of the Netherlands and Holland

Holland has been in use much longer than The Netherlands. The old Dutch word Holtland, which in English means woodland, is where the name Holland originates. Around 1100, Holtland became Holland, and the county of Holland was established.

The Counts of Holland, who resided in The Hague, ruled over the county of Holland, also known as Holland.

The color yellow on this map of The Netherlands represents Holland, which was situated in the western coastal region of The Netherlands.

Prior to joining the Republic of Seven United Netherlands, as The Netherlands was then known, in 1581, Holland was a sovereign nation.

Why Is Netherlands Also Called Holland? — (Map is from Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek)

The name The Netherlands was first used much later, in the 15th century. The Dutch word for The Netherlands is Nederland, which translates to “down or low.” As a result, The Netherlands describes itself as a low-lying country due to its geographic location.

The Republic of the 7 United Netherlands, a forerunner of The Netherlands, was founded in the 16th century when the county of Holland joined forces with neighboring counties and provinces to declare independence from Spain.

Even though Holland was only one of the seven Netherlands, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands was frequently referred to as the Holland. Holland, however, was by far the wealthiest and most powerful region and eventually came to stand in for the entire nation.

The reason our nation is referred to as The Netherlands (plural, with an s) rather than The Netherland is because a coalition of seven independent counties once existed. However, that appears to be a matter of historical habit. Native English speakers may also be perplexed as to why it is The Netherlands rather than Netherlands.

When France invaded the region under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1795, the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands came to an end.

The Dutch Kingdom was established in 1815 following Napoleon Bonaparte’s downfall. Holland’s former county was consequently made into a province of The Netherlands. To lessen its political sway, Holland was divided into the provinces of North Holland and South Holland in 1840.

I’ve created a graph that illustrates the chronological usage of Holland and the Netherlands.

I’ve also created a table to show the historical usage of the names Holland and the Netherlands.

Year	The Netherlands or Holland?
1100 – 1581	The county of Holland existed as an independent county
1581 – 1795	The county of Holland became part of the Republic of 7 United Netherlands
1815 – 1840	The province of Holland became part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands
1840	the province of Holland was split into North Holland and South Holland. Both provinces remained part of the Kingdom of The Netherlands.

Do Dutch people refer to it as Holland or The Netherlands?

You might be confused about whether the Dutch refer to their nation as Holland or The Netherlands.

Even those who reside in North Holland or South Holland refer to their country as The Netherlands. However, the majority of Dutch people don’t mind when people from other countries refer to The Netherlands as Holland. Consequently, it is acceptable to refer to the Netherlands as Holland.

Although I’m from South Holland, I don’t refer to The Netherlands as Holland. But it doesn’t matter to me whether Holland is called Holland or The Netherlands. I completely equate the terms “Holland” and “The Netherlands.”

The Dutch government made the decision to stop referring to our nation as Holland in official writings and communications in 2019. To divert some of the tourists from Amsterdam and Holland to other parts of The Netherlands, the government attempted to rebrand The Netherlands.

Is Amsterdam in the Netherlands or Holland?

Amsterdam can be found in Holland, The Netherlands, and the province of North Holland.

The main factor contributing to Holland’s prominence as a wealthy and powerful region of the Netherlands was its location, specifically the location of Amsterdam. When Dutch merchant ships traveled the world in the 17th century, the majority of traders and merchants lived in Amsterdam and became extremely wealthy.

In The Netherlands, the dominance of Amsterdam and Holland has long been a problem. Even though Amsterdam is the capital of The Netherlands, the Dutch government and the Dutch king are located in The Hague to lessen the prominence of Amsterdam.

Do Dutch people refer to it as Holland or The Netherlands?
You might be confused about whether the Dutch refer to their nation as Holland or The Netherlands.

Topic: Why Is Netherlands Also Called Holland?

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