Let's Go Dutch Trivia Quiz

Answer: It borders Germany, Belgium and the North Sea

The Netherlands has been heavily defined by the North Sea. It has a history as a sea-faring, trading nation whilst much of its land has been reclaimed from the sea through a system of dikes and polders leading to the saying:
"God created the world but the Dutch created the Netherlands".

Briefly, from 1815-1830, the Netherlands also contained what is now Belgium. Its present area of 11,787 square miles makes it comparable to European countries such as Switzerland and Estonia, and the American state of Maryland.

Answer: Due to historical associations with the aristocratic House of Orange

Members of the House of Orange-Nassau have governed the Netherlands since 1648 when William I, aka William the Silent, led the Dutch to independence from Spanish rule. Initially this was as stadtholder of a republic and, after 1815, as monarch in a constitutional monarchy.

The 'Orange' of the title comes from the French town of the same name but has nothing to do with colour or fruit. The town was founded as Arausio in 35 BC, being named after a local god, and this was later corrupted to Orange. It is perhaps not surprising, then, that having associations with the House of Orange, the Dutch should adopt orange as their national colour.

Answer: Mauritius

The Netherlands' peak as a world super power occurred during the 17th and 18th centuries although their history tends to have been one of traders rather than colonisers. International expansion generally came through acquiring territory from the waning Spanish and Portuguese empires. Mauritius was first 'discovered' by the Portuguese but they did not establish a permanent base upon the islands. Neither did the Dutch stay there for long as they found the climate too inhospitable.

Mauritania's name comes from the ancient Roman province of Mauretania, itself derived from a tribe called the Mauri. These would later become the Moors. The English name of Morocco is a corruption of the Spanish/Portuguese rendering of its former capital, Marrakesh.

Answer: Wiesbaden

To use the word Holland to refer to the Netherlands is akin to saying England but meaning Great Britain or the United Kingdom. There was briefly a Kingdom of Holland, established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1806 with his brother Louis on the throne. This lasted until 1810 when Napoleon abandoned the pretence of a puppet kingdom and absorbed the country into France.

The provinces of North and South Holland contain nearly 40% of the population and the three largest Dutch cities - Amsterdam (its capital); Rotterdam (its major port and industrial centre) and the Hague (its administrative centre).

Wiesbaden is a city in Germany.

Answer: The divisions of Dutch society

Most societies are based upon horizontal divisions arising from socio-economic yardsticks or notions of 'class'. Dutch (and Belgian) society, however, was divided into vertical 'pillars'. Three standard pillars are usually identified - Catholic, Protestant and Social-democratic - although some commentators observe a fourth, Liberal pillar. Education, leisure activities, news media, banking, health-care, political parties and, sometimes, employment opportunities could all be obtained without leaving your social grouping.

Although this system has not entirely disappeared, it is now much diluted having been heavily challenged from the 1950s onward.

Answer: Tulip bulbs

The episode has become known as "Tulip Mania" and, as much of what has been recorded comes from biased sources, it is sometimes difficult to separate fact from fiction. One such story relates how a sailor was jailed after taking and eating a bulb - believing it to be an onion - that, if sold, "might have regaled a whole ship's crew for a twelvemonth" (Source: "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds" by Charles Mackay (1841)) This story also forms the basis for Jacques Normand's play "L'Amiral".

At the time of the 1630s, tulips were a recent innovation from the Ottoman empire and were quite the fashion. The most prized varieties were those that exhibited particularly vivid colours, now attributed to a virus known as the "Tulip breaking virus".

Flower cultivation is still a major feature of Dutch life with tulips at the forefront. Around 60% of all international cut flower exports are grown in the Netherlands.

Answer: The Amstel is the river that flows through Amsterdam

Amsterdam, or Amestelledamme as it is first recorded, translates into English as "the dam on the river Amstel". Amstel lager was originally brewed in the city but production has now transferred to Heineken's main brewery at Zoeterwoude.

The list of famous Dutch painters includes Rembrandt van Rijn, Vincent Van Gogh and Johannes Vermeer, subject of the novel and movie "Girl with a Pearl Earring" (2003).

Soccer is the national sport of the Netherlands. Amsterdam's premier club is Ajax Amsterdam who won the UEFA Champions League in 1995 and its forerunner, the European Cup, in three consecutive years from 1971 to 1973.

Answer: Gouda

Exported Gouda comes with either a red or yellow wax coating, indicating a young cheese of less than six months vintage, or a black coating to indicate an older cheese. It is produced in the province of South Holland and takes its name from the city in which it has traditionally been traded.

Edam is produced in North Holland and has a lower fat content, being made from partly skimmed milk rather than whole milk. It is responsible for approximately 25% of total annual production.

Although everyone's favourite image of the Netherlands contains cheese, tulips and windmills, in reality the agricultural sector provides a very small percentage of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). It is dwarfed by the services and industrial sectors (Source: CIA World Factbook).

Answer: The country is mostly low lying and, therefore, land was often muddy or waterlogged

Between 25% and 30% of the Netherlands lies below sea level and, throughout history, the country has been susceptible to devastating floods. The thirteenth century seems to have been particularly flood hit, culminating in the St Lucia flood of 1287 in which over 50,000 people lost their lives. Modern flood defences have, hopefully, minimised the potential for loss of life with the last great flood having occurred in 1953 when 1,835 people were killed.

It would be a trick question to ask for the highest point in the Netherlands as that is Mount Scenery, a 2,877 feet above sea level volcano in the Caribbean that forms part of the Dutch overseas territories - since October, 2010 deemed an integral part of the country. The highest point in the Netherlands on the European mainland, however, is Vaalserberg (1059 feet) in the slightly higher south of the country.

Answer: Derogatory

There are many phrases that use the word "Dutch" whose origins lie in the antipathy between the British and Dutch nations as they vied to be the world's leading maritime power. The British stereotype of the Dutch was as mean, miserly, stupid individuals. Hence, to "go Dutch" is to split a bill rather than have just one person pay it.

Comparable phrases include "Double Dutch" (gibberish); "Dutch widow" (a prostitute); "Dutch courage" (only obtained through the consumption of alcohol); "Dutch metal" (a substitute for gold made from base metals); "Dutch auction" (the price goes down); "Dutch reckoning" (a vague bill that goes up if questioned); "Dutch concert" (at which all the musicians play different tunes) and "Dutch comfort" (pointing out that things could be worse).

For their part, the Dutch have traditionally held a similar view of the Belgians.