Holland

Holland is a name in common usage given to a region in the western part of the Netherlands. The term Holland is frequently used to refer to the whole of the Netherlands. This usage is generally accepted but nevertheless unofficial.[1]

From the 10th century to the 16th century, Holland proper was a unified political region, a county ruled by the Count of Holland. By the 17th century, Holland had risen to become a maritime and economic power, dominating the other provinces of the Dutch Republic.

Today, the former County of Holland consists of the two Dutch provinces of North Holland and South Holland, which together include the Netherlands' three largest cities: country capital Amsterdam; seat of government, The Hague; and Rotterdam, home of Europe's largest port.
Contents
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* 1 Etymology
* 2 Usage
* 3 Geography
* 4 Language
* 5 History
o 5.1 Reclamation of the land
o 5.2 County of Holland
o 5.3 Holland's prominence in the United Provinces and Dutch Republic
o 5.4 Kingdom of Holland
o 5.5 Provinces like any other
* 6 Image of Holland at home and abroad
* 7 References
* 8 External links

[edit] Etymology

Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79) referred to this region as the land between the Helinium and Flevo ("inter Helinium ac Flevum"), the names of the mouths into which the Rhine divided itself, the first discharging its waters in the Mosa in the neighbourhood of Brielle and the second into "the lakes of the north" (present IJsselmeer).[2] The name Holland first appeared in sources in AD 866 for the region around Haarlem, and by 1064 was being used as the name of the entire county. By this time, the inhabitants of Holland were referring to themselves as "Hollanders".[3] Holland is derived from the Middle Dutch term holtland ("wooded land"). This spelling variation remained in use until around the 14th century, at which time the name stabilised as Holland (alternative spellings at the time were Hollant and Hollandt). Popular, but incorrect, etymology[citation needed] holds that Holland is derived from hol land ("hollow land") and was inspired by the low-lying geography of Holland.
[edit] Usage

The proper name of the area in both Dutch and English is "Holland". "Holland" is a part of the Netherlands. "Holland" is informally used in English and other languages, including sometimes the Dutch language itself, to mean the whole of the modern country of the Netherlands [4] (this example of pars pro toto or synecdoche is similar to the tendency to refer to the United Kingdom as "England").

The people of Holland are referred to as "Hollanders" in both Dutch and English. Today this refers specifically to people from the current provinces of North Holland and South Holland. Strictly speaking, the term "Hollanders" does not refer to people from the other provinces in the Netherlands, but colloquially "Hollanders" is sometimes mistakenly used in this wider sense.

In Dutch, the Dutch word "Hollands" is the adjectival form for "Holland", but in English there is no commonly used adjective for "Holland". "Hollands" is ordinarily expressed in English in two ways:

* a possessive construction (e.g. "Holland's economic power"); or
* an "of Holland" or "from Holland" construction (e.g. "the Maid of Holland"; "a girl from Holland").

The following usages apply in certain limited situations but do not ordinarily serve as the English equivalent of the commonly used Dutch adjective "Hollands".

* Occasionally, the noun "Holland" is used in apposition (e.g. "the Holland Society").
* The adjective "Hollandic" is occasionally used by some historians and other academic writers as an adjective for Holland. Historians who use the word tend to reserve it to pre-Napoleonic Holland. Hollandic is also the name linguists give to the dialect spoken in Holland.
* The adjective "Hollandish" is a word in English but is no longer in use.

[edit] Geography
Further information: Geography of the Netherlands
North Holland
South Holland

Holland is situated in the west of the Netherlands. A maritime region, Holland lies on the North Sea at the mouths of the Rhine and the Meuse (Maas). It has numerous rivers and lakes and an extensive inland canal and waterway system. To the south is Zealand. The region is bordered on the east by the IJsselmeer and four different provinces of the Netherlands.

Holland is protected from the sea by a long line of coastal dunes. Most of the land area behind the dunes consists of polder landscape lying well below sea level. At present the lowest point in Holland is a polder near Rotterdam, which is about seven meters below sea level. Continuous drainage is necessary to keep Holland from flooding. In earlier centuries windmills were used for this task. The landscape was (and in places still is) dotted with windmills, which have become a symbol of Holland.

Holland is 7,494 square kilometres (land and water included), making it roughly 13% of the area of the Netherlands. Looking at land alone, it is 5,488 square kilometres in size. The combined population is 6.1 million.

The main cities in Holland are Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague. Amsterdam is formally the capital of the Netherlands and its most important city. The Port of Rotterdam is Europe's largest and most important harbour and port. The Hague is the seat of government of the Netherlands. These cities, combined with Utrecht and other smaller municipalities, effectively form a single city—a conurbation called Randstad.

The Randstad area is one of the most densely populated regions of Europe, but still relatively free of urban sprawl. There are strict zoning laws. Population pressures are enormous, property values are high, and new housing is constantly under development on the edges of the built-up areas. Surprisingly, much of the province still has a rural character. The remaining agricultural land and natural areas are highly valued and protected. Most of the arable land is used for intensive agriculture, including horticulture and greenhouse agri-businesses.
[edit] Language
Main article: Dutch language

The language primarily spoken in Holland is Dutch. Hollanders sometimes refer to the Dutch language as "Hollands", instead of the standard term Nederlands. Inhabitants of Flanders and other provinces of the Netherlands refer to "Hollands" to indicate someone speaking in a Hollandic dialect.

The standard Dutch that is spoken in the Netherlands is historically largely based on the Hollandic dialect of Holland, but is also partly derived from Flemish and Brabantian. There are many local variations in dialect throughout the Netherlands. Today, Holland is the region where the original dialects are least spoken, in many areas having been completely replaced by standard Dutch, and which has the largest influence on the developments of the standard language—with the exception of the Dutch spoken in Belgium.[5]

Despite this correspondence between standard Dutch and the Dutch spoken in Holland, there are local variations within Holland itself that differ from standard Dutch. The main cities each have their own modern urban dialect, that can be considered a sociolect.[6] A small number of people, especially in the area north of Amsterdam, still speak the original dialect of the county, Hollandic. The Hollandic dialect is present in the north: Volendam and Marken and the area around there, West Friesland and the Zaanstreek; and in a south-eastern fringe bordering on the provinces of North Brabant and Utrecht. In the south on the island of Goeree-Overflakkee, Zealandic is spoken.
[edit] History

Each of the provinces in the Netherlands has a history that deserves full attention on its own. However, to a certain extent at least, the history of Holland is the history of the Netherlands, and vice versa. See the article on "History of the Netherlands" for a more detailed history. The article here focuses on those points that are specific to Holland itself or that highlight the nature of the role played by Holland in the Netherlands as a whole.
[edit] Reclamation of the land

The land that is now Holland had never been stable. Over the millennia the geography of the region had been dynamic. The western coastline shifted up to thirty kilometres to the east and storm surges regularly broke through the row of coastal dunes. The Frisian Isles, originally joined to the mainland, became detached islands in the north. The main rivers, the Rhine and the Meuse (Maas), flooded regularly and changed course repeatedly and dramatically.

The people of Holland found themselves living in an unstable, watery environment. Behind the dunes on the coast of the Netherlands a high peat plateau had grown, forming a natural protection against the sea. Much of the area was marsh and bog. By the tenth century the inhabitants set about cultivating this land by draining it. However, the drainage resulted in extreme soil shrinkage, lowering the surface of the land by up to fifteen metres.
Benthuizen polder, seen from a dike

To the south of Holland, in Zealand, and to the north, in Frisia, this development led to catastrophic storm floods literally washing away entire regions, as the peat layer disintegrated or became detached and was carried away by the flood water. From the Frisian side the sea even flooded the area to the east, gradually hollowing Holland out from behind and forming the Zuiderzee (the present IJsselmeer). This inland sea threatened to link up with the "drowned lands" of Zealand in the south, reducing Holland to a series of narrow dune barrier islands in front of a lagoon. Only drastic administrative intervention saved the county from utter destruction. The counts and large monasteries took the lead in these efforts, building the first heavy emergency dikes to bolster critical points. Later special autonomous administrative bodies were formed, the waterschappen ("water control boards"), which had the legal power to enforce their regulations and decisions on water management. As the centuries went by, they eventually constructed an extensive dike system that covered the coastline and the polders, thus protecting the land from further incursions by the sea.

However, the Hollanders did not stop there. Starting around the 16th century, they took the offensive and began land reclamation projects, converting lakes, marshy areas and adjoining mudflats into polders. This continued right into the 20th century. As a result, historical maps of mediaeval and early modern Holland bear little resemblance to the maps of today.

This ongoing struggle to master the water played an important role in the development of Holland as a maritime and economic power and in the development of the character of the people of Holland.
[edit] County of Holland
Further information: County of Holland

Until the 9th century, the inhabitants of the area that became Holland were Frisians. The area was part of Frisia. At the end of the 9th century, Holland became a separate county in the Holy Roman Empire. The first count of Holland known about with certainty was Dirk I, who ruled (also as count of Frisia) from 896 to 931. He was succeeded by a long line of counts in the House of Holland. When John I, count of Holland, died childless in 1299, the county was inherited by John II of Avesnes, count of Hainaut. By the time of William V (House of Wittelsbach; 1354–1388) the count of Holland was also the count of Hainaut, Flanders and Zealand.
"De Staten van Hollandt ende West-Vrieslandt..." mentioned in the opening of one of their decisions (1654)

In this time a part of Frisia, West Friesland, was conquered (as a result, most provincial institutions, including the States of Holland and West Frisia, would for centuries refer to "Holland and West Frisia" as a unit). The Hook and Cod wars started around this time and ended when the countess of Holland, Jacoba or Jacqueline was forced to give up Holland to the Burgundian Philip I in 1432.

The last count of Holland was Philip III, better known as Philip II king of Spain. He was abolished in 1581 by the so-called Act of Abjuration, although the kings of Spain continued to carry the titular appellation of count of Holland until the Peace of Münster signed in 1648.
[edit] Holland's prominence in the United Provinces and Dutch Republic

In 1432 Holland became part of the Burgundian Netherlands and since 1477 of the Habsburg Seventeen Provinces. In the 16th century the county became the most densely urbanised region in Europe, with the majority of the population living in cities. Within the Burgundian Netherlands, Holland was the dominant province in the north; the political influence of Holland largely determined the extent of Burgundian dominion in that area.
Comitatus Hollandiae (1682)

In the Dutch Rebellion against the Habsburgs during the Eighty Years' War, the naval forces of the rebels, the Watergeuzen, established their first permanent base in 1572 in the town of Brill. In this way, Holland, now a sovereign state in a larger Dutch confederation, became the centre of the rebellion. It became the cultural, political and economic centre of the United Provinces, in the 17th century, the Dutch Golden Age, the wealthiest nation in the world. After the King of Spain was deposed as the count of Holland, the executive and legislative power rested with the States of Holland, which was led by a political figure who held the office of Grand Pensionary.

The largest cities in the Dutch Republic were in the province of Holland, such as Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leiden, Alkmaar, The Hague, Delft, Dordrecht and Haarlem. From the great ports of Holland, Hollandic merchants sailed to and from destinations all over Europe, and merchants from all over Europe gathered to trade in the warehouses of Amsterdam and other trading cities of Holland.

Many Europeans thought of the United Provinces first as "Holland" rather than as the "Republic of the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands". A strong impression of "Holland" was planted in the minds of other Europeans, which then was projected back onto the Republic as a whole. Within the provinces themselves, a gradual slow process of cultural expansion took place, leading to a "Hollandification" of the other provinces and a more uniform culture for the whole of the Republic. The dialect of urban Holland became the standard language.
[edit] Kingdom of Holland

The formation of the Batavian Republic, inspired by the French revolution, led to a more centralised government. Holland became a province of a unitary state. Its independence was further reduced by an administrative reform in 1798, in which its territory was divided into several departments called Amstel, Delf, Texel, and part of Schelde en Maas.

From 1806 to 1810 Napoleon styled his vassal state, governed by his brother Louis Napoleon and shortly by the son of Louis, Napoleon Louis Bonaparte, as the "Kingdom of Holland". This kingdom encompassed much of what would become the modern Netherlands. The name reflects how natural at the time it had become to equate Holland with the non-Belgian Netherlands as a whole.[7]

During the period the Low Countries were annexed by the French Empire and actually incorporated into France (from 1810 to 1813), Holland was divided into the départements Zuyderzée and Bouches-de-la-Meuse.
[edit] Provinces like any other

After 1813, Holland was restored as a province of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Holland was divided into the present provinces North Holland and South Holland in 1840, after the Belgian Revolution of 1830. This reflected an historical division of Holland along the IJ into a Southern Quarter (Zuiderkwartier) and a Northern Quarter (Noorderkwartier). But the actual division is different from the old division.

From 1850 a strong process of nation formation took place, the Netherlands being culturally unified and economically integrated by a modernisation process, with the cities of Holland as its centre.[8]
[edit] Image of Holland at home and abroad

The predominance of Holland in the Netherlands has resulted in regionalism on the part of the other provinces. This is a reaction to the perceived threat that Holland poses to the identities and local cultures of the other provinces. The other provinces have a strong, and often negative,[9] image of Holland and the Hollanders, to whom certain qualities are ascribed within a mental geography.[10]

Hollanders themselves, however, have a weak self-image.[10] They take Holland's cultural dominance for granted. To them, the concepts of "Holland" and the "Netherlands" coincide. Consequently they see themselves not primarily as "Hollanders", but simply as "Dutch" (Nederlanders).[11] This phenomenon is called "hollandocentrism".[12]

Holland tends to be associated with a particular image. The stereotypical image of Holland is an artificial amalgam of tulips, windmills, clogs, cheese and traditional dress (klederdracht). As is the case with many stereotypes, this is far from the truth and reality of life in Holland. This can at least in part be explained by the active exploitation of these stereotypes in promotions of Holland and the Netherlands. In fact only in a few of the more traditional villages, such as Volendam and locations in the Zaan area, are the different costumes with wooden shoes still worn by some inhabitants.

You're Best

When a sun is gonna down to the sea
when a stars is gonna glow above the sky
i've seen a miracle reveal before my eyes
seems so amazing exciting and wonderful
when i get you by my side
o ow ow baby
why you drive me crazy
you always try to steal my heart
i know you find somewhere in my part
wish could get me the right
under the moonlight you sit down
and tryin' to put your arm around me
i just look at shadow see there you were close to me
and give
ouw. .
One kiss
two kiss
three kiss
and more. . .
Really, i never thought before
this happen uh so fast
i love to remember the back flash
it could be the sweet memories of us
show your feel
when i gotta tell
you're the best thing
that ever mine


by_arynsa_lovella

Hugs

Once time i've found a love
something i've never felt before
something's real and true
and you should know
how much i will do for you
it's evrything like sun shinning the world
so don't say anything
just hold my hand
then we go ahead
and chasing away the doubt
between us. .

Chorus.
Oh c'mon hug me baby
i'm yours baby
and when you kiss me
i'm feeling like fly in the sky

oh c'mon hug me baby
i'm yours baby
and when you touch me
my heart's always beat fast





Hugs_by_arynsa_lovella

You're the only who understand Me

i know you hear
when i'm cry
i know you feel
when i'm sad
i know you care
when i have problem
and you always wish
to look way out together
i'm so sorry
for every mistakes
i'm so sorry
to make you angry
i'm so sorry
when i make you worry
now i feel bad
when i see you walk outta my house
that's like i just lost my heart
and i cry over the night
cause i have no power
to make you stay here
my lovely,
do you hate me?
I made you go
when you love me
now ev'rything gone worst
when i must standing without you
my love, i just realize
that i can't breath without you
cause you are my lung
my love, i hate to walk alone and i feel so cold when storm rollin' around me
my love, can't you feel my heart? I still have much hope to get you back
cause you're the only who understand me
so don't leave me
don't leave me baby

It's a Song of My Heart

In the middle of the night
from big party i got a date
first you just smiling
to get me attracting
you say me so interesting
time gone fast you're reach me close to your eyes
and all now starting. . .
O babe


What is in my mind all are now so wonderfull
when i see you and you see here so meaningfull
and you take my hand to dance
and the light soon start to blaze
you know what you gonna do
in this chance o yeah. . . .


But no longer it's time for me to go
like cinderella do long time ago
you hold my hand to keep me stay
to see what you will show
there's a draw like a rainbow
and you tell me be my love since now o yeah. . .


Chorus.
Oh my heart is beating
it was so amazing
you say the word that i always waiting
ohho. .

I can't resist my feeling
you make me exciting
oh, my love
it's a song of my heart for you





its_song_of_my_heart_by_arynsa_lovella

JANGAN PERNAH

Ketika kulihat wajahmu
tak mampu rasanya tuk menjauh
karena kau terlalu indah
untuk ku tinggalkan

ketika kau pegang tanganku
berat rasanya pergi darimu
tinggalkan semuanya
dari kisah yang kita jalani bersama

chorus.
Benar kau telah sakiti aku
benar kau telah dustai aku
tapi tangismu menusuk jantungku

ku bisa saja marah padamu
ku bisa saja benci dirimu
tapi senyummu meluluhkan hatiku

ketika semua berakhir
jangan pernah datang padaku
karena kau terlalu indah
untuk ku tinggalkan. .






jangan_pernah_by_arynsa_lovella

Taurus Yearly 2010 Horoscopes: Taurus (Apr 20- May 20) Taurus yearly horoscopes 2010

People who are born under Taurus zodiacal sign possess very significant characters that are special to only this sign. Very stubborn, adamant, influential, practical, pragmatic and smart, a typical Taurus is a sign of stability and conformity. These people can reach very high success levels due to their power of will and perseverance. All these positive traits make them extraordinarily powerful and energetic. Even with all these powerful qualities, a typical Taurus person can be extremely personal and caring towards other people; affection and loyalty are two friendly words to these people. A person who is born under this sign can be very expressive and caring while giving their opinions on any subject or topic. They can easily indulge in great debates and discussions where one needs to give scholarly thoughts and ideas.
Another positive quality of a person belonging to this sign is his or her ability to make friends with all people. In fact, these people may have a large friend circle that likes to hang around all the time. A typical Taurus person can show immense affection towards the opposite sex. In all, a Taurus person is a wholesome person who can succeed any day with a sense of deep purpose. Taurus 2010 yearly horoscope is a mixed bah for them as they may face some setbacks or disappointments throughout the year. It could be an average year for these people because of some uncertainties in their career development.
Taurus in 2010
Taurus 2010 Career and Income Horoscope

Taurus 2010 yearly horoscope is a mixed bag with uncertain career development options. The first quarter of the year may display uncertain times for people who are looking to promote their career. People may see a likely failure while undertaking sensitive business ventures. It is also likely that the first half of the year may be a bit bad for people who are looking to raise their income levels. Hasty investments and ill-planned career moves can derail your personal finances. Pay hikes and promotion may be very hard to come by while people may face competition in the workplace. However, most people who are born under this sign may escape any psychological ordeals with their sheer will power and determination.
People working in advertising and entertaining industry may get tremendous success in their career. Female show-persons, actors, models and costume designers will stand to gain immensely satisfying results. People who are looking for a career in motion picture and hospitality industry will get their break in the second half of the year. In summary, most Taurus people will find the second half of the year to be more promising and encouraging.
Taurus 2010 Love, Family and Social life Horoscope

Love, family and social life for Taurus people can be somewhat disappointing throughout the year. Immense marital and domestic trouble may brew in the first quarter of the New Year while the last quarter may act as a period of reconciliation. Due to the bad confluence of Mars and Saturn planets, Taurus people may undergo serious marital strain in the first half of the year. However, the legendary will power of Taurus will see these people recuperate from all possible domestic upheavals. People who are looking towards new relationship will need to plan very carefully. Social life for the New Year could be very disturbing while workplace relationship could see marked disturbance. In all, the last part of the New Year will bring hopes and encouragement to all Taurus people.
Taurus 2010 Education and Traveling Horoscope

On a positive note, 2010 Taurus horoscope is an excellent year for students, researchers and scholars. Professionals who work in research laboratories may do exceedingly well in their field. Students may see unqualified success coming in their way in the first half of the year. Academic achievements and scholarship gains are possible in the second half of the year. Due to their innate intelligence and eruditeness, Taurus people can reach very high success levels throughout the year. Travelling is possible many Taurus students in the middle parts of the year.
Taurus 2010 Health Horoscope

Health wise, Taurus 2010 yearly horoscope may not to be too good. Occasional health problems may impede daily life while health problems associated with lungs and stomach may bother people in the last quarter of the year. Minor accidents may await some Taurus people in the third quarter of the year.