‘The rest of the world is a big place’, says the Dutch, well aware of how small their country is. For centuries, Holland has had an attitude of openness towards the rest of the world. In business, but also in social life and culture. Holland manages to combine history and traditional culture with innovation, modernity and an international orientation. The Dutch population has grown to have one of the highest percentages of internet users in the world. With the same ease with which the Dutch have taken to the high tech world, they are equally happy taking a quiet stroll along the historic canals that run through town.

This contrast is typical of Holland, and there is no contradiction between the two. The Dutch have an urban, cosmopolitan lifestyle, but they live in cities built on a human scale. The cities offer a nice mix of traditional and modern architecture.