Hello. I wanted to wish you a Happy Easter time!
Enjoy your holidays and take some rest.
Levels 1 and 3:
Start reviewing! The mid-term exam is coming!
Thanks for being here!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Homework
Level 1 and 3: read about your country (below) and make 5 questions with their answers (typed).
Thanks! Have a lovely evening.
Level 1 and 3: read about your country (below) and make 5 questions with their answers (typed).
Thanks! Have a lovely evening.
ParaguayParaguay
i/ˈpɛərəɡwaɪ/, officially the Republic
of Paraguay (Spanish: República del Paraguay, pronounced: [reˈpuβlika ðel paɾaˈɣwai]; Guaraní: Tetã
Paraguái [teˈtã paɾaˈɣʷaj]), is a landlocked country in South
America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the
center of the country from north to south. Due to its central location in South
America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazón de América, or the Heart
of America.[7]
The Guaraní have been living in Paraguay since prior to the
arrival of Europeans in the 16th century, when Paraguay became part of the Spanish colonial empire. Following independence from Spain in 1811 Paraguay was ruled by a
series of dictators who followed isolationist and protectionist policies. This development
was truncated by the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864–1870) against
Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Since then Paraguay's relations with these
three countries have improved and in 1994 the country joined with them to found
Mercosur.
As of 2009 the population was estimated at 6.3 million. The capital and
largest city is Asunción. The official languages are Spanish and Guaraní, both being
widely spoken in the country, with around 92% of the general population
speaking Spanish and 98% speaking Guaraní. Most of the population are mestizos.
In 2010, Paraguay experienced the largest economic expansion in Latin
America and the second fastest in the world, only after Qatar.[8]
Economy
Landlocked Paraguay has a market economy distinguished by a large
informal sector, featuring re-export of imported consumer goods to neighboring
countries, as well as the activities of thousands of microenterprises and urban
street vendors. Between 1970 and 2009 the country had the highest economic
growth of South America, with an average rate of 7.2% per year and the prospect
of 9% annual growth from 2010, being the highest in South America. The country
also boasts the third most important free commercial zone in the world: Ciudad
del Este, trailing behind Miami and Hong Kong. A large percentage of the
population, especially in rural areas, derives its living from agricultural
activity, often on a subsistence basis. Because of the importance of the
informal sector, accurate economic measures are difficult to obtain. On a per
capita basis, real income has stagnated at 1980 levels. The economy grew
rapidly between 2003 and 2008 as growing world demand for commodities combined
with high prices and favorable weather to support Paraguay's commodity-based
export expansion. Paraguay is the sixth largest soy producer in the world.
Drought hit in 2008, reducing agricultural exports and slowing the economy even
before the onset of the global recession.
In 2010, Paraguay experienced the greatest economic expansion of the
zone and the highest of South America, with a GDP growth rate of 14.5% for by
the end of the year.[38]
The industrial sector produces about 25% of Paraguay’s gross domestic
product (GDP) and employs about 31% of the labor force. Output grew by 2.9% in
2004, after five years of declining production. Traditionally an agricultural
economy, Paraguay is showing some signs of long-term industrial growth.
The pharmaceutical industry is quickly supplanting foreign suppliers in
meeting the country’s drug needs.[citation needed] Paraguayan
companies now meet 70% of domestic consumption and have begun to export drugs.
Strong growth also is evident in the production of edible oils, garments,
organic sugar, meat processing, and steel.[citation needed]
Nevertheless, capital for further investment in the industrial sector of
the economy is scarce. Following the revelation of widespread financial
corruption in the 1990s, the government is still working to improve credit
options for Paraguayan businesses.[citation needed]
In 2003, manufacturing made up 13.6% of the GDP, and the sector employed
about 11% of the working population in 2000. Paraguay’s primary manufacturing
focus is on food and beverages. Wood products, paper products, hides and furs,
and non-metallic mineral products also contribute to manufacturing totals.
Steady growth in the manufacturing GDP during the 1990s (1.2% annually) laid
the foundation for 2002 and 2003, when the annual growth rate rose to 2.5%.[39]
Culture
of Paraguay
Paraguay's cultural heritage can be traced to the
extensive intermarriage between the
original male Spanish settlers and female indigenous Guaraní brides. Paraguayan culture therefore is a
fusion of two cultures and traditions: one European, the other Southern
Guaraní. More than 93% of Paraguayans are mestizos, making Paraguay one of the most homogeneous countries in Latin
America. A characteristic of this cultural fusion is the extensive bilingualism
present to this day: more than 80% of Paraguayans speak both Spanish and the indigenous language, Guaraní. Jopara, a mixture of Guaraní and Spanish, is also widely spoken.
This cultural fusion is expressed in arts such as embroidery (ao po'í)
and lace making (ñandutí). The music of Paraguay, which consists of lilting
polkas, bouncy galopas, and languid guaranías is played on the native harp.
Paraguay's culinary heritage is also deeply influenced by this cultural fusion.
Several popular dishes contain manioc, a local staple crop similar to the yuca root found in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, as well as other indigenous ingredients. A popular dish is sopa paraguaya, similar to a thick corn bread. Another notable food is chipa, a bagel-like bread made from cornmeal, manioc, and cheese. Many other dishes consist of different kinds of
cheeses, onions, bell peppers, cottage cheese, cornmeal, milk, seasonings,
butter, eggs and fresh corn kernels.
The 1950s and 1960s saw the flowering of a new generation of Paraguayan
novelists and poets such as José Ricardo Mazó, Roque Vallejos, and Nobel Prize nominee Augusto Roa Bastos. Several Paraguayan films have been
made.
Social life revolves largely around an extended family of parents, children and blood relations, as well as godparents. The Paraguayans' chief loyalty is to their family, and it, in turn, is
their haven and support. Family interests determine to a large extent which
political party they will join, whom they will marry, what sort of job they
will get, whether they will win a lawsuit, and—in some cases—whether they would
be wise to emigrate for a time. Even so, Paraguayans are very
heartwarming and open to tourists and foreigners.
Inside the family, conservative values predominate. In lower classes,
godparents have a special relationship to the family, since usually, they are
chosen because of their favorable social position, in order to provide extra
security for the children. Particular respect is owed them, in return for which
the family can expect protection and patronage
Belgium (
i/ˈbɛldʒəm/ BEL-jəm), officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's
headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such
as NATO.[nb 1] Belgium covers an area of 30,528 square
kilometres (11,787 sq mi), and it has a population of about 11 million people.
Straddling the cultural boundary between Germanic and Latin Europe, Belgium is home to two main linguistic groups,
the Dutch-speakers, mostly Flemish (about 60%), and the French-speakers, mostly Walloons (about 40%), plus a small group of German-speakers. Belgium's two largest regions are the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders in the north and the French-speaking southern
region of Wallonia. The Brussels-Capital Region, officially bilingual, is a mostly French-speaking enclave within the Flemish Region.[2] A German-speaking Community exists in eastern Wallonia.[6] Belgium's linguistic diversity and related
political conflicts are reflected in the political history and a
complex system of government.[7][8]
Historically, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg were known as the Low Countries, which used to cover a
somewhat larger area than the current Benelux group of states. The region was called Belgica in Latin because of the Roman province Gallia Belgica which covered more or less
the same area. From the end of the Middle Ages until the 17th century, it was a prosperous
centre of commerce and culture. From the 16th century until the Belgian Revolution in 1830,
when Belgium seceded from the Netherlands, many battles between European powers were fought in the area of
Belgium, causing it to be dubbed the battleground of Europe,[9] a reputation strengthened by both World Wars.
Upon its independence, Belgium participated in the Industrial Revolution[10][11] and, during the course of the 20th century,
possessed a number of colonies in Africa.[12] The second half of the 20th century was marked
by the rise of contrasts between the Flemish and the Francophones fuelled by language differences on the one
hand and an asymmetrical economic evolution of Flanders and Wallonia on the other hand. These ongoing conflicts have caused far-reaching reforms of the formerly
unitary Belgian state into a federal state and a very long political
instability.[13][14][15]
Economy
Belgium's strongly globalized economy[70] and its
transportation infrastructure are integrated with the rest of Europe. Its location at the heart of a
highly industrialized region helped make it the world's 15th largest trading
nation in 2007.[71][72] The economy is characterized by a highly productive work force, high GNP and high exports per capita.[73] Belgium's main imports are raw materials,
machinery and equipment, chemicals, raw diamonds, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs,
transportation equipment, and oil products. Its main exports are machinery and
equipment, chemicals, finished diamonds, metals and metal products, and
foodstuffs.[74]
The Belgian economy is heavily service-oriented and shows a dual nature:
a dynamic Flemish economy and a Walloon economy that lags behind.[10][75][nb 3] One of the founding members of the European Union, Belgium strongly
supports an open economy and the extension of the powers of EU
institutions to integrate member economies. Since 1922, through the Belgium-Luxembourg Economic
Union, Belgium and Luxembourg have been a single trade market with customs
and currency union.[76]
Belgium was the first continental European country to undergo the Industrial Revolution, in the
early 19th century.[77] Liège and Charleroi rapidly developed mining and steelmaking, which
flourished until the mid-20th century in the Sambre–Meuse valley, the sillon industriel and made Belgium one of the
top three most industrialized nations in the world from 1830 to 1910.[78][79] However, by the 1840s the textile industry of Flanders was in severe
crisis, and the region experienced famine from 1846 to 1850.[80][81]
After World War II, Ghent and Antwerp experienced a rapid expansion of the chemical
and petroleum industries. The 1973 and 1979 oil crises sent the economy into a
recession; it was particularly prolonged in Wallonia, where the steel industry
had become less competitive and experienced serious decline.[82] In the 1980s and 1990s, the economic centre of
the country continued to shift northwards and is now concentrated in the
populous Flemish Diamond area.[83]
By the end of the 1980s, Belgian macroeconomic policies had resulted in a cumulative government debt of about 120% of GDP. As
of 2006, the budget was balanced and public debt was equal to 90.30% of GDP.[84] In 2005 and 2006, real GDP growth rates of 1.5% and 3.0%, respectively,
were slightly above the average for the Euro area. Unemployment rates of 8.4%
in 2005 and 8.2% in 2006 were close to the area average. By October 2010, this
had grown to 8.5% compared to an average rate of 9.6% for the European Union as
a whole (EU 27).[85][86] From 1832 until 2002, Belgium's currency was the Belgian franc. Belgium switched to the euro
in 2002, with the first sets of euro coins being minted in 1999. The standard Belgian euro coins designated
for circulation show the portrait of King Albert II.
Despite a 18% decrease observed from 1970 to 1999, Belgium still had in
1999 the highest rail network density within the European Union with 113.8 km/1 000 km2.
Due to the large population density in Belgium, this number corresponds to the
quite low amount of 3.40% kilometers per capita in comparison to the mean EU
value of 4.06%. On the other hand, the same period of time, 1970–1999, has seen
a huge growth (+56%) of the motorway network. In 1999, the density of km motorways per 1000 km2 and 1000
inhabitants amounted to 55.1 and 16.5 respectively and were significantly
superior to the EU's means of 13.7 and 15.9.[87] Belgium however experiences one of the most
congested traffic in Europe. In 2010, commuters to the cities of Brussels and
Antwerp spent respectively 65 and 64 hours a year in traffic jams.[88] Like in most small european countries, more than 80% of the airways
traffic is handled by a single airport, the Brussels Airport. The ports of Antwerp and Zeebrugge share more than 80% of Belgian maritime
traffic, Antwerp being the second European harbour with a gross weight of goods
handled of 115 988 000 t in 2000 after a growth of 10.9% over the preceeding
five years.[87][89]
Culture
Despite its political and linguistic divisions, the region corresponding to today's Belgium has seen the flourishing
of major artistic movements that have had tremendous influence on European art
and culture. Nowadays, to a certain extent, cultural life is concentrated
within each language Community, and a variety of barriers have made a shared
cultural sphere less pronounced.[10][134][135] Since the 1970s, there are no bilingual universities in the country
except the Royal Military Academy and the Antwerp Maritime Academy, no common media[136] and no single large cultural or scientific organisation in which both
main communities are represented. The forces that once held the Belgians
together—Roman Catholicism and economic and political opposition to the
Dutch—are no longer strong.[137]
Contributions to painting and architecture have been especially rich.
The Mosan art, the Early Netherlandish,[138] the Flemish Renaissance and Baroque painting[139] and major examples of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architecture[140] are milestones in the history of art. While the 15th century's art in
the Low Countries is dominated by the religious paintings of Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden, the 16th
century is characterized by a broader panel of styles such as Peter Breughel's landscape paintings and Lambert Lombard's representation of the
antique.[141] Though the Baroque style of Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck flourished in the early 17th
century in the Southern Netherlands,[142] it
gradually declined thereafter.[143][144]
During the 19th and 20th centuries many original romantic, expressionist and surrealist Belgian painters emerged, including James Ensor and other artists belonging to the Les XX group, Constant Permeke, Paul Delvaux and René Magritte. The avant-garde CoBrA movement appeared in the 1950s, while the sculptor Panamarenko remains a remarkable figure in contemporary
art.[145][146] The multidisciplinary artist Jan Fabre and the painter Luc Tuymans are other internationally renowned figures on
the contemporary art scene.
Belgian contributions to architecture also continued into the 19th and
20th centuries, including the work of Victor Horta and Henry van de Velde, who were
major initiators of the Art Nouveau style.[147][148]
The vocal music of the Franco-Flemish School developed
in the southern part of the Low Countries and was an important contribution to
Renaissance culture.[149] In the 19th and 20th centuries, there was an emergence of major
violinists, such as Henri Vieuxtemps, Eugène Ysaÿe and Arthur Grumiaux, while Adolphe Sax invented the saxophone in 1846. The composer César Franck was born in Liège in 1822. Contemporary music
in Belgium is also of repute. Jazz musician Toots Thielemans and singer Jacques Brel have achieved global fame. In rock/pop music, Telex, Front 242, K's Choice, Hooverphonic, Zap Mama, Soulwax and dEUS are well known. In the heavy metal scene, bands like Machiavel, Channel Zero and Enthroned have a worldwide fan-base.[150]
Belgium has produced several well-known authors, including
the poet Emile Verhaeren and novelists Hendrik Conscience, Georges Simenon, Suzanne Lilar and Amélie Nothomb. The poet and playwright Maurice Maeterlinck won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1911. The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé is the best known of Franco-Belgian comics, but many
other major authors, including Peyo (The Smurfs), André Franquin (Gaston Lagaffe), Edgar P. Jacobs and Willy Vandersteen brought the Belgian cartoon
strip industry a worldwide fame.[151]
Belgian cinema has brought
a number of mainly Flemish novels to life on-screen.[nb 6] Other Belgian directors include André Delvaux, Stijn Coninx, Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne; well-known
actors include Jan Decleir and Marie Gillain; and successful films include
Man Bites Dog and The Alzheimer Affair.[152] In the 1980s, Antwerp's Royal
Academy of Fine Arts produced important fashion
trendsetters, known as the Antwerp Six.[153]
Folklore plays a major role in Belgium's cultural life: the country has
a comparatively high number of processions, cavalcades, parades, 'ommegangs'
and 'ducasses',[nb 7] 'kermesse' and other local festivals, nearly
always with an originally religious or mythological background. The Carnival of Binche with its
famous Gilles and the 'Processional Giants and Dragons' of Ath, Brussels, Dendermonde, Mechelen and Mons are recognised by UNESCO as Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.[154]
Other examples are the Carnival of Aalst; the still very religious processions of the Holy Blood in Bruges, Virga Jesse Basilica in Hasselt and Basilica of Our Lady of
Hanswijk in Mechelen; 15 August festival in Liège; and the Walloon festival in Namur. Originated in 1832 and revived in the 1960s, the Gentse Feesten have become a modern
tradition. A major non-official holiday is the Saint Nicholas Day, a
festivity for children and, in Liège, for students.[155]
Many highly ranked Belgian restaurants can be found in the most
influential restaurant guides, such as the Michelin Guide.[156] Belgium is famous for beer, chocolate, waffles and french fries. Contrary to their name, french fries also
originated in Belgium. The national dishes are "steak and fries with
salad", and "mussels with fries".[157][158][159]
Brands of Belgian chocolate and pralines, like Côte d'Or, Guylian, Neuhaus, Leonidas, Corné and Galler are famous, as well as independent producers such as
Burie and Del Rey in Antwerp and Mary's in Brussels.[160] Belgium produces over 1100 varieties of beer.[161][162] The Trappist beer of the Abbey of Westvleteren has
repeatedly been rated the world's best beer.[163][164][165] The biggest brewer in the world by volume is Anheuser-Busch InBev, based in Leuven.[166]
Netherlands
The Netherlands (
i/ˈnɛðərləndz/; Dutch: Nederland [ˈneːdə(r)lɑnt] or [ˈneɪ̯də(r)lɑnt] (
listen); West Frisian: Nederlân;
Papiamento: Hulanda)
is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in
the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the
North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders[7] with Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. It is a parliamentary democracy organised as a unitary state. The country capital is Amsterdam and the seat of government is The Hague.[8] The Netherlands in its entirety is often
referred to as Holland, although North and South Holland are actually only two of its twelve provinces (a case of pars pro toto; see terminology of "the
Netherlands").
The Netherlands is a geographically low-lying country, with about 25% of
its area and 21% of its population located below sea level,[9]
and 50% of its land lying less than one metre above sea level.[10] This distinct feature contributes to the country's name: in Dutch (Nederland),
English, and in many other European languages (e.g. German: Niederlande,
Croatian: Nizozemska, French: Les Pays-Bas, Italian: Paesi
Bassi and Spanish: Países Bajos), its name literally means
"(The) Low Countries" or "Low Country". Significant land
area has been gained through land reclamation and preserved through an
elaborate system of polders and dikes. Much of the Netherlands is
formed by the estuary of three important European rivers, which
together with their distributaries form the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta. Most of the country is very flat, with the exception of foothills in
the far southeast and several low-hill ranges in the central parts.
The Netherlands was one of the first countries to have an elected parliament. Among
other affiliations the country is a founding member of the EU, NATO, OECD and WTO. With Belgium and Luxembourg it forms the Benelux economic union. The country is host to the Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and five
international courts: the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Court and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The first four are situated in The Hague as is the EU's criminal
intelligence agency Europol and judicial co-operation agency Eurojust. This has led to the city being dubbed "the world's legal
capital".[11] The Netherlands has a capitalist market-based economy, ranking 13th of 157 countries according to the Index of Economic Freedom.[12] In May 2011, the Netherlands was ranked as the
"happiest" country according to results published by the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development.[13]
Economy
Amsterdam Stock Exchange performance
The Netherlands has a very strong economy and has been playing a special
role in the European economy for many centuries. Since the 16th century,
shipping, fishing, trade, and banking have been leading sectors of the Dutch
economy. The Netherlands is one of the world's 10 leading exporting countries.
Foodstuffs form the largest industrial sector. Other major industries include
chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods, and tourism. Examples
include Unilever, Heineken, financial services (ING), chemicals (DSM), petroleum refining (Shell), electronical machinery (Philips, ASML) and car navigation TomTom.
The Netherlands has the 16th largest economy in the
world, and ranks 7th in
GDP (nominal) per capita. Between 1997 and 2000 annual
economic growth (GDP) averaged nearly 4%, well above the European average. Growth slowed
considerably from 2001 to 2005 with the global economic slowdown, but
accelerated to 4.1% in the third quarter of 2007. Inflation is 1.3%, and unemployment is at 4.0% of the labour force. By Eurostat standards, unemployment in the Netherlands is at 4.1% (April 2010) –
the lowest rate of all European Union member states.[55] But in Q3 and Q4 2011, the Dutch economy
contracted 0.4 percent and 0.7 percent, respectively due to European Debt
Crisis, while in Q4 the Eurozone economy shrunk by 0.3 percent.[56] The Netherlands also has a relatively low GINI coefficient of 0.326. Despite ranking
only 7th in GDP per capita, UNICEF ranked the Netherlands 1st in child
well-being.[57] On the Index of Economic Freedom Netherlands is the 13th most free market capitalist economy out of 157 surveyed countries.
Amsterdam is the financial and business capital of the
Netherlands.[58] The Amsterdam Stock Exchange (AEX), part of Euronext, is the world's oldest stock exchange and is
one of Europe's largest bourses. It is situated near Dam Square in the city's centre. As a founding member of
the euro, the Netherlands replaced (for accounting purposes) its former currency, the "Gulden" (guilder), on 1 January 1999, along with 15 other
adopters of the Euro. Actual euro coins and banknotes followed on 1 January 2002. One euro was
equivalent to 2.20371 Dutch guilders.
The Netherlands' location gives it prime access to markets in the UK and
Germany, with the port of Rotterdam being the largest port in
Europe. Other important parts of the economy are international trade (Dutch
colonialism started with cooperative private enterprises such as the VOC), banking and transport. The Netherlands successfully addressed the
issue of public finances and stagnating job growth long before its European
partners. Amsterdam is the 5th busiest tourist destination in Europe with more
than 4.2 million international visitors.[59] Since the enlargement of the EU large numbers
of migrant workers have arrived in the
Netherlands from central and eastern Europe.[60]
The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for
attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the five largest investors
in the United States. The economy experienced a slowdown in 2005, but in 2006
recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and
strong investment. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007. The
Netherlands moved up from the 11th position in the Global Competitiveness Index[61] to the 9th position in 2007.
One of the largest natural gas fields in the world is situated near
Slochteren. Exploitation of this field resulted in a total
revenue of €159 billion since the mid 1970s. With just over half of the
reserves used up and an expected continued rise in oil prices, the revenues
over the next few decades are expected to be at least that much.[62]
A highly mechanised agricultural sector employs 4% of the labour force but
provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The
Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the United States and France, with exports earning $55 billion annually. A significant portion of
Dutch agricultural exports are derived from fresh-cut plants, flowers, and
bulbs, with the Netherlands exporting two-thirds of the world's total. The
Netherlands also exports a quarter of all world tomatoes, and trade of
one-third of the world's exports of chilis, tomatoes and cucumbers goes through the country. The Netherlands also
exports one-fifteenth of the world's apples.[63]
Culture
Symbols and icons of Dutch culture
The Netherlands has had many well-known painters. The 17th century, when
the Dutch republic was prosperous, was the age of the "Dutch
Masters", such as Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, Jan Steen, Jacob van Ruysdael and many
others. Famous Dutch painters of the 19th and 20th century were Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondriaan. M. C. Escher is a well-known graphics artist. Willem de Kooning was born and trained in Rotterdam, although he is considered to have reached acclaim as an American
artist. The Netherlands is the country of philosophers Erasmus of
Rotterdam and Spinoza. All of Descartes' major work was done in the Netherlands. The
Dutch scientist Christiaan Huygens (1629–1695)
discovered Saturn's moon Titan and invented the pendulum clock. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek was the first to observe and describe single-celled organisms with a microscope.
In the Dutch Golden Age, literature flourished as well, with Joost van den Vondel and P.C. Hooft as the two most famous writers. In the 19th century, Multatuli wrote about the poor treatment of the natives in Dutch colonies.
Important 20th century authors include Harry Mulisch, Jan Wolkers, Simon Vestdijk, Hella S. Haasse, Cees Nooteboom, Gerard (van het) Reve and Willem Frederik Hermans. Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl was published after she died in the Holocaust and translated from Dutch
to all major languages.
Replicas of Dutch buildings can be found in Huis Ten
Bosch, Nagasaki, Japan. A
similar Holland Village is being built in Shenyang, China. Windmills, tulips, wooden shoes, cheese, Delftware pottery, and cannabis are among the items associated with the
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