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Groza 1
Samantha Groza
Professor E. Cole
English 1A
15 July 2015
The Netherlands
Up until recently, I hadn’t thought much about the country they call the
Netherlands, but the truth is, that this small country has a lot to offer. Although it is
not very large, the demographics of the Netherlands is impressive, as well as their
rank on the Happy Planet Index, and what the Government allows them to do. All
three of these things really make the Netherlands a memorable place.
The word Netherlands translates to “low-lying country” which is a suitable
name since nearly seventy percent of it is at or just below sea level (WPR). The
Netherlands is roughly the size of Maryland, but don’t be fooled by its small size, it
ranks sixty-fourth on the country population scale (Lansford). Even though it is only
roughly 41,500 km, it has a very dense population, totaling 16,851,447 people as of
today (Lansford). The Dutch make up a heavy amount of this population totaling at
91 percent, the rest of the more common races consist of Moroccan, Turkish, and
Surinamese people (Lansford). With so many people packed into this region, it
makes you wonder what they’re doing differently to be ranked so highly in
happiness.
In 2013, the United Nations named the Netherlands as the fourth happiest
nation on earth. How did they acquire such a high ranking with such little space? A
lot of it has to do with their workload. A Dutch person, if intellectual, is paid so
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handsomely that they can take 4 days off a week and enjoy themselves with their
families and friends (Gustaffson). Unlike Americans who are constantly bustling
around, going to work for the infamous nine to five shift and returning home only to
do it again the next day, five days a week. With more leisure time, the people of the
Netherlands are given the opportunity to freely enjoy themselves and their loved
ones. The difference in time spent working between both countries may also explain
the difference in the importance women from each country place in specific aspects
of work. Dutch women when interviewed said that they would rank glamour
hospitality and charm low on things that were important to them (Gustaffson). On
the other hand, American women have been taught to always wade on guests and
