Holland, another name of the Netherlands - a country in Northwestern Europe, a parliamentary constitutional monarchy with capital in Amsterdam and main administrative centre in The Hague. People and language of the country are called Dutch. It borders with Germany and Belgium to the east and to the south respectively, and to the North Sea to the north and west. "Holland" is the incorrect substitution for "the Netherlands", because there are South and North Holland that are administrative units - two of 12 provinces - of the country. Its population is about 16 and a half million people and its area is about 40 thousand km2. The Netherlands declared its independence in 1581 and entered the European Union in 1957, being one of its founding members. It is also one of the members of Benelux group of states together with Belgium and Luxembourg.