Holland may be a small country, but it still manages to have some of the world's best-known national symbols. Tell someone the name "Holland" and even if they know nothing of the country they'll still likely be able to rattle off a list of clichés- which is certainly more than we can say of somewhere like Albania. Here are some of the more notable Dutch clichés and the stories behind them.

WOODEN SHOES
Wooden shoes, also known as "clogs" or "klompen" in Dutch, are a holdover from Holland's agricultural roots. In the days before plastic and rubber became mainstream, wood was a cheap, readily available material for making strong, waterproof shoes that were perfect for working long days in the fields. As Holland remained a nation of farmers until very recently, clogs were the most common form of working-class footwear well into the early 20th Century.
Some people still wear wooden shoes today- usually just farmers and other people who spend a lot of time wading through dirt. The clogs that you can buy in most stores, such as the ones on the right, are intended more for decorative purposes. Real clogs intended for wearing are usually far less attractive.

WINDMILLS
Another former staple of Dutch agricultural life, mills were originally used for all sorts of practical purposes such as grinding flour, sawing wood, or pumping water. Today they've mostly been rendered obsolete by modern machinery, but some can still be seen operating in the Dutch countryside. Because they're such treasured national symbols there is windmill conservation movement in Holland that seeks to preserve the remaining survivors.

Though windmills may be disappearing, wind turbines are plentiful. Because Holland is so flat and windy (not to mention obsessed with being politically correct) wind power remains a popular source of energy. When you're driving across long stretches of flat farmland, collections of tall, white wind turbines are a common sight.

TULIPS
Tulips are Holland's national flower, and when in season you can view vast fields of them in certain parts of the country.
Oddly enough, tulips have actually gotten somewhat controversial as of late. You see, the flowers are not native to Holland, and the only reason they even have them in the first place is because Dutch marauders stole them from Turkey in the 17th Century. The Turks resent this, and in recent years have tried to reclaim the tulip as their own national symbol. For example, the official Turkey tourism logo now features a prominent tulip, and even in Canada, the once exclusively Dutch Ottawa tulip festival is now "joint hosted" by Holland and Turkey in a gesture of fairness.

TRADITIONAL COSTUME
Different parts of Holland have different types of traditional costume, but they're all largely similar. Typically, traditional Dutch clothing consists of black shirts, trousers, and caps for boys and white dresses, blouses, and hats for girls.

Wearing traditional clothing was common until the late 19th / early 20th Century, when modern Western fashion began to take hold of the country. The longest holdouts tended to be Holland's coastal provinces, which were home to some of the country's most conservative citizens. Today you will still occasionally see some old people wearing traditional dress if you visit conservative areas on special occasions.

MARIJUANA
There is a widespread belief in much of the world that pot is 100% legal in all of Holland. In reality the situation is much more complex. Generally speaking, pot is only to be smoked indoors, either in your private home or in a licensed bar. Smoking pot anywhere else, especially in a public place, is as frowned upon- and illegal- in Holland as it is anywhere else. Possessing five ounces of Marijuana is not illegal, but any more than that and you could get busted for drug possession.

All this being said, "pot" and "Holland" are increasingly becoming synonymous, and these days the drug is frequently used as a tourist attraction of sorts. In many tourist towns- Amsterdam especially- you can buy all sorts of crap with marijuana leaves on it, like t-shirts, ashtrays, keychains, and backpacks. The famed "Coffee Shops" in which pot is legally allowed to be smoked are also becoming big attractions for the international stoner crowd.