The culture of the Netherlands is diverse, reflecting regional differences as well as the foreign influences built up by centuries of the Dutch people's mercantile and explorative spirit. The Netherlands and its people have long played an important role as centre of cultural liberalism and tolerance. The Dutch Golden Age is popularly regarded as its zenith. Language The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch, spoken by almost all people in the Netherlands. Dutch is also spoken and official in Aruba, Brussels, Curaçao, Flanders, Sint Maarten and Suriname. It is a West Germanic, Low Franconian language that originated in the Early Middle Ages (c. 470) and was standardized in the 16th century. West Frisian is also a recognized language and it is used by the government in the province of Friesland. Several dialects of Low Saxon (Nedersaksisch in Dutch) are spoken in much of the north and east and are recognized by the Netherlands as regional languages according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority
La cultura de los Países Bajos es diversa, reflejando las diferencias regionales, así como las influencias extranjeras construidas por siglos del espíritu mercantil y explorador del pueblo holandés. Los Países Bajos y sus pueblos han desempeñado durante mucho tiempo un papel importante como centro del liberalismo cultural y la tolerancia. La Edad Dorada holandesa es popularmente considerada como su zenit. Lengua El idioma oficial de los Países Bajos es el holandés, hablado por casi todas las personas en los Países Bajos. El holandés también es hablado y oficial en Aruba, Bruselas, Curaçao, Flandes, Sint Maarten y Surinam. Es un dialecto del alemán occidental, bajo franco que se habla en la Edad Media temprana (c.