Holland is a region within the Netherlands. It is (was?) the most populous and economically productive region, so over time got used as a substitute for Netherlands.
"Dutch" is derived from a word that means "the people". As is the Deutsch in Deutschland (what Germans call their nation - land of the people, basically). At one time, there were high Dutch and low Dutch, describing people from hilly regions in (what is now) Germany and people from the low-lying area that is now the Netherlands.
Netherlands is just what it sounds like - the low lands. Apt, since so much of the country should be underwater.
I've heard that the term Pennsylvania Dutch actually comes from English-speakers mishearing/misunderstanding when the speakers refer to their own language "Deutsch".
I think @alistairSH and @socialdemocrat stated it best!
Also, I am an American and I used to work for a Dutch company (though i was based/worked out of the U.S. side)...and i will add that as many Dutch friends as i have, they all still dislike being wholesale referred to as "Hollanders" or living in the "country" of Holland. ...Which, i can not blame them for disliking of course. ;-) Also, when i speak English i refer to them as my *Dutch* buddies, but if i'm speaking in one of the Dutch dialects, then definitely use "Nederlanders". :-)
Holland: two provinces of The Netherlands. Dutch: the ethnicity. The word has the same origin as "Deutsch". The Netherlands: the european part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
(Michael Troughton playing the naive politician making an ultimatum to then-queen Beatrix of the Netherlands over the phone, and of course the brilliant Rik Mayall)
Not convinced. Those UK regions are clearly defined current regions and used equally wrong in most languages. In the Germany case they are extinct people and different languages have picked different ones to name the current country. I would be surprised if any language named GB after Scotland or Wales.
Holland is a province of the Netherlands. Because it was the one most active in trade abroad people came to associate Dutch people with Holland.
“Dutch” however is some peculiar English thing. The Holland/Netherlands thing exist in manny countries but in my home country Norway we call them “nederlender” or “Hollender.” This is similar to what the Dutch call themselves.
"Dutch" is derived from a word that means "the people". As is the Deutsch in Deutschland (what Germans call their nation - land of the people, basically). At one time, there were high Dutch and low Dutch, describing people from hilly regions in (what is now) Germany and people from the low-lying area that is now the Netherlands.
Netherlands is just what it sounds like - the low lands. Apt, since so much of the country should be underwater.