| Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of the
Netherlands, with an urban population of 1,364,422 and a metropolitan
population of 2,158,372. The city is located in the province of North
Holland in the west of the country. It comprises the northern part of the
Randstad, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population
of approximately 8.1 million. Its name is derived from
Amstellerdam, indicative of the city's origin: a dam in the river Amstel.
Settled as a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam
became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch
Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that
time, the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds.In the 19th
and 20th centuries, the city expanded, and many new neighborhoods and
suburbs were formed. The 17th-century canals of Amsterdam (in Dutch: 'Grachtengordel'),
located in the heart of Amsterdam, were added to the UNESCO World Heritage
List in July 2010. More info
HERE |