I.

Introduction

Amsterdam (Netherlands), seaport, constitutional capital, and principal city, western Netherlands, in North Holland Province, on the IJ (an arm of the IJsselmeer), near The Hague. The real seat of national government, however, is in The Hague. Amsterdam is divided by canals into approximately 90 islands, joined by around 400 bridges. Almost the entire city rests on a foundation of piles driven through peat and sand to a firm substratum of clay. Population 739,300 (2004 estimate).

II.

Economy

Amsterdam is one of the busiest commercial centres in Europe. It is a major port linked to the North Sea and other European countries by a network of railways and canals, notably the North Sea Canal, which is navigable by ocean-going vessels. The leading industries in the city include shipbuilding, sugar refining, and the manufacture of heavy machinery, paper products, textiles and clothing, porcelain and glass, aircraft, motor cars, and chemicals. The city is also famous for polishing and cutting diamonds, and as the financial headquarters of the Netherlands. A major European stock exchange is located in Amsterdam. Bicycles outnumber cars, and are the preferred mode of transport. The city is served by the Schiphol airport. A high-speed railway line from Amsterdam via Schiphol and Rotterdam to the Belgian border opened in the late 1990s, reducing the journey time from Amsterdam to Paris to around four hours.

III.

Places of Interest

Amsterdam has played a key role in European cultural and intellectual life since the 17th century. The city is the site of the National Academy of Art, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Sciences, and the University of Amsterdam (1632). Its Rijksmuseum contains one of the largest collections of Dutch and Flemish paintings in the world by Rembrandt, Jan Vermeer, Frans Hals, Jacob Ruisdael, Meindert Hobbema, and other masters, and its Stedelijk Museum has an extensive collection of modern works. Amsterdam was also the home of the painter Rembrandt; his house is now a museum. The city's Van Gogh Museum contains outstanding works by the artist Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries. The city has numerous examples of 16th- and 17th-century architecture, as well as two historic churches: the Oude Kerk (Old Church), built about 1300, and the Nieuwe Kerk (New Church), built in the 15th century. The royal palace, originally built in the 17th century as the town hall, stands on a large square in the centre of the city. The Amsterdam defence line, built between 1883 and 1920, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Other places of interest include the house of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl who became the most famous victim of the German occupation during World War II, and a branch of the world-famous Madame Tussauds waxworks museum, which opened in 1971. The city also hosts a number of festivals and international events including, for example, the International Windjammer Regatta, held each August. The Dutch National Ballet (Het Nationale Ballet) and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra are based in the city.

IV.

History

Amsterdam, chartered as a city in 1300, became a member of the Hanseatic League in 1369. In the 17th century, after the successful conclusion of the Dutch Wars of Independence against Spain, Amsterdam became the commercial centre of northern Europe. The city retained its dominance until the late 18th century, when trade declined as a result of the silting of the Zuider Zee and the British blockade during the Napoleonic Wars. In 1810 Napoleon I incorporated the country into the French Empire, but after his downfall the Netherlands regained its independence and Amsterdam became the official capital. In the latter part of the 19th century, commercial activity revived with the opening of the North Sea and North Holland canals. During World War II Amsterdam was occupied by the German army for five years. The people suffered great hardship. Modern rebuilding to repair massive bomb damage after the war stimulated the development of the petrochemical industry and other industries associated with the harbour.