Amsterdam, a city and port, in the west of the Netherlands, located in IJsselmeer and connected to the North Sea. The capital and main commercial and financial center of the Netherlands For many visitors each year, Amsterdam is known for its historic attractions, for its rich artwork, and for its unique color and flavor of its old, well-preserved sections. However, tourists in the city also see a large, densely populated city surrounded by pollution, traffic congestion, and homelessness. 

It is easy to describe Amsterdam, more than 700 years old, as a living museum of the past and to admire the eternal beauty of centuries-old architecture, ancient administrative houses, and the spirit of freedom and tolerance, but the modern city still works to find solutions to the pressing urban problems. Amsterdam is the capital of the Netherlands but not the seat of government, which is The Hague. For example, the royal family lives from time to time in the Royal Palace, in a square known as Dam,



 Amsterdam. The city does not have large buildings found in other cities. There are no large squares for towers, and there are no triumphal processions or statues. A close-knit Amsterdam character is best seen in the narrow, bustling streets of the old city, where the majority of the population continues its work. While there are monuments to the glorious past - houses with tables, beautiful brick towers lined with sandstone, richly decorated rings, towers and churches, and carillon music and drum elements - the realities of modern city life often deceive this image of love. The inner city is divided into a series of canals into some 90 “islands,” and the municipality has about 1,300 bridges and viaducts. Amsterdam is the economic center of the Netherlands, and where culture continues to keep pace with innovation. Although the city has a modern system, about one fifth of the workforce still relies on a time-honored bicycle for transportation.

 The city continues to be famous for its many Chinese and Indonesian restaurants as well as for hundreds of houseboats along its canals. Since the mid-1960s Amsterdam has also been known for its permissive nature, and it attracts many people looking for a way of life. Local town, 64 square kilometers (165 square km); municipality. area, 245 square kilometers (635 square km). Pop. (2008 est.) City, 1,028,603; municipality. location, 1,482,676.


Physical and Human Geography State of the world City planning Amsterdam is located on a flat plateau mainly on the southern bank of the IJ, the inland arm of the former Zuiderzee, now the IJsselmeer, connected by a canal to the North Sea. The Amstel River flows from south to north through the city toward IJ. Parts of the city are located on the seabed, some of which are located on land rescued from the sea or in swamps or lakes. City development The current Dutch capital was first built as a medieval settlement on the Amstel-lane road where it met with the IJ. Amstel was built into a dam to control floods, and the city's name is derived from the Amstel dam. By the 16th century, Amsterdam had grown into a walled city on the present-day dam, bound by what is now the mainland of Singel and Kloveniersburgwal. Three towers of old towers are still standing. Apart
from Singel there are three main canals established in the early 17th century:

Herengracht (Gallemen's Canal), Keizersgracht (Emperor's Canal), and
Princeengracht (Prince's Canal). These impressive lines, along with narrow radial canals,
formed the spider pattern, extending eastward from the harbor and west to the
region known as the Jordaan during the prosperous Golden Age (17th and early
especially the Old Church (Oude Kerk), built in the 13th century, and the New
18th centuries). The old part of Amsterdam has many ancient structures,
is a 17th-century city hall, now called the Royal Palace, built in the ancient
Church (Nieuwe Kerk), which dates back to the 15th century. Next to New Church
Palladian style.

Other important buildings include the Mint Tower (Munttoren),
with a 17th-century atmosphere resting on an ancient gate; Southern Church
(Zuiderkerk, 1611); West Church (Westerkerk, 1631), where Rembrandt is buried;
the Trippenhuis, living at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences;
University of Amsterdam’s largest buildings. The first Jewish place, in the
and Old Man’s House Gate (Oudemanhuispoort), which now houses one of the eastern part of the old city, was the site of the Portuguese Synagogue (1671)
and the Rembrandt House (Rembrandthuis), now a treasure.



 The three main squares of the old town Dam, Leidseplein (Leiden Square), and
Rembrandtplein (Rembrandt Square). The magnificent 17th- and 18th-century tricycle
houses line the canals. Major physical changes reverted to the cityscape in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the booming colonial trade encouraged
commercial, and industrial construction filled De Pijp, a suburb south of the
industrialization and population growth. For example, inexpensive new housing,
city, and workers filled the old Jordaan buildings to the west.

The North Sea
Canal, a major new seaport station, was completed in 1876; new harbors and
barns built along the river; and in 1889 a new railway station, the Central
Station, was built on the artificial island of IJ in the city center. At the
beginning of the 20th century new cities were built, several at the Amsterdam
school of construction method; their speculative, immeasurable drawings
distinguish the loneliness that accompanies urban public housing.

Sint Nicolaas
Church (1886), Beurs (Stock Exchange; 1903), and Shipping House (1916) from
this period, as did Rijksmuseum (1876-85), Concertgebouw (Concert Hall; 1888),
Sydelijk Museum (1895), Olympic Stadium (1928), and Amstel Station (1939).
World War II, but a quarter of the Jews were destroyed. In the aftermath of the
Amsterdam suffered fewer casualties than most other European cities during
growing population, income, and unparalleled growth of vehicles. New garden
war, urban renewal programs and large housing units tried to accommodate the
north,
pastures include Slotermeer on the western edge of the city, Nieuwendam in the

Buitenveldert in the south, and in the 1970's, Bijlmermeer in the
southeast. Bijlmermeer was at the forefront of modern urban planning, with bike
paths, playgrounds, and high-rise buildings built along the city's new
upgraded with a combination of building styles of various uses. Since the
municipal line. However, it was not successful and was later demolished and
private housing. Recent developments of this type were built in the Slot and
1970's, low-rise housing projects have become commonplace, including public and Middelveldsche Akerpolder in the west, while in the east, in the old port
decades of the 20th century, urban areas were being rehabilitated more and more.
region, large-scale housing construction began in the 1990s. In the last


People of Amsterdam Amsterdam is a small city compared to most national capitals. After World War II the population stood at over 800,000; declined until the mid-1980's but has generally increased since then. The recent increase is due to the high birth rate of deaths and influx of immigrants. About half of the city's inhabitants are traditional Dutch; about one tenth are of Surinese descent; and there are a few important Moroccans and Turks. Amsterdam has been home to immigrants since the 16th century. More recently, many came from the former Dutch empire (Indonesia, Suriname, and the islands of the former Netherlands Antilles). Others have come as “tourist workers,” especially those from Morocco and Turkey, or as international aid workers and students from developed countries. In addition, during the 1990's many new immigrants came to seek refuge. A few non-Europeans now comprise more than one-third of the population of Amsterdam (and about two-thirds of those under the age of 19), and the city has an active integration policy, based on language learning and community guidance. Birth and marriage rates have skyrocketed since the mid-1990's. At present, as in other Western societies, an increasing number live alone, in single-parent families, or as unmarried couples.

 Unlike the population of the Netherlands as a whole, that of Amsterdam has not yet grown in terms of population. Residents of pre-retirement age are not a dwindling share of the population, especially because there is an ongoing outbreak of young people. Economics Like many modern cities, Amsterdam is a service center, with only about one tenth of its production staff. The most powerful and expanding part of the outstanding service sector is part of its business services, including consultation, information and medical technology, and telecommunications. The city's constant bloodline over the past seven hundred years has been international trade and transportation, combined with one-fifth of employment.

Banking
and insurance have also been the backbone of the Amsterdam economy, accounting
for about one-eighth of all jobs, while about one in six employers are employed
in health, cultural and social services. Another important part of the
city's economy, tourism, accounts for about one tenth of all jobs. However,
apart from this prosperous service sector, by the beginning of the 21st
century, the city had a large number of job seekers with no commercial skills,
and about one in eight workers were unemployed. Finance and trading Amsterdam
combination of accessibility, cultural richness, universal character, and the
is a very popular international business destination, largely because of its level of humanity that arises from the lack of high-rise buildings and
multilane highways.

The Netherlands attracts no less than one-fifth of all
American and Japanese investments in Europe, and much of this is concentrated
in Amsterdam. The city is also a major financial center, though less important
than London or Frankfurt. All major Dutch banks have their headquarters in the
Euronext Securities Exchange, and another 60 foreign banks have offices there.
city, such as the European Options Exchange and the Dutch branch of the The city's busy port and leading international and air travel links have
however, continuous industrial activities vary, from shipbuilding and complex
allowed it to retain its value as a regional and international trade center. Industry The industry no longer accounts for much of Amsterdam's economy;
policy seeks to attract industrial investment by improving infrastructure links
engineering to petroleum chemicals, food processing (including cooking), and polishing diamonds. Aimed at reducing unemployment, the city's active economic
of subsidized jobs in the late 20th century.
with the surrounding region and providing training, temporary workers, and
benefits to employers. During this time, the city government created thousands

Tourism Tourism
of all kinds is a major and growing economic activity. Many visitors to the city come for business
purposes or to attend conferences, especially at the Rai Exhibition and the
great Congress Center. Because it is possible to see many sites on foot in one
day, a day trip to Amsterdam is also very popular. Transportation Amsterdam
airport is among the busiest in Europe and is undoubtedly one of the world's
mandates good communication by train, water, road and air transport. Schiphol largest airports. Amsterdam's harbor is also one of Europe's most important
port gradually declined in traffic in the late 20th century. An extensive road
destinations, but, covered by the nearby Rotterdam-Europoort, the Amsterdam network connects Amsterdam with all parts of the Netherlands as well as Germany
opened in 1976, and a new high-speed train link to Schiphol became operational
and Belgium. Inside the city, since the 1960s, organizers have favored public transportation to reduce the use of vehicles. The high-speed municipal line in 1988, but trams remain the main route to inland Amsterdam, while buses are
important in the outer regions.



Administration of Amsterdam According to the
Dutch constitution, every municipality in the Netherlands is governed by a
council, the size of which depends on the number of citizens. The 45 members of
the Amsterdam City Council have been elected to serve for four years. The
the Mayor, who is appointed by the crown for a term of six years. The mayor
council of Aldermen council consists of eight aldermen elected together with
Although the council has no say in the election of the mayor, the office bearer
also presides over council meetings but is not an official member of the council.
World War II, the Labor Party has been in charge of the council, too
usually represents the largest political party in the council. Since the end of

Cultural life As an art center, Amsterdam has a lot to offer. There are about 40 museums, which attract about four million visitors every year. The Rijksmuseum (State Museum) is famous for its 17th-century Dutch art collection. The Stedelijk (Municipal) Museum is the world's leading collection of contemporary art. The Van Gogh Museum is dedicated to the work of Vincent van Gogh and the people of his time. Other
important museums include the Anne Frank House, the Amsterdam Historical
Museum, the Dutch Maritime Museum and the Rembrandt House. There are more than 200 live performances, including
Concertgebouw, home to the world-famous Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, as well
as the Muziektheater, where national ballet and opera companies are performing.
The city is home to two universities - the University of Amsterdam, founded in
institutions and nature reserves.
1632, and the Free University, founded in 1880 - with numerous academic

The construction of the inner city (and other suburbs) is a delight for many cultural visitors, who are looking for great
houses preserved in the Golden Age canals and numerous historical monuments,
economy, employing thousands of people and generating about $ 1 billion in
including the Royal Palace. The arts play a vital role in the Amsterdam
houses.
annual revenue. There are more than a hundred exhibits, including large auction



The entertainment facilities are extensive. Amsterdam Woods, the west
coastland of Zandvoort, Sloter Lake (Sloterplas) in the middle of the western
pastures, and the many small lakes in the south and north of the city all
provide opportunities for outdoor recreation. There are about 40 sports parks,
almost every sports club, and more than 250 open tennis courts in this bustling
and the Olympic Stadium are world-class venues.
city. In spectator sports, the Amsterdam Arena, home of the Ajax football team,

History of Amsterdam Stayingearly and growing up Although modern historians do not exclude the possibilitythat a particular settlement existed in Rome at the mouth of the Amstel River,there is no evidence that anything has been found. To this day as it is known,

Amsterdam began as a small fishing village in the 13th century AD. To protect
themselves from floods, early settlers had to build ditches on both sides of
merchant ships from Amsterdam sailed as far as the Baltic Sea and laid the
the river, and in about 1270 they built a dam between the canals. Even then,
and Flanders (now north of Belgium and northern France). The city was under
foundation for a future trading post, serving as a link between northern Europe

Dutch jurisdiction, and one of them, Count Floris V, granted the Amestelledamme
apud ("people living in the Amstel dam") the right to pay in 1275.

The document mentions the name Amsterdam for the first time, although the full
volume was not given until 1306. The city rapidly expanded its business, and in
1489, as a token of appreciation for the city's support for the kings of
royal armor. By that time the capital of Holland and the port of commerce, as
Burgundi and Austrian, Emperor Maximilian I allowed Amsterdam to embellish its
Netherlands handed over the Spanish crown in the 16th century, religious and
well as the repository of the northern part of the Netherlands, Amsterdam had become the center of economic and social influence in Europe. After the
Amsterdam was reluctant to join the rebellion led by William I (the Silent), an
political revolutions against Spanish oppression spread throughout the region. Orange official, but in 1578 a bloodless revolution took place in the city. The
Spain. 00: 0202: 08
magistrates, along with most of the Roman Catholic priests, were exiled; religious and community orders are not religious; the Dutch Reformed church
replaced the Roman Catholic church; and Amsterdam joined the Dutch revolt in



Amsterdam was still a small town of about 30,000, but things changed dramatically, especially in 1585, when Spanish troops retreated Antwerp (modern-day Belgium), then a major port and commercial center of the Netherlands. Dutch troops responded by blocking the Schelde River, the only naval base in Antwerp. The fall of Antwerp led to a complete influx of refugees, especially Protestant refugees from the northern cities of the Netherlands, particularly to Amsterdam. Their arrival enriched the city's mental, cultural, and commercial life. The prosperity of the banks and shipbuilding flourished especially. Much of the work centered on Antwerp then moved on to Amsterdam, and soon Flemish merchants soon arrived with hundreds of Jews expelled from Portugal, followed by their religious followers from modern-day Germany and eastern Europe. The city soon became a major trading center, with more than three times the population of 1565 and 1618.



Merchant ships from Amsterdam not only sailed to the Baltic and the Mediterranean but also sailed the long sea route to the East Indies and formed colonies in South America and South Africa. During this time, the city of the past grew into a large city, and in 1612 the city council decided to extend a new extension - the Trans Canal Plan. In addition, the city needed a new and dignified town hall, and architect Jacob van Campen was authorized to build another in Dam square in the shadow of New Church. In 1632 the Athenaeum Illustre (became the University of Amsterdam in the 19th century) was established. By the time the Münster Treaty ended the Eighty Years' War (1568-1648) with Spain, Amsterdam was the world's financial, trade and cultural center, borrowing money from foreign kings and emperors and thus gaining worldwide political influence. Conflicts between the city council and other political forces in the Dutch were inevitable because the country was no longer ruled by the United States General