Amsterdam

Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands with a population of 872,680. It is referred to as the "Venice of the North" because of the large number of canals throughout the city. The official language of the Netherlands is Dutch. The majority of Amsterdam's residents speak English well and are often fluent in one or two languages on top of that. You can usually get by effortlessly in Amsterdam without a knowing word of Dutch.

History
Amsterdam was founded as a fishing village around the thirteenth century. The Amstel River was dammed to control flooding, and the city’s name derives from the Amstel dam. It is easy to describe Amsterdam, which is more than 700 years old, as a living museum of a bygone age and to praise the eternal beauty of the centuries-old canals, the ancient patrician houses, and the atmosphere of freedom and tolerance.

Things to Do

 * Red Light District
 * Anne Frank Museum
 * Van Gogh Museum
 * Vondelpark
 * Dam Square
 * Royal Palace
 * Rijksmuseum

Facts about Amsterdam

 * There are some 40 museums, which attracts about four million visitors annually
 * Parks and nature reserves make up 12% of Amsterdam's 219.3 km² land area
 * Has close to 800 sports clubs but soccer is the most common with AFC Ajax being the most popular Dutch-based team out of Amsterdam
 * Amsterdam is a city that is built on eleven million poles
 * The city of Amsterdam is located on 90 small islands.
 * Amsterdam Airport Schiphol lies four meters under sea level
 * Dutch people are the tallest people in the world
 * Amsterdam has 165 canals which is more canals than Venice
 * Netherlands’ total exports were $723.3 billion with the majority being machinery, mineral fuels, vehicles, iron and steel

Popular Foods








Similar Cities

 * Manchester
 * Rome
 * Berlin
 * Athens