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Amsterdam

Capital of NetherlandsAmsterdam lies in the western Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The river Amstel ends in its centre, the city's canals lead out to the water called the IJ, and the city sits slightly below sea level.

Why it's the capital

Amsterdam grew from a small fishing village in the 12th century into a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age. Since 1983 the Dutch constitution names it as the capital in just one rule: the king must be sworn in there.

Fun facts

  1. The name Amsterdam means 'dam in the Amstel'.
  2. The city has more than 100 km of canals and is split into about 90 islands, linked by more than 1,200 bridges.
  3. The 17th-century Canal Ring, with the Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht canals, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.

Finding it on the globe

Aim at the west of the Netherlands, a little inland from the North Sea coast. The North Sea Canal was dug to give Amsterdam's port a shorter route to the sea.

Easy to mix up

Many players tap The Hague, where the government, parliament and Supreme Court sit, but the official capital is Amsterdam.

Sources: Wikipedia: Amsterdam, Wikipedia: The Hague, Wikipedia: Capital of the Netherlands