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Amsterdam is the capital of Holland and we
first need to clear up the true definition of
Holland, the Netherlands and Dutch. Very confusing!
Today, Holland and the Netherlands are
interchangeable, Holland is more normally used. In
fact though, Holland is merely one of the provinces
of the Netherlands, twelve in all. And the there are
two Holland provinces, North and South. But most
refer to Holland as meaning the whole of the
Netherlands. The Dutch are the inhabitants of
Holland.
The name Amsterdam is derived from two words, "dam"
and "Amstel" which refers to the River Amstel. The
River Amstel finishes in Amsterdam and it feeds the
world famous canal system which runs throughout the
city. It is positioned in the north of Holland and
has a population of around 780,000. The climate is
mild, with few winter frosts. It corresponds to USDA
Hardiness zone 9, being slightly milder compared
to London, but not much. Tourism is a major industry
in Amsterdam with around 4,500,000 visitors every year. |
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Amsterdam is an ideal size for the
tourist. Large enough to convince you that it is a
capital city but small enough to make getting around
on foot easy. The major attractions are in the Old
Centre of the city which is a paradise for walking.
If you want to explore further, the metro, buses and
trams are excellent.
The Dutch, in Amsterdam especially,
are virtually multi-lingual. English is understood
and spoken in almost all places and German is not
far behind.
Although Amsterdam is probably best
known for its easy acceptance of drugs, the sex
industry and an openness to the gay community,
things are changing. The gay community is still
there in strength but the attitude to prostitution
and drugs is slowly but surely being tightened. The
reason is simple, economics. The policymakers in
Amsterdam understand that attracting the top end,
spending tourists is more easily achieved if the
sleazy reputation of the past is cleaned up.
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