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Holland
Rotterdam
THE CITY OF ROTTERDAM
Rotterdam is the second largest in The Netherlands, with a population of 584,046 as of January 2007. It forms the southern part of the Randstad which comprises Amsterdam and The Hague, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of 6.7 million.
The port of Rotterdam is the largest in Europe. From 1962 to 2004, it was the world's busiest port. It was then superseded by Shanghai. Rotterdam is on the banks of the river Nieuwe Maas one of the channels in the delta formed by the Rhine and Maas rivers. The name Rotterdam derives from a dam in the Rotte river.
Amsterdam
THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam is the capital and largest city of The Netherlands. It is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country. The city had a population of 1.36 million (with suburbs) on 1 January 2008.
The name of the city is derived from Amstel dam: in 1275 a dam was built in the river Amstel, where the Dam Square is today. Originally a small fishing village in the late 12th century, Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age in the 18th century, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading centre for finance and diamonds. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and many new neighbourhoods and suburbs were formed.