g invoke geography section here -->
Amsterdam (help·info) (
IPA:
[ɑmstərˡdɑm]) is the
capital of the
Netherlands. Its name is derived from "
Amstel dam",
[6] pointing to the city's origin: a dam on the river Amstel. The city is known for its historic port, the
Rijksmuseum, its
red-light district (
de Wallen), its liberal
coffeeshops, and its many
canals which have led to Amsterdam being called the "Venice of the North".
[7][8] During the
Dutch Golden Age, Amsterdam was one of the most important ports in the world, with innovative developments in trade, and became the leading centre for finance and diamonds.
[9][10]
The city, founded in the late 12th century as a small fishing village, has grown to become the
largest city in the Netherlands with a
population of 743,104 inhabitants, containing at least 172 nationalities.
[11][12]
Amsterdam and its surrounding
metropolitan area have a population of 1 million to about 1.5 million people, depending on definition, and is part of the
Randstad conurbation, which has a population of 6,659,300.<-- end geography section