On account of its narrow streets, beautiful concentric half-ring canal system, small scale, and vibrant street life, Amsterdam, which is named for the dam on the Amstel River, is considered to be one of the coziest and most intimate of the world's capitals. Amsterdam has had a rich history, and continues to be at the heart of the culture and economy of the the Netherlands.

This page was created by Kristin Thompson for Professor David Lanegran's Geography of World Urbanization course at Macalester College. All content copyright 2000.