Amsterdam (municipality)

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Amsterdam

Image:LocationAmsterdam.png

Country Netherlands
Province North Holland
Coordinates 52°21′ N 4°55′ E
Area
- Land
- Water 		219.07 km²
164.98 km²
54.09 km²
Population (2005)
- Density 		739,295
4,481/km²
Image:Amsterdam flag.png
The municipality of Image:Ltspkr.png Amsterdam is located in the Dutch province of North Holland. It is the most populous municipality in the country. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Amsterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages.

The municipality borders on Diemen, Weesp, Abcoude, Ouder-Amstel and Amstelveen in the south, Haarlemmermeer and Haarlemmerliede in the west, and Zaanstad, Oostzaan, Landsmeer and Waterland in the north.

Contents

Population centres

Amsterdam, Driemond, Durgerdam, Holysloot, 't Nopeind, Osdorp, Ransdorp, Sloten, Sloterdijk, Zunderdorp.

City government

As all Dutch municipalities, the municipality of Amsterdam is governed by a mayor, his wethouders, and the municipal council.

Unlike most other Dutch municipalities, Amsterdam is subdivided into 15 boroughs (stadsdelen), a system that was implemented in the 1980s. The boroughs are responsible for many activities that previously had been run by the central city. The idea was to bring the government closer to the people. Fourteen of these have their own council, chosen by a popular election. The fifteenth, Westerpoort, covers the harbour of Amsterdam, and has very few inhabitants. It is governed by the central municipal council. Local decisions are made at borough level and only affairs pertaining the whole city (like major infrastructural projects), are delegated to the central city council.

The boroughs are:

In 1995, the Dutch government proposed the creation of a 'city province', consisting of Amsterdam and neighbouring towns. This was rejected in a referendum. The opposition was not so much against creating the city province, but against the splitting of the city in parts. Opposers feared this would destroy the city's cohesion. After the referendum the city province proposal was shelved. Nevertheless, since 1995, boroughs have gradually become more autonomous, and neighboring towns have been drawn into the city, politically and economically. In a sense, the city province has arrived in the form of 'Greater Amsterdam'.

Mayors

The mayor of Amsterdam is the head of the city council. The current mayor is Job Cohen (PvdA). The mayors since the World War II are:

History of the municipality

When the municipality was created during the French occupation, it covered the city (then consisting of only the central part inside the canals) and the immediate surroundings, less than 10% of the current municipality. When the city grew, it annexed several neighbouring municipalities:

  • Sloten (covering the villages of Sloten, Sloterdijk and Osdorp, in the west), annexed in 1921
  • Buiksloot, annexed in 1921, now part of Amsterdam-Noord
  • Nieuwendam (covering Nieuwendam and Zunderdorp), annexed in 1921, now part of Amsterdam-Noord
  • Ransdorp (covering Ransdorp, Schellingwoude, Durgerdam and Holysloot), annexed in 1921, now part of Amsterdam-Noord
  • Watergraafsmeer, annexed in 1921
  • a part of Nieuweramstel (covering the village of Buitenveldert)
  • a part of Weesperkarspel (covering the Bijlmermeer and the village of Driemond), annexed in 1966, now Amsterdam-Zuidoost

In 1995, the national government proposed the creation of a 'city province', consisting of Amsterdam and neighbouring towns. This was rejected by the people in a referendum. The opposition was not so much against creating the city province, but against the splitting of the city in parts. Opposers feared this would destroy the city's cohesion. After the referendum the city province proposal was shelved. Nevertheless, since 1995, city parts have gradually become more autonomous, and neighbouring towns have been drawn into the city, politically and economically. In a sense, the city province has arrived in the form of 'Greater Amsterdam'.

Education

Amsterdam is thought to have excellent primary schools. Some of these schools base their teachings on particular pedagogic theories like the various Montessori schools. Many however are based on religion. This used to be primarily Roman Catholicism and various Protestant denominations, but with the influx of Muslim immigrants there is a rise in the number of Muslim schools. In addition to these schools based on distinct beliefs there are public schools.

The same goes for secondary education. Amsterdam is noted for having 3 independent gymnasia, the Vossiusgymnasium, Barlaeusgymnasium and St. Ignatius, where a classical curriculum including Latin and classical Greek is taught. Though believed up until recently by many to be a anachronistic and elitist concept that would soon die out, the gymnasia have recently experienced a revival. These schools are highly selective, and only open for the children who do best in primary school.

Amsterdam is home to two different universities, the secular University of Amsterdam, and the protestant Vrije Universiteit, meaning Free University.

Public transport

The Gemeentelijk Vervoer Bedrijf is the public company that is responsible for all public transport in Amsterdam. There used to be two public transport companies: one responsible for the ferries across the IJ and the other for the trams, but in 1943 the two companies were combined.

Public transport in Amsterdam consists of:

  • national and international train connections
  • 3 metro lines
  • a light rail line (sneltram = fast tram)
  • 16 tram lines
  • many bus lines (local, regional and national)
  • many taxis operate in Amsterdam.
  • several ferries across the IJ (free of charge)

A new underground line, the North/South Line (Noord/Zuidlijn), and a new tramline [1] are under construction.

Many people in Amsterdam use a bicycle to get around. Most streets have bike paths and bike racks are ubiquitous throughout the city. In the city centre, driving a car is complicated by constant traffic jams and limited and expensive parking space.

See also Gemeentelijk Vervoerbedrijf, List of Amsterdam metro stations.

Airport

Schiphol is the biggest airport in the Netherlands, and the fourth largest in Europe. It handles about 40 million passengers a year and is homebase to KLM. It's economically vital to Amsterdam and the Netherlands.

External links

    • p. 24 shows the burroughs, with for each the neighborhoods in it, with population data
    • p. 21 shows the location of each neighborhood


 
North Holland Province		 Image:Flag North-Holland, Netherlands.png

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