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Home > Travel Europe > Europe Destinations > Amsterdam (municipality)
Amsterdam (municipality)
Europe is one of the five inhabited traditional continents of the Earth. Physically and geologically, Europe is the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, west of Asia. Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area and third-largest continent after Asia and Africa in population.
Amsterdam is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the 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 en Spaarnwoude in the west, and Zaanstad, Oostzaan, Landsmeer and Waterland in the north. Its population in 2006 is 741,923 with an area of 219.07 square kilometers. It covers a density of 4,431 per square kilometers.
As all Dutch municipalities, the municipality of Amsterdam is governed by a mayor, burgemeester, his aldermen, wethouders, and the municipal council, gemeenteraad. After the 2006 municipal elections a coalition was formed between PvdA and GroenLinks, with a majority of 27 out of 45. These elections saw a political landslide throughout the country, with a strong shift to the left, of which Amsterdam was a prime example. The much talked about all-left-wing coalition of PvdA, GroenLinks and SP that polls indicate would become possible after the national elections of 2006 and that was such a political success in Nijmegen had its largest majority in Amsterdam, apart from some small towns. PvdA even needed only 3 more seats to form a coalition and could thus take its pick, which forced potential coalition partners to give in on a lot of issues.
Unlike most other Dutch municipalities, Amsterdam is subdivided into 15 boroughs, 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.
Amsterdam is definitely one of the popular tourist attractions in Europe. It is worth paying a visit while touring the country. This place leaves a pleasing and unforgettable memory and justifies the proud cultural tradition of Europe.
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