Rotterdam is a port city Dutchwoman of 588  576 inhabitants (approximately 1  100  000 in the agglomeration). Its agglomeration belongs to the Conurbation of the Randstad Holland (7  100  000 inhabitants between Amsterdam - Haarlem - $the Hague - Dordrecht - Utrecht).

Rotterdam is the second city of the Netherlands after Amsterdam. It represents the industrial heart of Holland, because it enjoys an enviable geographical position, with the mouth of the Rhine, it is thus the economic outlet of all the Germany of the west, the most dynamic area of Europe.

Its activity is thus mainly maritime, it has harbor infrastructures on nearly 30 kilometers. The capacity and the modernity of those him allow quasi the monopoly of the hydrocarbon arrivals in Europe (Rotterdam and Le Havre are the only ports of the Atlantic coast to being able to accommodate super tankers being able to transport up to 400000 tons of oil) and it is also an important point for the raw materials and the containers. This unit enabled him to continue like first world port, in spite of the increasing competition of Shanghai and Singapore which largely exceeded it for the transshipment of containers.

History

Probably at the 13th century, Rotterdam is established close to the Barrage in the Rotte, from where the city draws its name.

1340: Rotterdam obtains the statute of city.

Middle of the 17th century: Rotterdam exceeds Middelburg like second commercial city of the Republic of the Plain Provinces.

1857: the zoo of Rotterdam is created.

1866-1872: Construction of Nieuwe Waterweg (New Channel). The population reaches 100.000 inhabitants.

1874: Construction of the sewers and the water conveyance. End of the cholera epidemics.

1878: Construction of the Willemsbrug bridge, the first NORTH-SOUTH connection.

1880-1900: Construction of the ports; the population grows quickly from 160.000 to 315.000 inhabitants.

May 14th, 1940: Bombardment of Rotterdam: the city is bombarded by Luftwaffe German, destroying the downtown area completely. More than 800 people are killed and 80.000 Rotterdamois are without shelters. This terrible bombardment is often given like explanation to the modernity of Rotterdam.

After the Second world war: rebuilding of the city, modernization of the port.

Rotterdam was one of the wearing of departure of large the transatlantic S, which embarked with the Kop van Zuid , district in full reorganization in first half of the Années 2000.

Geography

The city is bordered by the Nouvelle Meuse, a branch of the delta common to the the Rhine via the Lek and to the Meuse via the Merwede and the Noord which are linked downstream from Rotterdam to emerge in the North Sea via the Nieuwe Waterweg.

Demography

With 55% of the inhabitants having wages relatively weak. Rotterdam knows many problems of delinquency etc

Origin of the inhabitants of Rotterdam

Statistics of 2004:

  • Dutch: 318.672

  • Surinam iens : 52.377
  • Turkish: 43.550
  • Morocco ains: 34.281
  • West-Indian Dutch/arubiens: 20.390
  • northern African (not Morrocans): 18.127
  • capverdiens : 14.919
  • others: 97.543

Rotterdam is the greatest community capverdienne outside the Cape Verde and the greatest West-Indian community Dutchwoman in-outside Dutch West Indies.

History of the population

Economy

The port treated in 2005 seven million and half of containers, 370 million tons of goods.

The wearing of Rotterdam profits from the back-country (Hinterland) richest of the world, to which it is connected mainly by the large rivers of Europe of the North-West: the Rhine, Meuse and the Scheldt, which makes it possible to sail in the Netherlands, Belgium, the West of Germany, the North-East of France, and to Switzerland. This privileged situation and the large sums invested in the development of the port devoted it first harbor platform of Western Europe, and its back-country extended to all the area, the other large ports being mainly ports of redistribution (Hamburg, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Dunkirk, and to a lesser extent, Le Havre and London).

Betuwelijn, a double track of railroad between Rotterdam and Germany, on 160 km, will be built. It must accommodate in 2007 30 million tons of freight.

Urban transport

  • Métro of Rotterdam
  • Tramway Citadis builds by Alstom
  • Tramway Bombardier Flexity Swift

Control of transport of Rotterdam

Culture

  • University Erasmus

  • Kunsthal Museum, Museum Boijmans van Beuningen, Dutch Institute
  • Many elements of contemporary architecture: Kijk Kubus or “houses trees” of Piet Blom associated with the tower of Blaak (“the Pencil”). The German bombardments of the May 14th 1940 have Rotterdam amputee of his city. The heart of the agglomeration wished to live again from now on like a city and the town planners multiplied the projects and the achievements by leaving free course to their imagination. Saturated with concrete, the center was directed towards merrier structures: cubic houses (or " houses arbres") of Piet Blom are an example.
  • universal Association of Esperanto
Witte Withstraat, district of dwelling De Kiefhoek

Others

From July 19th to 26th 2008, Rotterdam will accommodate the world congress of Esperanto (http://uea.org/kongresoj/index.html).

Twinnings

Famous inhabitants

See too

External bonds

  • Official site
  • Rotterdam on Wikitravel
  • Rotterdam on Wiki of the Dutchmen
  • Rotterdam tourist & expat guide
  • Tourist office
  • Festival of film of Rotterdam
  • Port off Rotterdam
  • Rotterdam Airport
  • Rotterdam BearsPublising Edition Frenchwomen

Nds-nl: Rötterdaam (stad) Simple: Rotterdam

Random links:Anstaing | Walter Lantz | District of Zomba | Youssef Mariana | Is of Mato Grosso C Sul