Interested in living in Amsterdam? Find here all the information you need to feel home in Amsterdam as an expat.
Our guide was written by Denis Burke, Filippos Mitchell and Gail Zuckerwise and last published on Wednesday 28th September 2011, it's the 3rd edition.
Amsterdam's name tells us a lot about its origins. The original name of the city was Amstel Dam ; since the first 12th century settlement was located by a dam on the River Amstel. The site of that dam is in Dam Square, just near Centraal Station. At first Amsterdam was little more than some fishing villages, but by the early 1300s it had achieved city status and the reclamation of land in the area had begun. At that time, what now constitutes the Netherlands was a group of duchies and countships that correspond approximately to the modern provinces of the Netherlands. In the 16th century much of the region was conquered by the Spanish, which ultimately sparked an uprising led by William of Orange that resulted in the Eighty Years War. Eventually the Dutch regained their independence and formed a Republic. Following this was the era in the 17th century regarded as the Golden Age of the city. The Netherlands gained many overseas colonies and grew wealthy through trade. As a result of this trade Amsterdam became one of the world's leading cities, and Europe's principal port. It was during this era that the city's most famous canals: Herengracht, Prinsengracht and Keizersgracht, were constructed.
…| Population | The population of the city itself is just under 750,000 as of 2008. The population of Greater Amsterdam, including surrounding areas such as Amstelveen, Zaanstad, and Diemen was 1.2 million in 2006. Many immigrants have come to Amsterdam in the 20th and 21st centuries, and as a consequence about a third of the inhabitants are of non –Dutch origin. |
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| Currency | The currency is the Euro (€) which is widely used throughout Europe. The former Dutch currency was the Guilder; however this was abolished in the 1990s. |
| Language | The main language is Dutch, although English is also widely spoken as it is now taught as a compulsory language in all Dutch schools. Some Dutch people can also speak fluent French and/or German. |
| Dialing code | Netherlands: 31 Amsterdam: 020 (omit the first 0 if dialing from overseas: eg 31 20 …) To make an international call, first dial 00 followed by the country code. |
| Temperature | Amsterdam has a mostly temperate maritime climate. Winters are relatively mild, with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing. Summers are also mild, with maximum temperatures over 30 C (86 F) uncommon. The annual rainfall is not especially high, being only 760mm (30.8 inches) but there many days with at least some rain, although this is sometimes little more than drizzle. |
| Electrics | The voltage is 220V AC. Consequently, electrical devices from countries with 110 to 120V voltage (eg, USA, Canada, Japan) will not work unless a suitable voltage transformer is used. Do not just use a power plug adaptor with these devices as they will be severely damaged and may catch fire. There are two types of plug used. A large earthed European F type plug and a small unearthed European C type plug. The C type plug can be plugged into either an C or F type socket. The F type plug cannot be plugged into a C type as it will not fit and is not designed to work in an unearthed socket. |
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The full guide contains over 25 chapters of information covering all practical aspects of moving overseas; from fulfilling legal obligations through to choosing a home for your family. Written by expats, for expats, we do not give you the “official version”, we give you the “real version” and that’s exactly what you will need to have the best possible start to your new life in Amsterdam. You can purchase our Amsterdam guide by clicking on the links on the right-hand side of this page.
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