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Location
Noord-Holland, The Netherlands.

Dialling code
31.

Population
738,763 (city); 1,498,205 (metropolitan area).

Ethnic mix
173 nationalities in The Netherlands, 96% Dutch, 4% other nationalities.

Religion
38% Roman Catholic, 30% Protestant, 32% do not profess any religion.

Time zone
GMT + 1 (GMT +2 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC (moving at the rate of one volt per year towards the European standard of 230 volts), 50Hz; two-pin European-style plugs are in use.

Average January temperatures
3°C (36°F).

Average July temperatures
17°C (61°F).

Annual rainfall
804mm (31.5 inches).

Language
Introduction
The official language of The Netherlands is Dutch (also known as Netherlandish), which is spoken by 14 million people. There are also nearly 6 million Dutch speakers in Belgium, mostly based in Flanders. English is widely (and well) spoken in Amsterdam as it is taught in schools from an early age. Many people also speak German and French.

Amsterdam itself has had a profound impact on the formation of Standard Dutch. This is due to the fact that large numbers of people moved from the Southern Provinces to the North, mainly settling in Amsterdam, as a result of the religious upheavals throughout the Low Countries in the latter part of the sixteenth century. These immigrants tended to be wealthy and educated, and inevitably the language they brought with them attained a level of social prestige equal to its speakers. As the language of Amsterdam’s upper classes increasingly became the written norm, so the original dialects of Holland remained entrenched in the spoken language. To this day, there can still be significant differences between the written and spoken forms of Dutch.

Phrases

Yes - Ja
No - Nee
Hello - Hallo
Goodbye - Tot ziens
Please - Alstublieft
Thank you - Dank u wel
My name is ... - Mijn naam is ... / ik heet ...
How are you? - Hoe gaat het?
I’m very well - Met mij gaat het goed
I feel ill - Ik voel me ziek
How much does it cost? - Hoeveel kost het?
Do you speak English? - Spreekt u Engels?
I don’t understand - Ik begrijp het niet
Where is ...? - Waar is ...?
Entrance - Ingang
Exit - Uitgang
Danger - Gevaar
Open - Geopend
Closed - Gesloten
Toilets - Toiletten / WC
Doctor - Dokter
Hotel - Hotel
Restaurant - Restaurant
Beer - Bier
Wine - Wijn
Menu - Menu
Today - Vandaag
Tomorrow - Morgen
Monday - Maandag
Tuesday - Dinsdag
Wednesday - Woensdag
Thursday - Donderdag
Friday - Vrijdag
Saturday - Zaterdag
Sunday - Zondag
One - Een
Two - Twee
Three - Drie
Four - Vier
Five - Vijf
Six - Zes
Seven - Zeven
Eight - Acht
Nine - Negen
Ten - Tien
Twenty - Twintig
Thirty - Dertig
Forty - Veertig
Fifty - Vijftig
Sixty - Zestig
Seventy - Zeventig
Eighty - Tachtig
Ninety - Negentig
One Hundred - Honderd
One Thousand - Duizend


Cost of Living:

1 Euro (€1) = £0.68; US$1.33; C$1.54; A$1.64
Currency conversion rates as of April 2007

Special Events:

Remembrance Day, some 20,000 locals remember the war dead with the Dutch Royal Family, 4 Mar, Dam Square
National Museum Weekend, free entry to many of Amsterdam’s museums, Apr, throughout the city
Queen’s Day, parades, fireworks and celebrations, 30 Apr, throughout the city
Liberation Day, celebrations to mark the end of German occupation in 1945, 5 May, throughout the city
KunstRAI, major arts event, May, Amsterdam RAI
National Biking Day, locals take to the streets on their bikes, 14 May, throughout the city
National Windmill Day, Amsterdam’s six working windmills open to the public, 11 May, various windmills
Floating Amsterdam, outdoor productions, last two weeks May, River Amstel
Holland Festival, music, dance and drama, Jun, various venues
Canal Run, race around the canals, Jun, Prinsengracht and Vijzelgracht canals
Over Het IJ, festival of experimental theater, Jul, NDSM Shipyard, Neveritaweg (website: www.overhetij.nl)
Parade, circus and fair, first two weeks Aug, Martin Luther Kingpark
Grachtenfestival, over 70 classical concerts, Aug, various venues (website: www.grachtenfestival.nl)
Amsterdam Pride, gay festival with a canalside parade, Aug, various venues (website: www.amsterdampride.nl)
Amsterdam Marathon, Oct, around the city
Museumnacht, Nov, special presentations and performances in over 30 museums, which open their doors 1900-0200 that night, throughout the city (website: www.n8.nl)
Christmas Day, 25 Dec, throughout the city
New Year’s Eve, street party, 31 Dec, Dam Square

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