Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands was founded in the 12th Century A.D as a small fishing village by two Frisian fishermen. The city is located in the North Holland Province. Although it is officially designated as the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam has never received the status of being the seat of the Court, Government or Parliament of the Netherlands, which are all located at The Hague. The city, which is well known for its free-spirited liberalism, diversity and tolerance, has the largest historical inner city in Europe. During the 17th century with the immense production of beer, it became the richest and most powerful city in the world. As hundreds of foreign companies have established their headquarters here, Amsterdam came to known as "the business Gateway to Europe ". It is also the largest city in the country as well as its financial and cultural center.

The city of Amsterdam is governed by a Mayor, his Aldermen, and the Municipal Council. It is subdivided into fifteen Stadsdelen or boroughs to improve local governance. Out of this, fourteen have their own council, which are chosen by a popular election and Westpoort the fifteenth that covers the Amsterdam harbor is governed by the Central Municipal Council. The boroughs take local decisions while the Central City Council handles only affairs relating to the whole city like major infrastructure projects.

Millions of tourists visit the city of Amsterdam every year to explore its beautiful and famous sights. As it is considered as a vacation destination, the city is often full of vacationers. Winter is the best time to visit the city as it has a moderate climate.