What is the capital of Netherlands?
Amsterdam grew up on the Amstel river and a dense ring of canals, with much of the city lying below sea level.
Amsterdam is the capital and seat of government of Netherlands, a role it has held since 1814. Netherlands itself has an estimated population of 18,087,633 (2025).
Amsterdam is also the largest city in Netherlands, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Amsterdam at a glance
| City population | 933,680 (2024) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 2,480,394 (2024) |
| Country | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Capital since | 1814 |
| Largest city in Netherlands | Amsterdam |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
About Amsterdam
Amsterdam has been the capital of Netherlands since 1814, Amsterdam has been the constitutional capital since the Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed, but the government, parliament, Supreme Court and the monarch's working seat are all in The Hague.
Although Amsterdam is the capital and largest city, the Dutch parliament, ministries and royal seat are in The Hague, which is why it is often mistaken for the capital.
The city's 17th-century canal ring is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Amsterdam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Netherlands?
Is Amsterdam the largest city in Netherlands?
What is the population of Amsterdam?
Where is Amsterdam located?
When did Amsterdam become the capital of Netherlands?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Netherlands on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.