阿姆斯特丹(Amsterdam)
荷兰西部城市和港口（2000年人口约731,288），位於艾瑟尔湖（IJsselmeer）顶端。为荷兰名义上的首都（政府设在海牙〔The Hague〕）。原是个渔村，1300年获特许状设镇，1369年加入汉撒同盟（Hanseatic League），14～15世纪稳步发展。16世纪晚期安特卫普（Antwerp）没落後，阿姆斯特丹成为荷兰商业和海军中心。这里是荷属东印度和荷属西印度公司（Dutch West Tndia Co.）的中心，并且是欧洲贸易中心。後来成为荷兰王国（Kingdom of holland）的一部分，而荷兰王国又於1815年并入尼�吕纪豕↘ingdom of Netherlands）。18世纪逐渐衰落，但在1865至1876年疏濬北海运河後，经济才开始恢复。第二次世界大战是曾被德军占领，战後因其包容及自由主义而广为人所知。该城今日是欧洲重要港口和荷兰主要的批发及工业中心。
English version：
Amsterdam
City (pop., 2000 est.: 731,288), western Netherlands. It lies at the head of the IJsselmeer. It is the nominal capital of the Netherlands, whose seat of government is at The Hague. Originally a fishing village, it received its charter as a town in 1300. It joined the Hanseatic League in 1369 and grew steadily in the 14th and 15th centuries. After the decline of Antwerp at the end of the 16th century, Amsterdam became the source of growing Dutch commercial and naval power. It was the center for the Dutch East India and West India companies, and became the leading trade metropolis of Europe. It became part of the Kingdom of Holland, which entered the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1815. It suffered a partial decline in the 18th century, but its prosperity increased when it was connected by canal to the North Sea in 1875. It was occupied by Germany in World War II. After the war Amsterdam became known as a place of tolerance and liberalism. The city is now a major European port and a hub for international finance and trade.