The Hague `s-Gravenhage (Den Haag)
Skyline of The Hague
Flag
Nickname: Residentiestad (Residential City), Hofstad (Court city)
Coordinates: 52°05′N 4°18′E / 52.08, 4.3
Country	Netherlands
Province	South Holland
Area (2006)
- Total	98. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands South Holland ( Dutch:) is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. 20 km² (37. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 9 sq mi)
- Land	82. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 66 km² (31. 9 sq mi)
- Water	15. 54 km² (6 sq mi)
Population (1 June 2007)
- Total	474,244
- Density	5,737/km² (14,858. Events 193 - Roman Emperor Didius Julianus is Assassinated 987 - Hugh Capet is elected Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 8/sq mi)
	Source: CBS, Statline. Statistics Netherlands, founded in 1899, is a Dutch governmental institution that gathers statistical information about the Netherlands.
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
- Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)

The Hague (with capital T; Dutch: Den Haag, officially also 's-Gravenhage, "The Count's Hedge") is the third-largest city in the Netherlands after Amsterdam and Rotterdam, with a population of 475,580 (as of January 1, 2006) (population of agglomeration: 600,000) and an area of approximately 100 km². Central European Time ( CET) is one of the names of the Time zone that is 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+1 is used in the following locations Central European Time West Africa Time Western European Summer Time Daylight saving time ( DST Central European Summer Time ( CEST) is one of the names of UTC+2 Time zone, 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. UTC+2 corresponds to the following Time zones Eastern European Time Egypt Standard Time Central Africa Time Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. In the study of human settlements an agglomeration is an extended City or Town area comprising the built-up area of a central place ( usually a Municipality It is located in the west of the country, in the province of South Holland, of which it is also the provincial capital. South Holland ( Dutch:) is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The Hague is, like Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, part of the conglomerate metropolitan area Randstad, with a population of 6,659,300 inhabitants. ImageRandstad_with_scalepng|400px|thumb|right|Schematic map of the Randstadcircle 528 380 26 Schiphol rect 426 356 498 436 Haarlemmermeer rect 399 166 479 245

The Hague is the actual seat of government, but, somewhat anomalously, not the official capital of the Netherlands, a role set aside by the Dutch constitution for Amsterdam (see Name and Status). The seat of government is the location of the government for a political entity. The capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam, even though the States-General and the government have been both situated in The Hague since 1588 The Constitution of the Netherlands is the Fundamental law of the European territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west

The Hague is the home of the Eerste Kamer (first chamber) and the Tweede Kamer (second chamber), respectively the upper and lower houses forming the Staten Generaal (literally the "Estates-General"). The Eerste Kamer ( First Chamber) is the Upper House or Senate of the Netherlands parliament the States-General The Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal ( literally "Second Chamber of the States-General" short Tweede Kamer, is the Dutch Lower house. An upper house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Lower house. A lower house is one of two chambers of a Bicameral Legislature, the other chamber being the Upper house. The States-General ( Staten-Generaal) is the Parliament of the Netherlands. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands lives and works in The Hague. All foreign embassies and government ministries are located in the city, as well as the Hoge Raad der Nederlanden (The Supreme Court), the Raad van State (Council of State) and many lobbying organisations. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of Government Public administration, sometimes led by a minister, but usually a senior The Hoge Raad der Nederlanden ( High Council of the Netherlands) is the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, situated in The Hague. In the Netherlands, the Council of State ( Raad van State) is a Constitutionally established advisory body to the Government which consists of Lobbying includes all attempts to influence Legislators and officials whether by other legislators constituents or organized groups

Contents 1 History 1.1 Name and status 1.2 Modern city 2 The City 3 Geography 4 International Organisations 5 Business 6 Culture 7 Sports 8 Annual events 9 Transportation 10 Nearby towns 11 See also 12 External links

History

The Hague originated around 1230, when Floris IV, Count of Holland purchased land alongside a pond (now the hofvijver) in order to build a (hunting) residence. Floris IV ( 24 June 1210 The Hague &ndash 19 July 1234, Corbie, France) Count of Holland from 1222 In 1248 William II, Count of Holland and Rex Romanorum, who was supposed to become Holy Roman Emperor decided to extend the residence to a palace. William II of Holland, (February 1228 - 28 January 1256) was a Count of Holland and Zeeland (1235-1256 Counts of Holland ruled over the county of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century King of the Romans ( Latin: Rex Romanorum) was the title used by the elected ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the Imperator futurus The Holy Roman Emperor (Römischer Kaiser or Römisch-Deutscher Kaiser Romanorum Imperator was the elected monarch ruling over the many varying numbers of states He died in 1256 before this palace was completed, but parts of it were finished by his son Floris V, of which the Ridderzaal (Knights' Hall) is the most prominent. Count Floris V of Holland and Zeeland ( June 24, 1254 &ndash June 27, 1296) "der Keerlen God" (God of the Peasants is one of The Ridderzaal ( Knights' Hall) is the main building at the Binnenhof in The Hague, The Netherlands, which is used for the state opening It is still in use for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the monarch.

Name and status

Later, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland. 'Des Graven Hage' literally means "the count's wood," with connotations like "the count's hedge or private enclosure". This word has distinct meanings in other fields see Connotation (semiotics and Connotation and denotation.

When the Dukes of Burgundy gained control over the counties of Holland and Zeeland in the beginning of the 15th century, they appointed a stadtholder to rule in their stead with the States of Holland as an advisory council. States of Holland and West Frisia ( Dutch: Staten van Holland en Westfriesland) were the representation of the two Estates ( Their seat was located in The Hague. At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War, the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed Spanish troops to easily occupy the town. In 1575 the States of Holland even considered demolishing the city, but this was abandoned, after mediation from William of Orange. William I Prince of Orange ( April 24 1533 — July 10 1584) also widely known as William the Silent (Willem de Zwijger or simply From 1588 The Hague also became the location of the government of the Dutch Republic. "United Netherlands" redirects here For the "Kingdom of the United Netherlands" see United Kingdom of the Netherlands. In order for the administrations to maintain control over city manners, The Hague never received city rights (although it did have many privileges, normally only attributed to cities).

After the Napoleonic Wars, Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form a buffer against France. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815 involved Napoleon's French Empire and a shifting set of European allies and opposing coalitions The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands United Kingdom of the Netherlands (or Kingdom of the United Netherlands) (1815 - 1830 (1839 (Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden Royaume-Uni des Pays-Bas was the unofficial This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. As a compromise, Brussels and Amsterdam alternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague.

Since early times, probably dating as far back as the 15th century, the stork has been the symbol of The Hague. Storks are large long-legged long-necked wading Birds with long stout bills, belonging to the family Ciconiidae.

Modern city

Because of its history, it lacks a large historical inner city like the nearby cities of Leiden and Delft. "Leyden" redirects here For other uses see Leyden (disambiguation. Delft is a city and Municipality in the province of South Holland (Zuid-Holland the Netherlands. But when the government started playing a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. The older parts of the city are therefore mostly from the 19^th century and the early 20^th century. The growing city annexed the municipality of Loosduinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923. Loosduinen is a former village now a neighbourhood of the Dutch city The Hague.

Parts of the city sustained heavy damage during World War II. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Atlantic Wall was built through part of the city, causing whole neighbourhoods to be torn down by the German occupiers. The Atlantikwall ( English: Atlantic wall) was an extensive system of coastal fortifications built by the German Third Reich On March 3, 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout district. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The Bezuidenhout is a district of The Hague, in the Stadsdeel Haagse Hout (English Woods of The Hague) The target was an installation of V-2 rockets in a nearby park. See also Vergeltungswaffe The V-2 rocket ( Vergeltungswaffe 2 was the first Ballistic missile and first man-made object to achieve Due to navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city. Over 500 people died and the scars in the city can still be seen today.

After the war The Hague was at one point the largest building site in Europe. The city expanded massively to the southwest. The destroyed areas were also quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965.

In the 1970s and 1980s many, mostly white, middle class families moved to neighbouring towns like Voorburg, Leidschendam, Rijswijk and most of all Zoetermeer. Voorburg is a Dutch town and former municipality of approximately 39000 inhabitants in the western part of the province of South Holland, the Netherlands Leidschendam is a town and former municipality in the province of South Holland of the Netherlands. is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Zoetermeer ( is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities to the city of The Hague, were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague did succeed in annexing fairly large areas from its neighbouring towns, sometimes not even bordering The Hague, on which complete new residential areas were built and are still being built.

The City

City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof, where the parliament is located. Hoftoren is the tallest building of The Hague, measuring 142 metres The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport (Dutch Ministerie van Volksgezondheid Welzijn en Sport; VWS is the public health authority For the American urban planner see Richard L Meier Richard Meier (born October 12 1934 in Newark New Jersey) The Binnenhof ( Dutch, lit "inner court" is a collection of buildings in The Hague.

The city has a limited student culture due to its lack of an actual university, although the Royal Conservatory of The Hague is located there, as well as The Hague University, a vocational university. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The Royal Conservatory of The Hague (in Dutch Koninklijk Conservatorium Den Haag is a conservatorium of music, providing Higher education in music A vocational university (professional university or college of higher vocational studies is an institution of Higher education and sometimes Research, which The city has many civil servants and diplomats (see below). See also Bureaucrat The term civil service has two distinct meanings Branch of governmental service in which individuals are hired on the basis Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states In fact, the number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates) makes the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs, shops and cultural events. An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and comprises two distinct beach towns. The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. The main beach resort Scheveningen, in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists and young people. Scheveningen (ˈsxeːfənɪŋə is one of the eight Districts of The Hague, as well as one of its subdistricts ( wijken) With 10 million visitors a year it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux. The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe that includes three neighboring monarchies, '''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands, and It is perhaps for this reason that many, even some Dutch people, mistakenly believe Scheveningen is a city in its own right. However, Scheveningen is merely one of The Hague's eight districts ("stadsdelen"). Kijkduin, in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. Kijkduin is a Seaside resort on the North Sea coast of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents.

The former Dutch colony of Netherlands East Indies ("Nederlands-Indië", current-day Indonesia) has left its mark on The Hague. See http//enwikipediaorg/wiki/WikipediaFootnotes for an explanation of how to generate footnotes using the tags and the template below The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Many streets are named after places in the Netherlands East Indies and there is a sizable "Indisch(e)" or "Indo" (i. INDO stands for Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap. e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, "Indisch(e)" or "Indo" people often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies".

The older parts of the town usually have characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (not more than three floors). The layout of the city is more spacious than other Dutch cities. There are only a few canals in The Hague, as most of them were drained in the late 1800s.

Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas (The Vogelwijk, Statenkwartier, Belgisch Park, Marlot and Benoordenhout) are generally located in the northwest part of the city. Benoordenhout is a quarter in the Haagse Hout district of The Hague. The poorer areas (Transvaal, Moerwijk, the Schilderswijk) can be found in the southern and eastern areas, or near the coast in Scheveningen (Duindorp). This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-called "bekakt Haags" ("Bekakt" is Dutch for "stuck-up"). This contrasts with the "Hagenezen", who speak "plat Haags" ("plat" meaning "flat" or "common"). There is relatively little social interaction between these groups.

The tallest building is the Hoftoren (see image). Hoftoren is the tallest building of The Hague, measuring 142 metres

Geography

The Hague has eight official districts (stadsdeel). They are divided into smaller parts (wijken)[1]. In contrast to Amsterdam and Rotterdam, the "stadsdelen" have no political function and there are no elections for them.

See Districts of The Hague for a detailed breakdown. The Dutch city of The Hague consists of eight districts ( ''stadsdelen'')

• The Hague Center
• Escamp
• Haagse Hout
• Laak
• Leidschenveen-Ypenburg
• Loosduinen
• Scheveningen
• Segbroek

International Organisations

As a result of its rich legacy in international politics, The Hague is home to over 150 international (legal) organisations. The Hague city center has 90000 inhabitants and is the oldest part of The Hague Haagse Hout ( Dutch ''Woods of The Hague'') is one of the seven stadsdelen of The Hague. Leidschenveen-Ypenburg is a stadsdeel (town part of The Hague, in the southeast Loosduinen is a former village now a neighbourhood of the Dutch city The Hague. Scheveningen (ˈsxeːfənɪŋə is one of the eight Districts of The Hague, as well as one of its subdistricts ( wijken) The Peace Palace ("Vredespaleis" in Dutch) situated in The Hague, Netherlands, is often called the seat of International law These include the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Court (ICC). The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour See also Rwandan Genocide The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda ( ICTR) is an International court established in November The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against

The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" was laid in 1899, when the world's first Peace Conference took place in The Hague on Tobias Asser's initiative, followed by a second in 1907. The Hague Justice Portal (in French ' Portail judiciaire de La Haye') is a website that promotes and provides greater access to the institutions courts and organisations The Hague Conventions were international treaties negotiated at the First and Second Peace Conferences at The Hague, Netherlands in 1899 and Tobias Michael Carel Asser ( April 28, 1838, Amsterdam &ndash July 29, 1913, The Hague) was a Dutch jurist A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for the settlement of international disputes: the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA). The Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA) is an International organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands. Shortly thereafter the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie made the necessary funds available to build the Peace Palace (“Vredespaleis”) to house the PCA. Andrew Carnegie (properly kɑrˈneɪgi but commonly /ˈkɑrnɨgi/ or /kɑrˈnɛgi/ (25 November 1835 – 11 August 1919 was a Scottish -born American Industrialist The Peace Palace ("Vredespaleis" in Dutch) situated in The Hague, Netherlands, is often called the seat of International law

After the establishment of the League of Nations, The Hague became the seat of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which was replaced by the UN's International Court of Justice after the Second World War. The League of Nations was an International organization founded as a result of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919–1920 The Permanent Court of International Justice, sometimes called the World Court, was the international court of the League of Nations, established in 1922 See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The establishment of the Iran-US Claims Tribunal (1981), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993) and the International Criminal Court (2002) in the city further consolidated the role of The Hague as a centre for international legal arbitration. The Iran-United States Claims Tribunal is an international Arbitral tribunal established out of an agreement between Iran and the United States, under an The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against Most recently, in December 2007, the Dutch Cabinet offered to host a U. N. tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. This Hariri Tribunal will be located in the former headquarters of the Netherlands General Intelligence Agency in Leidschendam, a suburb of The Hague. Leidschendam is a town and former municipality in the province of South Holland of the Netherlands.

Currently the city authority is seeking to establish an image of the city as the "legal capital of the world" and "international city of peace and justice".

Major international organisations based in The Hague include:

• International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, (ICTY)
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, (OPCW)
• International Court of Justice, located in the Peace Palace. The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW is an international agency located in The Hague, The Netherlands. See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour The Peace Palace ("Vredespaleis" in Dutch) situated in The Hague, Netherlands, is often called the seat of International law
• International Criminal Court, (ICC). The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against
• European Police Office, (Europol)
• Hague Academy of International Law, center for high-level education in both public and private international law. Europol (contraction of European Police Office) is the European Union 's Criminal intelligence agency The Hague Academy of International Law is a center for high-level Education in both public and private International law housed in the Peace Palace in
• Permanent Court of Arbitration, the oldest institution for international dispute resolution. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA) is an International organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands.
• Hague Conference on Private International Law, (HCCH), the oldest and preeminent private international law harmonisation institution. The Hague Conference on Private International Law (or HCCH for Hague Conference/Conférence de la Haye is the preeminent organisation in the area of Private international law
• Iran-United States Claims Tribunal
• Eurojust, European Union body composed of national prosecutors. The Iran-United States Claims Tribunal is an international Arbitral tribunal established out of an agreement between Iran and the United States, under an Eurojust (also spelled capitalised as EUROJUST) is an agency of the European Union (EU dealing with Judicial co-operation
• European Patent Office
• The European Library

Also a lot of academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law and international development are based in The Hague. The European Patent Office (EPO is one of the two organs of the European Patent Organisation (EPOrg the other being the Administrative Council. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC) is a consortium of those institutions. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC is a consortium of academic institutions in the fields of international relations international law and international development

Its member institutions are:

• T.M.C. Asser Instituut
• Institute of Social Studies
• Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, Campus The Hague, Leiden University
• Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael'
• Carnegie Foundation
• Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law

In 1948 The Hague Congress was held with 750 delegates from 26 European countries, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development of the European Union. The TMC Asser instituut (established in 1965 is a professional inter-university centre of knowledge and research The Institute of Social Studies ( ISS) is an international institute of higher education on social and economic change with a focus on development processes Leiden University (Universiteit Leiden located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest University in The Netherlands. The Hague Congress was held in the Congress of Europe in Hague from 7th to 11th of May 1948 with 750 delegates participating from around Europe as well as observers

Business

Professional life in The Hague is dominated by the large number of civil servants and diplomats who work in the city. Government ministries and public institutions are almost all located in The Hague. Added to that several large and international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague:

• Royal Dutch-Shell, one of the largest oil companies in the world
• KPN (Koninklijke PTT Nederland), the Dutch national telephone company (fixed and mobile divisions)
• AEGON, one of the world’s leading insurance companies
• Nationale Nederlanden, an insurance company that is part of the ING Group (shared HQ with Rotterdam)
• TNT Post, the national provider of postal and logistical services. Royal Dutch Shell plc, commonly known simply as Shell, is a multinational oil company of Dutch and British origins KPN (in full Koninklijke KPN NV, also Royal KPN NV) is a Dutch fixed-line and mobile Telecommunications company including both AEGON NV () is one of the world’s largest life Insurance and pension groups and a strong provider of investment products Nationale-Nederlanden (NN is one of the largest insurance companies in the Netherlands ING Groep NV () (known as ING Group) is a Financial institution of Dutch origin offering Banking Insurance and Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of TNT NV is a global express and mail delivery services company with headquarters in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands. Part of TNT N.V.
• Siemens A.G., Europe's largest engineering company has its Dutch headquarters there. TNT NV is a global express and mail delivery services company with headquarters in Hoofddorp, the Netherlands.
• APM Terminals, the world's second largest container terminal operator

There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing harbour in Scheveningen. Scheveningen (ˈsxeːfənɪŋə is one of the eight Districts of The Hague, as well as one of its subdistricts ( wijken) Many of the city’s logistical and minor-industrial services are located in the Binckhorst district, which contains many large warehouses.

Culture

The Hague has its share of museums and cultural institutions:

• "Madurodam" is a miniature city, containing hundreds of scale-models of Dutch landmarks in a typically Dutch miniature landscape. Noordeinde Palace is one of the four official Palaces of the Dutch royal family. Madurodam is a Miniature city located in Scheveningen, The Hague, in the Netherlands. A miniature park is an open space that displays miniature buildings and models and is usually open to the public

• The "Mauritshuis" exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter. The Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis ( English: "Maurice's House" is an Art museum in The Hague, the Netherlands. Painting (pān'tīng in Art, is the practice of applying Color to a Surface (support base such as e Johannes or Jan Vermeer (baptized in Delft with the name Joannis on October 31 1632, and buried in the same city under the name Jan Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (July 15 1606 &ndash October 4 1669 was a Dutch painter and etcher. Paulus Potter (1625–1654 was a Dutch painter, specialized in animals in landscapes

• The "Escher Museum" is located in the former Royal Palace on the Lange Voorhout. The Escher Museum ( Escher in het Paleis, Escher in the Palace) is a museum in The Hague, The Netherlands, featuring the works of the

• The "Haags Historisch museum" showcases the history of the city from the Middle Ages to the present day.

• The "Museum Bredius" houses part of the collection of 19^th century art historian Abraham Bredius, containing antique furniture, silverware and porcelain.

• Museum "de Gevangenpoort" (lit. the "Prison Gate") is a former prison housed in a 15^th century gatehouse, with genuine mediaeval dungeons and torture chambers.

• The "Gemeentemuseum" (Municipal museum) is home to the world’s largest collection of works by the Dutch painter Piet Mondriaan as well as other modern art. The Municipal Museum ( Gemeentemuseum Den Haag) is an art museum located in The Hague, The Netherlands. Pieter Cornelis (Piet Mondriaan, after 1912 Mondrian, (pronounced Dutch pit 'mɔndrian later pit 'mɔndɹiɔn ( March 7, 1872 &ndash February

• The Museon is an interactive and historical science museum. The Museon is a Science museum in The Hague, Netherlands. It was the scene of a large Diamond theft at about 4 in the morning of A science museum or a science centre is a Museum devoted primarily to Science.

• The Omniversum is Europe’s first 360° IMAX-cinema.

• Panorama Mesdag houses a cylindrical 360° "panoramic" painting, 14 meters high by 120 meters long, depicting the sea-front at Scheveningen in the late 19^th century, made by Hendrik Willem Mesdag. Panorama Mesdag is a Panorama by Hendrik Willem Mesdag. Housed in a purpose-built museum in The Hague, the panorama is a cylindrical In its most general sense a panorama is any wide view of a physical space Hendrik Willem Mesdag ( 23 February 1831 &ndash 10 July 1915) was a Dutch marine painter. It is presented in such a way that it is almost as if one is looking at a real scene rather than a painting.

• The "Museum voor Communicatie" (formerly the "PTT Museum") is the national postal museum and houses interactive exhibits as well as one of the country’s best collections of stamps.

• The "Louis Couperus Museum" is devoted to the life and works of Louis Couperus (1863-1923). Louis Marie-Anne Couperus ( June 10 1863 &ndash July 16 1923) was a Dutch novelist and poet of the late 19th and early 20th century

• The museum "Beelden aan Zee" in Scheveningen has a large collection of sculptures, mainly from 20^th century artists. Scheveningen (ˈsxeːfənɪŋə is one of the eight Districts of The Hague, as well as one of its subdistricts ( wijken)

• The "Koninklijke Schouwburg" ("Royal Theatre"), located on the Korte Voorhout, is the home of the "Nationaal Toneel" ("National theatre-group").

• The Lucent Danstheater is home to the internationally celebrated Nederlands Dans Theatre, a modern dance company. Nederlands Dans Theater ( Dutch Dance Theatre also known as NDT) is a Contemporary dance company established in The building was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas in 1988. Remment Lucas Koolhaas, 'rɛm 'kɔːlhas (born) is a Dutch Architect, architectural theorist, Urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture It shares a lobby with the Anton Philipszaal, home of the Residentie Orkest, the city's most important symphony orchestra. The Residentie Orchestra of The Hague is a Dutch orchestra founded in 1904 by Henri Viotta

Other tourist attractions and landmarks in The Hague include:

• The historic Binnenhof ("Inner Court") and Medieval Ridderzaal ("Knights’ Hall"), which now contains the Houses of Parliament and government offices. The Binnenhof ( Dutch, lit "inner court" is a collection of buildings in The Hague. The Ridderzaal ( Knights' Hall) is the main building at the Binnenhof in The Hague, The Netherlands, which is used for the state opening A good view can be obtained from the leafy Lange Vijverberg on the other side of the adjacent lake called the "Hofvijver" (lit. "Court Pond").

• The Lange Voorhout is a wide avenue containing many splendid houses (now home to several embassies) as well as The Hague's oldest and narrowest house and the famous "Hotel des Indes", the city’s most luxurious hotel. A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in

• The "Passage" was The Netherlands' first covered shopping mall. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Dating from the late 19^th century. it contains many expensive and speciality shops.

• The "Paleis Noordeinde" has been Queen Beatrix’ official work-palace since 1984. Noordeinde Palace is one of the four official Palaces of the Dutch royal family. It is closed to the public, but the Palace Gardens ("Paleistuin") are accessible to the public.

• The Clingendael Park is an old landed estate with a Japanese Garden. Nearby one can also find the home of the Clingendael Institute of International Relations. Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael or Clingendael Institute (Nederlands Instituut voor Internationale Betrekkingen Clingendael is an independent institute

• Queen Beatrix’ residential Palace, "Paleis Huis ten Bosch", can be found a little outside the city in the "Haagse Bosch" forest.

The Hague does not have a reputation for a bustling night life, most probably because it has no university and thus little student life. What night life there is centres around the three main squares in the city centre: "Het Plein" (literally "The Square"), the Grote Markt (literally "Large Market") and the "Buitenhof" (literally the "Outer Court", which lies just outside the Binnenhof). The Binnenhof ( Dutch, lit "inner court" is a collection of buildings in The Hague. The Buitenhof contains the popular Pathé Buitenhof cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. There are ca 240 Movie theaters in the Netherlands, with ca 700 screens (, PDF A similar pattern of night life centers on the cinema in Scheveningen, although, especially in summer, night-life concentrates around the sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants, gambling halls and other entertainment.

Sports

The local football (soccer) team is called ADO Den Haag. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered ADO Den Haag (ADO stands for Alles Door Oefening, Everything Through Practice) is the main football club in the city of The Hague. They have played in the Eredivisie (the top division in the Netherlands) since 2003 but were relegated to the first division in 2007. The Eredivisie ( English: Honorary Division) is the highest football league in the Netherlands.

Cricket is surprisingly popular in The Hague, with a number of strong teams from the Dutch league located there. One club particularly popular with the large expat community is De Kieviten (The Lapwing), located in Wassenaar, just outside The Hague. Note parts of this article have been translated from the Dutchversion of this page A number of International matches and Women's International matches have been hosted here.

The local rugby union team is Haagsche Rugby Club (a. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short k. a. HRC) and has been in the Guinness book of records for becoming Dutch champion so often (in adult and youth).

The local American Football team is Den Hague Raiders 99. American football, known in the United States and Canada simply as football, is a competitive Team sport known for mixing strategy with

Darts is also another sport played in The Hague, its popularity was promoted due to Raymond Van Barneveld winning several World Championships. Darts refers to a variety of related games in which darts are thrown at a circular target (dartboard hung on a wall Raymond van Barneveld (born April 20 1967 in The Hague, Netherlands) nickname Barney and The Man, is a professional

In 1994, The Hague held the FEI World Equestrian Games.

Annual events

• January: The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) is the oldest and largest high school United Nations simulation in the world, gathering 4000 students from over 200 secondary schools across the globe. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security
• 29 April: "Koninginnenach" ("Queen's Night", pronounced with a "plat Haags" accent) is held the night before "Koninginnedag"; there are several open air concerts in the city and young people flock from all over the country to drink and party. Koninginnedag ( or Queen's Day is a National holiday in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba on
• 30 April: "Koninginnedag" ("Queen's Day") is a Dutch national holiday held on the birthday of former Queen Juliana. Koninginnedag ( or Queen's Day is a National holiday in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba on On this day the colour orange predominates at a funfair (which sells orange cotton candy) and scores of informal street markets. Traveling carnival A funfair or simply fair (eg " County fair" " state fair" is a small to medium sized traveling Fair The day is a "vrijmarkt" (literally "free market"), which means no license is needed for streetvending; children traditionally use this day to sell old unwanted toys.
• Mid-May: The Hague Jazz festival.
• May & June: The Pasar Malam Besar is one of the largest Eurasian cultural festivals in Europe. The ‘Pasar Malam Besar’ is the largest festival in the world for Indo (European-Indonesian culture held annually in The Netherlands. It focuses on Indonesian culture.
• June-September: Den Haag Sculptuur is an open-air exhibition of sculptures. The 10th edition, in 2007, celebrates the 400 years of the relationship between The Netherlands and Australia.
• The last Sunday in June: Parkpop is the largest free open air pop concert in Europe. The Parkpop festival is held annually on the last Sunday of June in the city of The Hague.
• July: Jazz in de Gracht is an intercultural two-day event hosting Jazz groups which perform their music on flat-bottom boats and in bars in various places between Passantenhaven and Zuidwal.
• July & August: The city hosts a series of weekly firework displays by the seafront in Scheveningen, as part of an international fireworks festival and competition. Scheveningen (ˈsxeːfənɪŋə is one of the eight Districts of The Hague, as well as one of its subdistricts ( wijken)
• July & August is the annual Summerschool of The Hague Summerschool Den Haag. This is an international summercourse for young dancers initiated by Mirella Simoncini (Green Report)
• July: "Milan" Europe’s biggest Hindustani open air event held in Zuiderpark.
• August: Ha-Schi-Ba (Haagse Schilderswijk Bazar) is multicultural festival held in the Schilderswijk attracting over 100. 000 visitors.
• The third Tuesday in September: "Prinsjesdag" (literally "Princes' Day") is the Dutch State Opening of Parliament when the Queen reads the "speech from the throne" ("Troonrede"). Prinsjesdag (Day of the Princes is the day on which the Queen of the Netherlands addresses a joint session of the Upper and Lower Houses The day is popular among monarchists and tourists who are out to see Queen Beatrix and the royal family in the Golden State Coach ("de Gouden Koets"). The Gouden Koets (English Golden Carriage) is a Carriage owned and used by the Dutch royal family.

Transportation

Public transport in The Hague consists of a sizeable number of tram and bus routes, operated by HTM Personenvervoer. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train Railway lines 1 Scheveningen Noorderstrand - Delft Tanthof 2 Kraayenstein - Leidschendam Noord RR3 Loosduinen Plans for a subway were shelved in the early 1970s. However, in 2004 a tunnel was built under the city centre with two underground tram stations ("Spui" and "Grote Markt"); it is shared by tram routes 2, 3, 4 and 6.

A regional light rail system called RandstadRail connects The Hague to nearby cities, Zoetermeer and Rotterdam. For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. RandstadRail is a Light rail project in the southern area of the Randstad Conurbation in the west of The Netherlands. The system suffered from startup problems and derailings in 2006, but is fully operational now.

There are two main train stations in The Hague: Den Haag Hollands Spoor (HS) and Den Haag Centraal. |}A train station, railway station, railroad station, or station yard is a facility at which Passengers may board and alight from Trains It is somewhat confusing that many trains bypass the central station because it is a terminus. |}A train station, railway station, railroad station, or station yard is a facility at which Passengers may board and alight from Trains For instance, the international Thalys and Benelux trains to Paris and Brussels only stop at Hollands Spoor. Thalys is an international high-speed train operator built around the high-speed lines between Paris, Brussels, Cologne and Amsterdam The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe that includes three neighboring monarchies, '''Be'''lgium, the '''Ne'''therlands, and Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is The central station does, however, offer good connections with the rest of the country, with direct services to most major cities. With the inception of the Dutch High Speed Line (HSL-Zuid) in 2008/9, high speed trains will run from the central station to Breda, Antwerp and Brussels; Hollands Spoor station, however, will lose its direct connection with Paris and hourly service to Brussels. HSL-Zuid ( Hogesnelheidslijn Zuid, Southern High-Speed Line is a 125-km long high-speed railway line under construction between the Netherlands and Breda ( is a Municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. ||-||-||-||} Antwerp ( Dutch:, French: Anvers) is a City and Municipality in Belgium and the capital of the Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city Brussels (Bruxelles pronounced; Brussel pronounced) officially the Brussels Capital-Region, is

The nearest airport to The Hague is Rotterdam Airport. Rotterdam Airport (formerly ( Dutch) Vliegveld Zestienhoven) located in Rotterdam, is The Netherlands ' third largest Airport It is, however, not easily reachable by public transport. With several direct trains per hour from the railway stations Hollands Spoor and Centraal, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is more frequently used by people travelling to and from The Hague by airplane. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Netherlands ' main Airport, located 20 minutes (17

Major motorways (freeways) connecting to The Hague include the A12, running to Utrecht and the German border. The A12 runs directly into the heart of the city in a cutting. Built in the 1970s, this section of motorway (the "Utrechtsebaan") is now heavily overburdened. Plans were made in the late 1990s for a second artery road into the city (the "Trekvliettracé" or previously called "Rotterdamsebaan") have continually been put on hold. Other connecting motorways are the A4, which connects the city with Amsterdam, and the A13, which runs to Rotterdam and connects to motorways towards the Belgian border. Amsterdam (pronounced) is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west Rotterdam (pronounced) is the 2nd-largest City by population in the Netherlands, located in the province of

Nearby towns

• Delft
• Leiden
• Rijswijk
• Voorschoten
• Wassenaar
• Wateringen
• Zoetermeer
• Leidschendam-Voorburg

Warsaw and Juigalpa are sister cities to The Hague. Delft is a city and Municipality in the province of South Holland (Zuid-Holland the Netherlands. "Leyden" redirects here For other uses see Leyden (disambiguation. is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Voorschoten (population 22505 in 2004 is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Note parts of this article have been translated from the Dutchversion of this page Wateringen is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westland, and lies about 5 km southwest of Zoetermeer ( is a city in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Leidschendam-Voorburg (population 73832 in 2004 is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. Warsaw (Warszawa; also known by other names) is the Capital and Largest city of Poland. Juigalpa is the capital city of the Chontales Department of Nicaragua.

See also

• Famous people from The Hague
• List of mayors of The Hague
• Districts of The Hague
• HTM Personenvervoer

External links

• City of Den Haag (Dutch)
• City of Den Haag (English)
• Hariri, Homicide and The Hague op-ed by The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies
• The Hague Festivals (Dutch)
• The Hague Festivals (English)
• Guide to The Hague (from Wikitravel)
• "About The Hague"
• Panorama Mesdag
• Gemeentemuseum
• City map (click "Den Haag")
• Public transport map (from HTM)
• Very large number of photographs of The Hague
• A photo gallery of The Hague; photos can be seen on a map of the city
• Hague Justice Portal, an academic gateway to The Hague organisations concerning international peace, justice and security. This is a list of mayors of The Hague. 1824 - 1842: LCR Copes van Cattenburch 1843 - 1858 The Dutch city of The Hague consists of eight districts ( ''stadsdelen'') Railway lines 1 Scheveningen Noorderstrand - Delft Tanthof 2 Kraayenstein - Leidschendam Noord RR3 Loosduinen Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Railway lines 1 Scheveningen Noorderstrand - Delft Tanthof 2 Kraayenstein - Leidschendam Noord RR3 Loosduinen
• Den Haag Sculptuur 2007, the traditional open-air exhibition of sculptures.
• Jazz in de Gracht, a two day-event hosting Jazz groups.
• Jazz in de Gracht 2007 Photos of the 2007 edition of Jazz in de Gracht.
• For some outlying areas of The Hague, see the detailed maps of Rijswijk [2], Leidschendam-Voorburg [3] and Wassenaar [4].
• Het Haagse Blog (Dutch) Satyrical news from The Hague by residents

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