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The HagueFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia"Hague" and "Den Haag" redirect here. For other uses, see Hague (disambiguation)and Den Haag (disambiguation).The HagueDen Haag's-GravenhageCity and municipalityThe Hague high-rises seen from the Plein, with statue of William the SilentThe Hague high-rises seen from the Plein, with statue of William the Silent

Flag of The HagueFlag Coat of arms of The HagueCoat of armsNickname(s): Residentiestad (Residential City), Hofstad (Court city)Motto: Vrede en Recht (Peace and Justice)Highlighted position of The Hague in a municipal map of South HollandLocation in South HollandCoordinates: 525'N 419'ECoordinates: 525'N 419'ECountry NetherlandsProvince South HollandBoroughs8 Districts[show]Government[1][2]

Body Municipal councilMayor Jozias van Aartsen (VVD)AldermenList of aldermen[show]Area[3][4]Municipality 98.12 km2 (37.88 sq mi)Land 81.88 km2 (31.61 sq mi)Water 16.24 km2 (6.27 sq mi)Randstad 3,043 km2 (1,175 sq mi)Elevation[5] 1 m (3 ft)Population (Municipality, January 2014; Urban and Metro, January 2014; Randstad,2011)[4][6][7]Municipality 508,592

Density 6,211/km2 (16,090/sq mi)Urban 655,450Metro 1,051,889Randstad 6,979,500Demonym Hagenaar or HageneesTime zone CET (UTC+1)Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)Postcode 24902599Area code 070, 015Website www.denhaag.nlThe Hague (/?'he?g/; Dutch: Den Haag pronounced [d?n'?a?x] ( listen) or 's-Gravenhage pronounced ['sxra?v?(n)??a???] ( listen)) is the seat of government in theNetherlands, and the capital city of the province of South Holland. With a popul

ation just over 500,000 inhabitants (as of 1 November 2012) and more than one million inhabitants including the suburbs, it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam. The combined urban area of The Hague and Rotterdam, with a population of approximately 2.9 million, is the 206th largest urban area in the world and the most populous in the country. Located in the west of the Netherlands, The Hague is in the centre of the Haaglanden conurbationand lies at the southwest corner of the larger Randstad conurbation.The Hague is the seat of the Dutch government and parliament, the Supreme Court,and the Council of State, but the city is not the capital of the Netherlands which constitutionally is Amsterdam.[8] King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands p

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lans to live at Huis ten Bosch and works at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague, together with Queen Mxima. Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands and 150 international organisations are located in the city, including the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, which makes The Hague one of themajor cities hosting the United Nations, along with New York, Geneva, Bonn, Vienna, Tokyo and Nairobi.Contents [hide]1 History1.1 Early history1.2 Modern history2 Geography

2.1 Climate2.2 Cityscape3 Demographics4 Politics4.1 City government4.2 International politics4.3 Twin towns and sister cities5 Economy6 Culture6.1 Sports6.2 Annual events7 Transport7.1 Air

7.2 Rail7.3 Urban transport7.4 Road8 See also9 References10 Further reading11 External linksHistory[edit]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2014)

The Ridderzaal in the 13th century.

Street in The Hague by Sybrand van Beest, c. 1650, Royal Castle in WarsawEarly history[edit]The Hague originated around 1230, when Count Floris IV of Holland purchased landalongside a pond, the present-day Hofvijver, in order to build a hunting residence. In 1248 his son and successor William II, King of the Romans, decided to extend the residence to a palace, which would later be called the Binnenhof (InnerCourt). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed, but parts of it werefinished by his son Floris V, of which the Ridderzaal (Knights' Hall), still ext

ant, is the most prominent. It is still used for political events, such as the annual speech from the throne by the Dutch monarch. From the 13th century on, thecounts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative centre and residence when in Holland.The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as Haga ina charter from 1242. In the 15th century, the smarter des Graven hage came intouse, literally "the count's wood", with connotations like "the count's hedge, private enclosure or hunting grounds". Gravenhage was officially used for the cityfrom the 17th century on. Today this name is only used in some official documents like birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses "Den Haag" in all

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its communication.[9] When the Dukes of Burgundy gained control over the counties of Holland and Zeeland at the beginning of the 15th century, they appointed astadtholder to rule in their stead with the States of Holland as an advisory council. 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 easily to occupy the town. In 1575 the States of Holland even considered demolishing the city, but this proposal was abandoned, after mediation by William of Orange. From 1588 The Hague also became the seat of the government of the Dutch Republic. In order for the administration tomaintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of the privileges normally granted only to cities.

Modern history[edit]Only in 1806, when the Kingdom of Holland was a puppet state of the First FrenchEmpire, the settlement was granted city rights by Louis Bonaparte. After the Napoleonic Wars, modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form a buffer against France. As a compromise, Brussels and Amsterdam alternated as capital every two years, with the governmentremaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch societyafter 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built forthe large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and forthe Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration and exploitation of theNetherlands East Indies. The growing city annexed the rural municipality of Loos

duinen partly in 1903 and completely in 1923.The city sustained heavy damage during World War II. Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally, the Atlantic Wall was built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by the Nazi occupants. On 3 March 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout quarter. The targetwas an installation of V-2 rockets in the nearby "Haagse Bos" park, but becauseof navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic partof the city. 511 people died and the scars in the city may 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, and the destroyed areas were quicklyrebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970sand 1980s many, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring townslike Voorburg, Leidschendam, Rijswijk and, most of all, Zoetermeer. This led to

the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in the city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of Dutch Parliament, TheHague annexed fairly large areas from neighbouring towns as well as from not even bordering ones, on which complete new residential areas were built and are still being built.Geography[edit]

Detailed topographic map of The Hague, March 2014.

The Hague, divided into neighbourhoods.See also: Districts of The HagueThe Hague is the Netherlands' largest city on the North Sea, in the southwest ofthe South Holland province, and forms the centre of a conurbation called Haaglanden. Westland and Wateringen lie to the south, Delft and the Rotterdam conurbation (called Stadsregio Rotterdam or Rijnmond) to the southeast, Nootdorp, Pijnacker, Rijswijk and Voorburg to the east, Zoetermeer and Voorschoten to the northeast and Wassenaar and Leidschendam-Voorburg and the Leiden conurbation to the north.The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be a single

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conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share the Rotterdam The Hague Airport and a light rail system called RandstadRail. Consideration is being givento creating a Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area. This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of the Randstad - specificallya band of municipalities called the South Wing (Zuidvleugel). The Randstad, which also includes among others Amsterdam and Utrecht, has a population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the south-western corner of one of the largest urban areasin Europe.The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods.[10] Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas lik

e Statenkwartier, Belgisch Park, Marlot, Benoordenhout and Archipelbuurt are generally located in the northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereasthe southeastern neighbourhoods like Transvaal, Moerwijk, and the Schilderswijkare significantly poorer, with the exception of the Vinex-locations of Leidschenveen-Ypenburg and Waterings Veld. This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-calledbekakt Haags ("posh"), this contrasts with the Hagenezen, who speak plat Haags ("vulgar"); see Demographics below.The districts are:Centrum (99,283 inhabitants) forms the heart of The Hague. The Binnenhof, the Noordeinde Palace, the Mauritshuis museum, the Nieuwe Kerk, the Grote Kerk, the Old City Hall and the current City Hall are located here. Architecture varies frommedieval up to 20th century.

Escamp (118,483 inhabitants) is the most populous district of The Hague, built largely after the Second World War as part of The Hague's large expansion to thesoutheast. One railway station can be found here: Den Haag Moerwijk. The district is divided into six neighbourhoods.Haagse Hout (42,000 inhabitants) is a wealthy district in the northeast of the city and the location of the Haagse Bos, a large forest. The King of the Netherlands lives in the royal palace Huis ten Bosch, located in this forest. The district also includes the financial centre of the city, the Beatrixkwartier.Laak (40,222 inhabitants) is the smallest district of the city southeast of itscentre, for the most part built in the 20th and 21st century. The area used to be part of Rijswijk, until the municipality of The Hague bought the land in 1844.The Hollands Spoor railway station and The Hague University are located here, as well as the site of the planned mixed use development Nieuw Binckhorst.

Leidschenveen-Ypenburg (47.088 inhabitants) is an early 21st-century Vinex-location located southeast of the city, geographically connected to the main body ofthe city only by a narrow corridor. The district is divided into Leidschenveen and Ypenburg, which were part of Leidschendam, Nootdorp and Rijswijk before the areas were annexed by The Hague in 2002. This was the site of Ypenburg Airport, amilitary airport during the Second World War.Loosduinen (45.485 inhabitants) is the westernmost district of The Hague. It wasa village unto itself until 1923, when it was annexed by The Hague. The less popular of the city's two seaside resorts, Kijkduin, is located here. The districtis divided into four neighbourhoods.Scheveningen (53.425 inhabitants) is the wealthy northernmost district of The Hague. A modern beach resort, Scheveningen is a popular tourist destination. It has a long sandy beach, and its own esplanade, pier and lighthouse, but also a Pat

h cinema, a musical theatre and a casino. The district also includes a fishing harbour. Notable buildings include the Kurhaus and, farther inland, the Peace Palace.Segbroek (60.054 inhabitants) is a district located between Scheveningen and Loosduinen. The population has decreased over the last decades, a trend which is expected to persist. It became a district of The Hague in 1988 and is divided intofive neighbourhoods.Climate[edit]The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate (Kppen climate classification Cfb) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. With its location on the coast it

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experiences slightly milder winter and summer temperatures than inland locations. It also gets more sunshine.[hide]Climate data for Valkenburg Naval Air BaseMonth Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug SepOct Nov Dec YearRecord high C (F) 13.8(56.8) 15.9(60.6) 20.8(69.4) 25.9(78.6) 29.7(85.5) 33.5

(92.3) 33.1(91.6) 34.6(94.3) 28.7(83.7) 24.5(76.1) 17.5(63.5) 15.4(59.7) 34.6(94.3)Average high C (F) 5.9(42.6) 6.3(43.3) 9.3(48.7) 12.8(55) 16.7

(62.1) 19.0(66.2) 21.3(70.3) 21.5(70.7) 18.4(65.1) 14.5(58.1) 9.9(49.8) 6.6(43.9) 13.5(56.3)Daily mean C (F) 3.6(38.5) 3.6(38.5) 6.1(43) 8.7

(47.7) 12.5(54.5) 15.1(59.2) 17.4(63.3) 17.5(63.5) 14.8(58.6) 11.3(52.3) 7.4(45.3) 4.3(39.7) 11.2(52.2)Average low C (F) 1.0(33.8) 0.7(33.3) 2.7

(36.9) 4.5(40.1) 8.1(46.6) 11.0(51.8) 13.3(55.9) 13.3(55.9) 10.9(51.6) 7.8(46) 4.5(40.1) 1.7(35.1) 6.6

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(43.9)Record low C (F) -16.4(2.5) -14.0(6.8) -11.1(12) -4.4(24.1) -1.5(29.3) 1.7(35.1) 5.4(41.7) 5.5(41.9) 1.2(34.2) -4.4

(24.1) -7.1(19.2) -10.6(12.9) -16.4(2.5)Precipitation mm (inches) 68.4(2.693) 51.2(2.016) 59.8(2.354) 42.9(1.689) 54.7(2.154) 61.6(2.425) 72.7(2.862) 84.0(3.307) 89.2

(3.512) 89.9(3.539) 90.4(3.559) 76.4(3.008) 841.2(33.118)Avg. precipitation days (= 1 mm) 12 10 11 9 99 10 10 12 13 14 13 132Avg. snowy days 5 5 3 1 0 0 0 00 0 2 4 20% humidity 86 84 83 79 78 79 80 8083 84 87 87 82.5Mean monthly sunshine hours 65.5 89.6 133.7 190.5 229.0 216.1227.4 207.1 145.5 110.3 61.1 49.2 1,726.1

Source #1: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (19812010 normals, snowy days normals for 19712000)[11]Source #2: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (19712000 extremes)[12]Cityscape[edit]

Hofvijver and the buildings of the Dutch parliament

View of the Hoftoren (left) and the Ministry of Public Health, Welfare and Sports (right)City life concentrates around the Hofvijver and the Binnenhof, where the Parliament is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague d

iffers in various respects from the nearby smaller cities of Leiden and Delft. It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead it has some small streets in the town centre that may be dated from the late MiddleAges, and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, an impressive City Hall (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century Protestant churchbuilt in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings.The city is becoming more student friendly with the introduction of a new campus

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in 2012 of Leiden University as well as Leiden University College The Hague, which was established in 2010. The Royal Conservatory of The Hague and The Royal Academy of Art are also located there, as well as The Hague University, a vocational university and a branch of The Open University of the Netherlands. The cityhas many civil servants and diplomats[citation needed]. In fact, the number andvariety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs, shops and cultural events.The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts. The main beach resort Scheveningen, in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors a year, it is the most popular beach town in the Benelux area

. Kijkduin, in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents.The former Dutch colony of the East Indies, now Indonesia, has left its mark onThe Hague. Since the 19th century, high level civil servants from the Dutch EastIndies often spent long term leave and vacation in The Hague. Many streets arenamed after places in the Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutchcolonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable "Indo" (i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, "Indo people" also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies".[13]The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets.Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of the southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berl

age about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets forseveral decades. In World War II a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterwards, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open, park-like settings.The layout of the city is more spacious than other Dutch cities, and because ofthe incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much more green city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. There are only a few canals in The Hague, as most ofthese were drained in the late 19th century.The tallest buildings of The Hague are the both 146-metre-tall ministries of Security and Justice and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, des

igned by Hans Kollhoff. Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren, NewBabylon, Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon.Demographics[edit]

See also: List of people from The HagueHistorical populationYear Pop. %1620 15,000 1670 22,000 +46.7%1750 38,000 +72.7%1850 72,000 +89.5%1874 90,000 +25.0%1895 180,000 +100.0%

1900 206,022 +14.5%1910 271,280 +31.7%1920 359,610 +32.6%1930 432,680 +20.3%1940 504,262 +16.5%1950 558,849 +10.8%1960 606,110 +8.5%1970 550,613 -9.2%1980 456,376 -17.1%1990 441,327 -3.3%

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2000 441,097 -0.1%2010 489,271 +10.9%2014 509,779 +4.2%Source: http://www.denhaag.buurtmonitor.nl/As of 1 January 2014, The Hague counts 509,779 inhabitants, making it the thirdlargest city of the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw a considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the housing act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by the spacial policy, demographic processes and lack of space. After

several annexations and housing construction, The Hague has since grown again,celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects the growth to continue to 513,000 inhabitants in 2020.[14] The proportion of Dutch peopleis 49.9%, while that of Western immigrants is 15.6%, and that of non-western immigrants is 34.4%.[15]Just over half of The Hague's population considers themselves religious. Most ofthese are Christians (32%) or Muslim (16%). Turks, Moroccans and Surinamese people belong to a religion more often than average. Islam is the most common religion among Turks and, particularly, among Moroccans; all Moroccans consider themselves a Muslim. Among Surinamese people, it is more mixed, although Hinduism isthe most common. Of The Hague's autonomous population, almost all religious people belong to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship.[16]

The demonym of The Hague officially is Hagenaar, but the term Hagenees is informally used for someone who was born and grew up in The Hague. It is believed by some that there is a separation between Hagenaars living on sand, and Hagenezen living on peat. The Hague is built partially on sand dunes and partially on peat;the border roughly runs parallel to the Laan van Meerdervoort. Generally the wealthier neighbourhoods lie on sand, and the poorer neighbourhoods on peat. People that live on the sand are Hagenaars, those that live on peat are Hagenezen. Another definition is that a Hagenees is someone speaking in the vulgar Haags accent, whereas a Hagenaar speaks in the more "posh" Haags accent.Politics[edit]

City government[edit]See also: List of mayors of The Hague

Since the local elections of 2010, The Hague's municipal legislative contains twelve parties, most notably the PvdA (10 seats), the PVV (8 seats), the VVD (7 seats) and the D66 (6 seats). After the elections, the municipal executive was formed by a coalition existing of de PvdA, the VVD, the D66 and the CDA. The chairman of the college is mayor Jozias van Aartsen of the VVD, and the city has eightaldermen (or deputy mayor), each of which is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one city district.[17] The eight aldermen are:Marnix Norder (PvdA) - Urban Development, Public Housing and Integration; ScheveningenMarjolein de Jong (D66) - Culture, City Centre and International Affairs; CentrumBoudewijn Revis (VVD) - Finance and City Management; SegbroekKarsten Klein (CDA) - Youth, Welfare and Sport; Loosduinen

Rabin Baldewsingh (PvdA) - Public Health, Sustainability, Media and Municipal Organisation; EscampPeter Smit (VVD) - Transportation, Binckhorst and Vlietzone; Leidschenveen-YpenburgIngrid van Engelshoven (D66) - Education and Public Services; Haagse HoutHenk Kool (PvdA) - Social Affairs, Employment and Economy; LaakIn the 2014 municipal elections, D66 became the largest party, winning eight seats in the city council, followed by the PVV and the PvdA, winning seven and sixseats respectively.[18] A new municipal executive is still being formed.International politics[edit]

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The Peace Palace

The International Criminal CourtThe city of The Hague contributes substantially to international politics: The Hague is home to over 150 international organisations. These include the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), and the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR). The Hague is the f

ourth major centre for the United Nations, after New York, Geneva and Vienna. Inline with the city's history as an important convention center and the currentpresence of institutions such as the ICJ, The Hague's city council employs a city branding strategy that aims to establish The Hague as the Legal Capital of theWorld and the International City of Peace and Justice.[19]The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" waslaid in 1899, when the world's first Peace Conference took place in The Hague onTobias Asser's initiative, followed by a second in 1907. 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). Shortly thereafter the Scottish-American millionaire Andrew Carnegie made the necessary funds available to build the Peace Palace to house the PCA. After the establishment of the League of Nations, The Hague became the seat of the Permanent Cou

rt of International Justice, which was replaced by the UN's International Courtof Justice after the Second World War. The establishments of the Iran-US ClaimsTribunal (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 center for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, a U.N. tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the Netherlands General Intelligence Agency in Leidschendam, a town within the greater area of The Hague.Major international and European organisations based in The Hague include:Eurojust, European Union body composed of national prosecutorsEuropean Patent Office

Europol, European Police OfficeHague Academy of International Law, center for high-level education in both public and private international lawHague Conference on Private International Law, (HCCH), the oldest and preeminentprivate international law harmonisation institutionInternational Court of Justice, located in the Peace PalaceInternational Criminal Court, (ICC)International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, (ICTY)International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR, appeals court only). The tribunal itself is in Arusha, Tanzania.Iran-United States Claims TribunalThe Special Tribunal for LebanonUnrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization

NATO Consultation, Command and Control Agency, (NC3A)Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, (OPCW)Permanent Court of Arbitration, the oldest institution for international disputeresolution.The European Library[20]Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law and international development are based in The Hague. The Hague AcademicCoalition (HAC) is a consortium of those institutions.Its member institutions are:Carnegie Foundation

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Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law (HiiL)International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS)Leiden University College The HagueNetherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael'The Hague Academy of International LawThe Hague University of Applied SciencesT.M.C. Asser InstituutIn 1948 The Hague Congress was held with 750 delegates from 26 European countries, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development ofthe European Union.Twin towns and sister cities[edit]

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in the NetherlandsThe Hague has a policy to partner with various countries of origin of its citizens. Since 2002 The Hague co-operates with Suriname.The Hague is twinned with Palembang, Indonesia; Juigalpa, Nicaragua; Nazareth, Israel; and Warsaw, Poland.[21]Economy[edit]

The Hague's central financial district, Beatrixkwartier, with the modern tram viaduct called the Netkous (Fishnet Stocking).The Hague has a service-oriented economy. Professional life in the city is dominated by the large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as

of 2006, 26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch governmentor the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries of Defence, Justice, Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment, Foreign Affairs, the Interior and Transport, Public Works and Water Management. Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague, including Royal Dutch Shell, the world's largest company in terms of revenue.[22] Other significant companies headquartered in The Hague include Aegon, APM Terminals, KPN (Koninklijke PTT Nederland), Nationale Nederlanden, NIBC Bank and PostNL.There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with thepossible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour in Scheveningen. Many of the citys logistical and minor-industrial services are located in the Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses.Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the Netherlands' second

biggest tourist destination, after Amsterdam. In 2012, the city welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in The Hague increased by 5%; inparticular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while the Germanswere good for 24% more hotel nights and the French booked 20% more hotel nights.The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of 2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make theirliving from the tourism sector.[23][24]Culture[edit]

The Ridderzaal inside the Binnenhof, the political centre of the Netherlands.

Monument commemorating the founding of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Plein 1813.

Noordeinde Palace.

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Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk.The Hague originated around the 13th century Binnenhof, and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Night life centres around the three main squares in the city centre. The Plein (literally "Square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafs where often politicians may be spotted. The Grote Markt (literally "Great Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The Buitenhof (literally "Outer Court", located just outside the Binnenhof) contains a six screen Path cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof is De Passage, the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century, it contains many expensi

ve and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues, Paard van Troje, can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in TheHague is Muziekcaf de Paap.The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the NieuweKerk. Besides the City Hall, this is also the location of the Dr. Anton Philipszaal, home to the Residentie Orchestra, and the Lucent Danstheater, home to the internationally celebrated modern dance company Nederlands Dans Theater. These buildings, designed by Rem Koolhaas in 1988, are planned for demolition to make space for a new theatre, the Spuiforum, which would house both institutes as wellas the Royal Conservatory. Despite efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. The Koninklijke Schouwburg, home to the Nationaal Toneel, can also be found in the city centre - on the Korte Voorhout. NewEuropean Ensemble is an ensemble for contemporary music consisting on internati

onal musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city.Scheveningen forms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its own Path cinema as well as the musical theatre Circustheater although, especially in the summer, most night life concentrates around the sea-front boulevard with its bars,restaurants and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature city Madurodam, the panoramic painting Panorama Mesdag, and Europe's first 360 IMAX-cinema the Omniversum.The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and QueenMxima of the Netherlands live in Huis ten Bosch in the Haagse Bos, and work in the Noordeinde Palace in the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. The Kneuterdijk Palace, built in 1716, is now home to the Council of State of the Netherlands, and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied

by the Escher Museum, dedicated to Dutch graphical artist M. C. Escher.The Hague has its share of museums, most notably the Mauritshuis, located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer, Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter. Other museums include the science museum Museon, the modern art museum Gemeentemuseum, the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum, the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie, the Museum Bredius, the Louis Couperus Museum, the museum Beelden aan Zee in Scheveningen, and the former prison housed in a 15th-century gatehouse, the Gevangenpoort.Since early times, possibly as far back as the 16th century, the stork has beenthe symbol of The Hague.[25]Several films have been (partially) shot in The Hague, including Hum Tum (2004),Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Zwartboek (2006). An alternative music video of Coldp

lay's Viva la Vida was also shot in The Hague.Sports[edit]The city's major football club is ADO Den Haag. They play in the Eredivisie (thetop division in the Netherlands). They are two time winners of the KNVB Cup andwon the League twice in the era before professional football. They play their matches at the 15,000 seat Kyocera Stadion.Cricket is traditionally one of the most popular sports in The Hague, with a number of strong teams from the Dutch league located there.The local rugby union team is Haagsche Rugby Club (a.k.a. HRC) and has been in the Guinness Book of Records for becoming Dutch (in adult and youth) champions so

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often.The ice hockey team is HYS The Hague.The handball team is SV Wings, active in the top division.The local American Football team is Den Haag Raiders'99.Darts is another sport played in The Hague; its popularity was increased by Raymond Van Barneveld winning several World Championships.The half marathon race CPC Loop Den Haag is held annually in The HagueIn 1994, The Hague held the FEI World Equestrian Games.Annual events[edit]January: The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) is a five-day conference held at the World Forum, gathering over 4000 students from over 200 seco

ndary schools across the globe. It is the oldest and largest high school UnitedNations simulation in the world.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. It is the largest open air festival in Europe.30 April: "Koninginnedag" ("Queen's Day") is a Dutch national holiday held on the birthday of former Queen Juliana. On this day the colour orange predominates at a funfair (which sells orange cotton candy) and scores of informal street markets. The day is a "vrijmarkt" (literally "free market"), which means no licenceis needed for street vending; children traditionally use this day to sell old unwanted toys.May & June: The Tong Tong Fair is one of the largest Eurasian cultural festivals

in Europe. It focuses on Indo culture.JuneSeptember: Den Haag Sculptuur is an open air exhibition of sculptures. The 10th edition, in 2007, celebrated the 400 years of the relationship between the Netherlands and Australia.June: The Hague Jazz festival.June: Vlaggetjesdag in Scheveningen is a festival celebrating the arrival of thefirst new herring of the year.The last Sunday in June: Parkpop is the largest free open air pop concert in Europe.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 sea fr

ont in Scheveningen, as part of an international fireworks festival and competition.July & August is the annual Summer School of The Hague, an international summercourse for young dancers, initiated by Mirella Simoncini with guestteachers fromHet Nationale Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater, Cullberg Ballet, Royal Conservatory of The Hague, Codarts and choreograohy workshops with repertoire from ItzikGalili, Mats Ek, Marius Petipa a.o.July: "Milan", Europes biggest Hindustani open air event held in Zuiderpark.The third Tuesday in September: "Prinsjesdag" (literally "Prince's Day") is theDutch State Opening of Parliament when the King reads the "speech from the throne" ("Troonrede"). The day is popular among monarchists and tourists who are outto see Queen Beatrix and the royal family in the Golden State Coach ("de GoudenKoets").

Since 2009 the city of The Hague annually presents a LGBT-emancipation award called the John Blankenstein Award. The exact date of the ceremony varies each year.Transport[edit]

Modern RegioCitadis tram on route 2, Loosduinen, April 2012Air[edit]The Hague shares an airport with Rotterdam. It can be reached from Central Stati

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on by RandstadRail Line E, with an Airport Shuttle to and from Meijersplein Station. However, with several direct trains per hour from the railway stations Hollands Spoor and Centraal, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is more frequently used by people travelling to and from The Hague by air.Rail[edit]There are two main railway stations in The Hague: Hollands Spoor (HS) and Centraal Station (CS), only 1.5 kilometres (1 mile) distant from each other. Because these two stations were built and exploited by two different railway companies inthe 19th century, east-west lines terminate at Centraal Station, whereas north-south lines run through Hollands Spoor. Centraal Station does, however, now offer good connections with the rest of the country, with direct services to most ma

jor cities, for instance Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht.Other destinations include Leiden, Haarlem, Zwolle, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Amersfoort, Enschede and Breda, Eindhoven. There is an international service to Antwerp and Brussels.Urban transport[edit]Public transport in The Hague consists of a tramway network and a sizeable number of bus routes, operated by HTM Personenvervoer.[26] 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 RandstadRail lines 3 and 4 and tram routes 2 and 6.RandstadRail connects The Hague to nearby cities, Zoetermeer, Rotterdam and Leidschendam-Voorburg. It consists of three light rail lines (2, 3 and 4 to Zoetermeer and Leidschendam-Voorburg) and one subway line (E to Rotterdam).

Road[edit]Major motorways connecting to The Hague include the A12, running to Utrecht andthe 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 "Rotterdamsebaan" or previously called "Trekvliettrac") which isdue to be build between 2016 and 2019.[27] 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. There is also the A44 thatconnects the city to Leiden, Haarlem and Amsterdam. In the 1970s, plans of building another motorway to Leiden existed. This "Leidsebaan" was supposed to startin the city centre and then follow the railway line The Hague - Amsterdam. Someworks have been executed, but removed already in the 1980s.

See also[edit]

Portal icon Netherlands portalDistricts of The HagueHTM PersonenvervoerList of mayors of The HagueList of people from The HagueReferences[edit]

Jump up ^ "Burgemeester Jozias van Aartsen" [Mayor Jozias van Aartsen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Den Haag. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.Jump up ^ "Het college van burgemeester en wethouders" [Board of mayor and aldermen] (in Dutch). Gemeente Den Haag. 23 May 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2013.

Jump up ^ "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten" [Key figures for neighbourhoods]. CBSStatline (in Dutch). CBS. 2 July 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2014.^ Jump up to: a b Anita BoumanEijs; Thijmen van Bree; Wouter Jonkhoff; Olaf Koops; Walter Manshanden; Elmer Rietveld (17 December 2012). De Top 20 van Europese grootstedelijke regio's 19952011; Randstad Holland in internationaal perspectief [Top 20 of European metropolitan regions 19952011; Randstad Holland compared internationally] (Technical report) (in Dutch). Delft: TNO. Retrieved 25 July 2013.Jump up ^ "Postcodetool for 2511BT". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch).Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 23 July 2013.Jump up ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regions

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per month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014.Jump up ^ "Bevolkingsontwikkeling; regio per maand" [Population growth; regionsper month]. CBS Statline (in Dutch). CBS. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 12 March 2014.Jump up ^ Daum, Andreas (2005). Berlin - Washington, 18002000 Capital Cities, Cultural Representation, and National Identities. Cambridge University Press. pp. 13, 38. ISBN 0521841178. "Amsterdam is the statuary capital of the Netherlands, while the Dutch government resides in De Hague. (sic) (p. 13) The Netherlands' seat of government is The Hague but its capital is bustling Amsterdam, the national cultural center. (p. 38)"

Jump up ^ "'s-Gravenhage / Den Haag". Taaladvies.net. Retrieved 2012-11-16.Jump up ^ "Stadsdelen" (in Dutch). Denhaag.nl. 25 augustus 2009 (last update 18oktober 2010). Retrieved 31 August 2011.Jump up ^ "Klimaattabel Valkenburg, langjarige gemiddelden, tijdvak 19812010" (inDutch). Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Retrieved 10 September 2013.Jump up ^ "Klimaattabel Valkenburg, langjarige extremen, tijdvak 19712000" (in Dutch). Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. Retrieved 10 September 2013.Jump up ^ Dutch: 'de Weduwe van Indie'. As per song text by the famous singer Wieteke van Dort. See text of the song "Arm Den Haag" ("Pity The Hague"): [1]Jump up ^ (Dutch) "Bevolkingsprognose Den Haag 2012-2020". DenHaag.nl. 10 April2012. Retrieved 25 November 2013.Jump up ^ (Dutch) Den Haag in Cijfers.

Jump up ^ (Dutch) "Burgerschapsmonitor (2009)". DenHaag.nl. 28 September 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2013.Jump up ^ The Municipal Executive. Denhaag.nl. 22 November 2012 (last update 19July 2013). Retrieved 20 August 2013.Jump up ^ "Definitieve uitslag gemeenteraadsverkiezingen". DenHaag.nl. 21 March2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.Jump up ^ Slager, Seije (11/03/09). "Beveiliging is routine voor Haagse autoriteiten" (in Dutch). Trouw. Retrieved 31 August 2011.Jump up ^ "TheEuropeanLibrary.org". TheEuropeanLibrary.org. Retrieved 4 July 2010.Jump up ^ "Miasta partnerskie Warszawy". um.warszawa.pl. Biuro Promocji Miasta.4 May 2005. Retrieved 29 August 2008.[dead link]Jump up ^ "Fortune 500 2013". Retrieved 10 July 2013.

Jump up ^ More tourists visiting The Hague. Denhaag.nl. 7 May 2013 (last update18 July 2013). Retrieved 25 October 2013.Jump up ^ Tourism sector growing in The Hague. Denhaag.nl. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.Jump up ^ "Den Haag - Haagse weetjes". Denhaag.nl. 2010-07-12. Retrieved 2012-11-16.Jump up ^ Public transport map (from HTM)Jump up ^ WegenwikiFurther reading[edit]

Published in the 19th century"The Hague", A Handbook for Travellers on the Continent (8th ed.), London: JohnMurray, 1851

C.B. Black (1876), "The Hague", Guide to the North of France, ... Belgium and Holland, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black"The Hague", Belgium and Holland (6th ed.), Leipsic: Karl Baedeker, 1881W. Pembroke Fetridge (1885), "The Hague", Harper's Hand-book for Travellers in Europe and the East, New York: Harper & BrothersPublished in the 20th century"The Hague", Belgium and Holland (15th ed.), Leipzig: Karl Baedeker, 1910, OCLC397759"The Hague", The Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.), New York: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1910, OCLC 14782424

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External links[edit]

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