Rotterdam is a Southern province of the Netherlands situated on the banks of the river Nieuwe Maas, one of the channels in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name Rotterdam derives from a dam in the Rotte River.

Rotterdam is the major foreign trade center of the Netherlands also it is the 2nd largest city by population in the Netherlands after Amsterdam which lies approximately 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the north and the 6th-largest metropolitan area in Europe, with a population of 6.7 million inhabitants.

Rotterdam City

Built mostly behind dikes, large parts of the Rotterdam are below sea level. The lowest point in the Netherlands (6.76 meters below NAP) is situated just to the east of Rotterdam; in the municipality of Nieuwerkerk den IJssel.

Rotterdam is divided into a northern and a southern part by the river Nieuwe Maas. The city centre is located on the northern bank of the Nieuwe Maas, although recent urban development has extended the center to parts of southern Rotterdam known as De Kop van Zuid. The city's street scenery is characterized by the large presence of people from North Africa, Turkey and the former Dutch colonies of Suriname, The Netherlands Antilles and Indonesia.

The city center historic harbour area, includes Delfshaven, the Maashaven/Rijnhaven/Feijenoord complex, the harbours around Nieuw Mathenesse, Waalhaven, Vondelingenplaat, Eemhaven, Botlek, Europoort (situated along the Calandkanaal), Nieuwe Waterweg and Scheur and the reclaimed Maasvlakte area, which projects into the North Sea.

Rotterdam has one of the largest ports in Europe, with the rivers Meuse and Rhine providing excellent access to the hinterland upstream reaching to Basel, Switzerland and into France.

The port's main activities are petrochemical industries and general cargo handling and transhipment. The harbour functions as an important transit point for bulk materials and between the European continent and overseas. From Rotterdam goods are transported by ship, river barge, train or road.

The city is also a good place for sightseeing; the city is famed for its diamond trade as well as its endless shopping opportunities. Also the city has intriguing museums and buildings, many shops and a myriad of popular bars and cafes, a trip to Rotterdam is one never to be forgotten.

You can visit the city in spring or summer time is more enjoyable than in winter time, as Holland is a very rainy place and Rotterdam is a city that especially gains a lot of charm when the sun is shining.