Rotterdam is situated on the Maas River, and from its origins as a small fishing village, grew to become the largest port in the world, a position it held until 2004. It is still the largest port in Europe, serving numerous international import and export companies through a canal that was created between the Maas River and the North Sea in 1872.

During World War II, a German bombardment destroyed the centre of the city, leaving practically no traces of the old city intact. During its reconstruction, Rotterdam became home to many new forms of avant-guard architecture, including the cube houses for which it is most famous. A new business centre on the south side of the river was constructed in the 1990s. Over 55% of Rotterdam’s population is considered ‘low-income earning’, a situation that has led to the dilapidation of certain inner-city areas, although renewal projects are beginning to change this.

In recent years, development of Rotterdam and of nearby centres such as Amsterdam and The Hague has led to an almost total urbanisation of the region. This area is sometimes considered one single metropolis, known as Randstad.

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