North Holland (Dutch: Noord-Holland, ) is a province of the Netherlands, located in the northwest part of the country. Its capital is Haarlem. Other cities include the country's capital Amsterdam, Hilversum, Alkmaar, Zaandam and Hoorn.

Geography

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North Holland forms a peninsula between the North Sea and the IJsselmeer. More than half of the province consists of reclaimed land in the form of polders and is below sea level. The island of Texel is also part of North Holland.

North Holland makes up one region of the International Organization for Standardization world region code system, having the code NL-NH.

History

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The province North Holland was formed in 1840, when the province Holland was split in to a northern and southern part (South Holland). In 1940, the islands Vlieland and Terschelling were ceded to the province Friesland. In 1950, the former island Urk was ceded to the province Overijssel. In the time of the United Provinces the province of Holland was know as the province of Holland and West-Friesland. This represented the conquest of West-Friesland in the early medieval age. The coat of arms of North-Holland still shows this and is a combination of the coats of Holland and Friesland.

Municipalities

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North Holland is divided into 64 municipalities (local government areas):

• Aalsmeer
• Alkmaar*
• Amstelveen
• Amsterdam
• Andijk*
• Anna Paulowna
• Beemster
• Bennebroek
• Bergen
• Beverwijk
• Blaricum
• Bloemendaal
• Bussum
• Castricum
• Den Helder
• Diemen
• Drechterland*
• Edam-Volendam
• Enkhuizen*
• Graft-De Rijp
• Haarlem
• Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude
• Haarlemmermeer
• Harenkarspel*
• Heemskerk
• Heemstede
• Heerhugowaard
• Heiloo
• Hilversum
• Hoorn*
• Huizen
• Landsmeer

• Langedijk*
• Laren
• Medemblik*
• Muiden
• Naarden
• Niedorp
• Noorder-Koggenland*
• Obdam*
• Oostzaan
• Opmeer*
• Ouder-Amstel
• Purmerend
• Schagen*
• Schermer
• Stede Broec*
• Texel
• Uitgeest
• Uithoorn
• Velsen
• Waterland
• Weesp
• Wervershoof*
• Wester-Koggenland*
• Wieringen
• Wieringermeer
• Wijdemeren
• Wognum*
• Wormerland
• Zaanstad
• Zandvoort
• Zeevang
• Zijpe

* Municipalities of West Friesland

West Friesland is a region that is part of North Holland (not of the province of Friesland). It consists of the municipalities Alkmaar, Andijk, Drechterland, Enkhuizen, Harenkarspel, Heerhugowaard, Hoorn, Langedijk, Medemblik, Niedorp, Noorder-Koggenland, Obdam, Opmeer, Schagen, Stede Broec, Wervershoof, Wester-Koggenland and Wognum.

For Spaarnwoude, see Velsen, Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude, and Railway stations in the Netherlands#H.

External links

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• The province's website (in Dutch)
• basic information - http://www.sdu.nl/staatscourant/scdata/prov/noord-holland.htm
• province map showing subdivision in municipalities, link for each municipality to basic data page
• Provincial tourist board
• Pictures from North Holland

North Holland | Provinces of the Netherlands | NUTS 2 Statistical Regions of Europe

Noord-Holland | Holanda Septentrional | Nordholland | Nordholland | Holanda Septentrional | Norda Holando | Hollande septentrionale | Noard-Hollân | Holanda Setentrional | 노르트홀란트 주 | Noord-Holland | Olanda Settentrionale | Noord-Holland | Noord-Holland | Noord-Hollaand | 北ホラント州 | Noord-Holland | Holandia Północna | Holanda do Norte | Olanda de Nord | Северная Голландия (провинция) | North Holland | Severna Holandija | Pohjois-Hollanti | Noord-Holland | North Holland | 北荷兰省