Zuid-Holland (South-Holland) is a bustling, multifaceted province. It is home to 3.5 million people, who inhabit an area of around 2,900 km2. This makes it the most densely populated of the twelve Dutch provinces, with 1,220 inhabitants per km2.
Lots of people, lots of activity. Zuid Holland has around 130,200 registered businesses. The province also boasts various centres of knowledge and expertise, including three universities in Leiden, Delft and Rotterdam, the TNO research laboratories, Estec and the Innovation Centres. South Holland is the country’s most important province in terms of economy, agriculture and the provision of services. It is a hive of activity, criss-crossed by a busy network of roads, railways and waterways. Rotterdam with its mainport is South-Holland’s largest city. The provincial capital is The Hague, which is the seat of national goverment and the Queen’s official place of residence.
Outside its urban heart, Zuid-Holland offers spacious tranquillity, sprawling countryside, rivers, polders, lakes, dunes and endless sandy beaches.
It is a constant challenge to strike between the many conflicting interests of such multifaceted province. This task is in the hands of the provincial administration, which works in co-operation with the state government, the municipalities of Zuid-Holland, the neighbouring provinces and the regional water boards.
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