Which city is the official capital of the Netherlands?

Which city is the official capital of the Netherlands? Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands.

The Dutch Constitution identifies Amsterdam as the capital, and the wording was made explicit in the 1983 constitutional revision. The city is especially associated with royal ceremonies: the monarch's inauguration takes place in Amsterdam, traditionally at the Nieuwe Kerk beside Dam Square.

The common confusion is The Hague. The Hague is the country's seat of government and hosts Parliament, the ministries, foreign embassies, and the Supreme Court. Because most national political business happens there, it can feel like the capital in everyday administrative terms, but the constitutional capital is Amsterdam.

Amsterdam grew around a dam on the Amstel River and became a major trading center during the Dutch Golden Age. Its canals, historic merchant houses, and 17th-century urban plan form one of the city's defining features.