About Rotterdam

ISBI 2010 will be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Bordering the North Sea, the Netherlands with its main ports, the Port of Rotterdam and Schiphol International Airport, is the Gateway to Europe. The country is relatively small, just under 16,000 square miles (41,500 square kilometers), with a population of about 16.5 million people. It is a geographically very flat and low-lying country, with about 27 percent of its area and 60 percent of its population located below sea level. Within its boundaries (which keep expanding as the Dutch battle incessantly with the sea to reclaim their land) are some of the most fascinating sights: peaceful farmlands, woodlands, flat polders, picturesque villages and old fishing ports, medieval castles and bustling modern cities. And, of course, the windmills, dikes, wooden shoes and tulips, that have become the country's international symbols.

The Netherlands ranks among the richest countries in the world. Its history has been preserved in monuments of all kinds. Holland is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. For historical reasons the government and parliament are in the city of The Hague, although Amsterdam is in fact the capital. By tradition, the provinces of North and South Holland form the seat of the political and economic structure, which is why through the ages the name of Holland was also used for the country as a whole. This is how Holland became synonymous with the Netherlands, so that today both these names are used interchangeably when referring to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Rotterdam is the second largest city of the Netherlands, with around 600,000 inhabitants (1.2 million including Greater Rotterdam) and over 100 nationalities. It is the most important commercial city of the country, and is increasingly seen as the front door to Europe, which should not really come as a surprise considering the fact that 250 million well-off consumers live within 300 miles. Rotterdam is one of the largest ports in the world and the home base for many important industries, especially in the petrochemical field, pharmaceutics, banking and insurance, high-tech and science. Erasmus University Rotterdam ranks among the top universities of the world, especially in the medical and economic sciences.

In the years following World War II, Rotterdam has rebuilt an almost totally devastated city. And the result is impressive. Rotterdam has emerged as the most modern, internationally oriented city of the Netherlands, full of delightful contrasts. Past, present and future are interrelated in a dynamic townscape. Rotterdam has an exceptionally well developed cultural infrastructure encompassing all major art forms: music, the visual arts, film, photography, architecture, theater and ballet. These cultural activities are supported by first-rate museums, art schools and other educational institutes. For those who want to spend some time in this "new Rotterdam", the city offers an array of attractions ranging from shopping and sporting to cultural and gastronomic enjoyments.

Rotterdam

Attractions

Architecture

Cultural

Gastronomy

Going out

Shopping