Rotterdam (pronounced (deprecatit template); Dutch ) is the seicont-lairgest ceety in the Netherlands an the lairgest port in Europe. Stairtin as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam haes grown intae a major internaitional commercial centre. Its strategic location at the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on the North Sea an at the hert o a massive rail, road, air an inland watterwey distribution seestem extendin throughoot Europe means that Rotterdam can richtly be cried the gatewey tae Europe.
Internaitional relations
Rotterdam haes the follaein ceety an port connections throughoot the warld:
- 14 sister ceeties
- 13 pairtner ceeties
- 4 sister ports
The Breetish baund The Beautiful South recordit a sang named efter this region.
Twin touns – sister ceeties
Rotterdam is twinned wi:
- Shanghai, Cheenae 1979
- Havana, Cuba 1983
- Saunt Petersburg, Roushie 1966
- Baltimore, Maryland USA 1985
- Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
- Dresden, Germany 1988
- Istanbul, Turkey 2005
- Surabaya, Indonesie
- Szeged, Hungary
- Kuching, Malaysie
Pairtner ceeties
- Hull, Unitit Kinrick 1936
- Antwerp, Belgium 1940
- Basel, Swisserland 1945
- Oslo, Norawa 1945
- Budapest, Hungary 1991
- Bratislava, Slovakie 1991
- Durban, Sooth Africae 1991
- Prague, Czech Republic 1991
- Buenos Aires, Argentinae 1990
Sister ports
- Kobe, Japan 1967
- Seattle, Washington USA 1969 Seattle Leet
- Busan, Sooth Korea 1987
- Tokyo, Japan 1989
