Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands. It’s situated in the western part of the country. Amsterdam is among the world’s most culturally vibrant cities and one of the most cosmopolitan. It is the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural centre. Since the Golden Age, Amsterdam is renowned for influencing other cities around the world. It is famous for its charming canals, historic houses, art galleries, the Anne Frank House, and the Rijksmuseum. Some of the other places that make it famous include the bustling Dam Square, the Royal Palace, and the iconic windmills in the outskirts.

The Netherlands conducts a census every 10 years and 2021 is the year when the next census is scheduled. According to the 2011 census, Amsterdam had a population of 790,654. The city is considered to be culturally diverse with residents from various ethnic backgrounds. According to the census, 49.5% of the population is Dutch while the rest consists of people from different nationalities. With regard to religious beliefs, Amsterdam is known to be diverse as many people identify themselves as Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist. According to the data collected during the 2011 census, 28.63% people in Amsterdam identified themselves as Christian, 13.27% as Muslim, 1.3% Hindu, 1.2% Jewish, 0.6% Buddhist and 0.2% Other religions. On the other hand, 51.66% of respondents declared that they followed no religion. As one of the most diverse cities in the world, Amsterdam houses over 872,000 residents, who collectively speak over 200 languages, including Dutch, English, Turkish, Arabic, and Spanish.

The City of Amsterdam is governed by a mayor, aldermen, and the municipal council. However, unlike most other Dutch municipalities, it has two additional tiers of government: the stadsdelen (boroughs), of which there are eight; and the central government. The mayor is appointed by the Crown and the aldermen are elected by the municipal council. The municipal council is the highest governing body and is responsible for public order, public health, and most public services. The boroughs, each governed by a district committee elected by its residents, are responsible for managing certain local services and social affairs.

Amsterdam has always been a commercial city and today it is recognized as one of the top financial centres in Europe. The city thrives in trade and commerce and has a vibrant culture influenced by commerce. It has a GDP of over €86 billion, which is about 20 percent of the Netherlands' total GDP. The Port of Amsterdam is the second largest port in the country, handling millions of tons of cargo every year.

Amsterdam City Council has developed several plans to cope with the projected growth of the city, including the Structural Vision Amsterdam 2040. This plan identifies a range of infrastructure priorities for Amsterdam, from new energy, water and sewerage infrastructure, to enhanced digital connectivity and new public transport and road schemes. Some of the investment is provided by the private sector, through privatized utilities. There's also a particular focus on improving the city's digital infrastructure. Business sees these as priority areas for action by the city council.