The Hague

"Hague" redirects here. For other uses, seeHague (disambiguation).

For the war crimes tribunals court, seeInternational Criminal Court.

"Den Haag" and "'s-Gravenhage"redirect here. For the elm cultivar, seeUlmus'Den Haag'.For the fishing trawler, seeFV s'Gravenhage.

The Hague Den Haag 's-Gravenhage
Cityandmunicipality
Plein Peace Palace Binnenhof Kurhaus City Hall
Flag Coat of arms
Nicknames: De Hofstad,De Residentie,Agga,070
Motto(s): Vrede en Recht(Peace and Justice)
Location within South Holland
The Hague Location within the Netherlands The Hague Location within Europe
Coordinates:52°04′48″N04°18′36″E
Country	Netherlands
Province	South Holland
Subregion	Haaglanden
District	8 districts Centrum Escamp Haagse Hout Laak Leidschenveen-Ypenburg Loosduinen Scheveningen Segbroek
Government
• Body	Municipal council
•Mayor	Jan van Zanen(VVD)
•Aldermen	List Kavita Parbhudayal (VVD) Saskia Bruines (D66) Liesbeth van Tongeren(GL) Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) Martijn Balster (PvdA) Anne Mulder(VVD) Robert van Asten (D66) Bert van Alphen (GL)
Area
• Municipality	98.13 km2(37.89 sq mi)
• Land	82.45 km2(31.83 sq mi)
• Water	15.68 km2(6.05 sq mi)
• Urban	286.31 km2(110.54 sq mi)
• Metro	1,256.40 km2(485.10 sq mi)
•Randstad	4,384.10 km2(1,692.71 sq mi)
Elevation	1 m (3 ft)
Population (1 January 2021)
• Municipality	549,163
• Density	6,650/km2(17,200/sq mi)
•Urban	883,720
•Metro	2,390,101
•Randstad	6,396,416
Demonym	Hagenaar or Hagenees
Time zone	UTC+01:00(CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00(CEST)
Postcodes	2490–2599
Area code	070, 015
Website	www.denhaag.nl(in Dutch)
Click on the map for a fullscreen view

The Hagueis the capital city of theSouth Hollandprovince of theNetherlands.With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing theNorth Sea,The Hague is the country's administrative centre and itsseat of government,and while the officialcapital of the NetherlandsisAmsterdam,The Hague has been described as the country'sde factocapital since the time of theDutch Republic.

The Hague is the core municipality of theGreater The Hague urban areacontaining over 800,000 residents, and is also part of theRotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area,which, with a population of approximately 2.6 million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of theRandstadregion, one of the largestconurbationsin Europe.

The Hague is the seat of theCabinet,theStates General,theSupreme Court,and theCouncil of Stateof the Netherlands.King Willem-Alexanderofficially lives in theHuis ten Boschand works at theNoordeinde Palacetogether withQueen Máxima.Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters ofmany Dutch companies,withShell plchaving major offices in the city as well. TheRoyal Library of the Netherlandsis also located there. The Hague's coastal area includes the popular seaside resortScheveningen.

The Hague is known as the global hub of international law and arbitration. TheInternational Court of Justice,the main judicial arm of theUnited Nations,is based in the city, as are theInternational Criminal Court,thePermanent Court of Arbitration,theOrganisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons,Europol,and approximately 200 otherinternational governmental organizations.The name "The Hague" is commonly used as atotum pro parteto refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city.

Etymology

The Hague was first mentioned asDie Haghein 1242.In the 15th century, the namedes Graven hagecame into use, literally meaning "The Count's Grove", with connotations such as "The Count's Hedge, Private Enclosure or Hunting Grounds". The count in question was theCount of Holland(as is the case with nearby's-Gravenzande).

The spelling"'s-Gravenhage "was officially used for the city from the 17th century onward. Today, this name is only used in some official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses" Den Haag "in all its communications.The post office specifies that letters must be addressed to"'s-Gravenhage ", but a letter to" Den Haag "will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name" Den Haag ", as do signposts.

History

For a chronological guide, seeTimeline of The Hague.

Ancient history

The area was part of theRoman provinceofGermania Inferiorand was close to the border of the empire, theUpper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes.In 1997, four Roman milestones were discovered at Wateringse Veld. The originals are in the "Museon"museum. The milestones indicate the distance from the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani (modernVoorburg), and can be dated to the reign of the emperorsAntoninus Pius(138–161; the column is dated 151),Caracalla(211–217),Gordian III(238–244), andDecius(249–251).

Early history

TheBinnenhofat theHofvijver,1625

Street in The Hagueby Sybrand van Beest,c. 1650,Royal CastleinWarsaw

Little is known about the origin of The Hague. There are no contemporary documents describing it, and later sources are often of dubious reliability. What is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of theHouse of Holland.Floris IValready owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present-dayHofvijverin 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in atournamentin 1234, before anything was built.His son and successorWilliam IIlived in the court, and after he was electedKing of the Romansin 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" (regale palacium), which would later be called theBinnenhof( "Inner Court" ). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed but parts of it were finished during the reign of his sonFloris V,of which theRidderzaal( "Knights' Hall" ), still intact, is the most prominent.It is still used for political events, such as the annualspeech from the throneby the Dutchmonarch.From the 13th century onward, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland.

The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned asDie Haghein a charter dating from 1242. It became the primary residence of the Counts of Holland in 1358 and thus became the seat of many government institutions. This status allowed the village to grow; by the Late Middle Ages, it had grown to the size of a city, although it did notreceive city rights.In its early years, the village was in theambacht,or rural district, ofMonster,which was governed by the Lord of Monster. Seeking to exercise more direct control over the village, however, the Count split the village off and created a separateambachtcalled Haagambacht, governed directly by the Counts of Holland. The territory of Haagambacht was considerably expanded during the reign of Floris V.

When theHouse of Burgundyinherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed astadtholderto rule in their stead with theStates of Holland and West Frieslandas an advisory council. Although their seat was in The Hague, the city became subordinate to more important centres of government such asBrusselsandMechelen,from where the sovereigns ruled over the increasingly centralisedBurgundian Netherlands.

At the beginning of theEighty Years' War,the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowedSpanishtroops to easily occupy the town. In 1575, the States of Holland, temporarily based inDelft,even considered demolishing the city but this proposal was abandoned, after mediation byWilliam the Silent.In 1588, The Hague became the permanent seat of the States of Holland as well as theStates Generalof theDutch Republic.For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of the privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore.

Modern history

TheOld City Hallof The Hague around 1900

In 1806, when theKingdom of Hollandwas a puppet state of theFirst French Empire,the settlement wasgranted city rightsbyLouis Bonaparte.After theNapoleonic Wars,modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in theUnited Kingdom of the Netherlandsto form a buffer against France. As a compromise,BrusselsandAmsterdamalternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built for the large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and for the Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration of theNetherlands East Indies.The growing city amalgamated the rural municipality ofLoosduinenpartly in 1903 and completely in 1923.

The city sustained heavy damage duringWorld War II.Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally, theAtlantic Wallwas built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by theNazioccupants. On 3 March 1945, theRoyal Air ForcemistakenlybombedtheBezuidenhoutquarter. The target was an installation ofV-2 rocketsin the nearbyHaagse Bospark, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city.The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in the areaand caused 511 fatalities.

Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destructions of the bombing, nobody attempted to plan a reconstruction of Bezuidenhout. In 1962, David Jokinen saw an opportunity to put an end to the situation where two main stations each served only part of the rail traffic. TheJokinen Planincluded the intent to demolish theStaatsspoor Stationentirely, withHollands Spoorbecoming the central station. Jokinen's plan sparked fierce discussions. The plan was not implemented, in part because it was only presented when decision-making had finally reached an advanced stage. In the site of the Staatsspoor station now stands theDen Haag Centraal railway station.

TheMinistry of Justice and Securitybuilding, opened in 2012

After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site inEurope.The city expanded massively to the southwest, and the destroyed areas were quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring towns such asVoorburg,Leidschendam,Rijswijkand (most of all)Zoetermeer.This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in the city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague annexed fairly large areas from neighbouring towns as well as from not even bordering ones, on which the complete new residential areas were built and are still being built.

Geography

See also:Districts of The Hague

Detailed topographic map of The Hague, 2014

The Hague, divided into neighbourhoods

Rembrandt Street

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on theNorth Seain the Netherlands and forms the centre of theGreater The Hague urban area.WestlandandWateringenlie to the south,Rijswijk,Delftand theRotterdamconurbation (known asRijnmond) to the southeast,Pijnacker-NootdorpandZoetermeerto the east,Leidschendam-Voorburg,Voorschotenand theLeidenconurbation to the northeast andWassenaarto the north.

The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as a single conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share theRotterdam The Hague Airportand a light rail system calledRandstadRail.This led to the creation of theRotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area.This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of theRandstad—specifically a band of municipalities called the South Wing (Zuidvleugel). The Randstad, which also includes among othersAmsterdamandUtrecht,has a population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of thesecond-largest conurbation in the European Union.

The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods.Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas such asStatenkwartier,Belgisch Park,Marlot,BenoordenhoutandArchipelbuurtare generally in the northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such asTransvaal,Moerwijk,and theSchilderswijkare significantly poorer, except theVinex-locationsofLeidschenveen-YpenburgandWateringse Veld.This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-calledbekakt Haags( "posh" ), this contrasts with theHagenezen,who speakplat Haags( "vulgar" ); seeDemographicsbelow.

The districts are:

• Centrum(110,000 inhabitants)forms the heart of The Hague. TheBinnenhof,theNoordeinde Palace,theMauritshuismuseum, theNieuwe Kerk,theGrote Kerk,theOld City Halland theCity Hallare located here. Architecture varies from medieval up to the 20th century.
• Escamp(131,000 inhabitants)is the most populous district of The Hague, built largely after theWorld War IIas part of The Hague's large expansion to the southeast. One railway station can be found here:Den Haag Moerwijk.The district is divided into six neighbourhoods.
• Haagse Hout(51,000 inhabitants)is a wealthy district in the northeast of the city and the location of theHaagse Bos,a large forest. The King of the Netherlands lives in the royal palaceHuis ten Bosch,in this forest. The district also includes the financial centre of the city, theBeatrixkwartier.
• Laak(46,000 inhabitants)is the smallest district of the city, southeast of its centre, for the most part, built in the 20th and 21st centuries. The area used to be part ofRijswijkuntil the municipality of The Hague bought the land in 1844. TheHollands Spoorrailway station andThe Hague Universityare located here, as well as the site of the planned mixed-use developmentNieuw Binckhorst.
• Leidschenveen-Ypenburg(48,000 inhabitants)is an early 21st-centuryVinex-locationsoutheast of the city, geographically connected to the main body of the cityonly by a narrow corridor.The district is divided into Leidschenveen and Ypenburg, which were part ofLeidschendam,Nootdorp,andRijswijkbefore the areas were annexed by The Hague in 2002. This area was the site ofYpenburg Airportwhich was a military airport during World War II.
• Loosduinen(53,000 inhabitants)is the westernmost district of The Hague. It was a village unto itself until 1923 when it was annexed by The Hague. The less popular of the city's two seaside resorts,Kijkduinis located here. The district is divided into four neighbourhoods.
• Scheveningen(61,000 inhabitants)is the wealthy northernmost district of The Hague. A modern beach resort, Scheveningen is a popular tourist destination. It has a long sandy beach and its own esplanade, pier, and lighthouse, but also aPathécinema, a musical theatre, a casino, and a special Museum for Scheveningen. The district also includes a fishing harbour. Notable buildings include theKurhausand farther inland, thePeace Palace.
• Segbroek(63,000 inhabitants)is a district located between Scheveningen and Loosduinen. The population decreased until around 2005, but since then has begun to grow again, driven by students and east European immigrants. It became a district of The Hague in 1988 and is divided into five neighbourhoods.

Climate

The Hague experiences a temperateoceanic climate(Köppen:Cfb) similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in the summer. It also gets more sunshine.

Climate data forValkenburg Naval Air Base
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	13.8 (56.8)	15.9 (60.6)	20.8 (69.4)	25.9 (78.6)	29.7 (85.5)	33.5 (92.3)	36.5 (97.7)	34.6 (94.3)	31.7 (89.1)	24.5 (76.1)	17.5 (63.5)	15.4 (59.7)	36.5 (97.7)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	6.4 (43.5)	6.9 (44.4)	9.8 (49.6)	13.6 (56.5)	17.0 (62.6)	19.6 (67.3)	21.6 (70.9)	21.8 (71.2)	18.9 (66.0)	14.7 (58.5)	10.2 (50.4)	7.1 (44.8)	14.0 (57.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)	4.1 (39.4)	4.2 (39.6)	6.4 (43.5)	9.4 (48.9)	12.8 (55.0)	15.6 (60.1)	17.8 (64.0)	17.8 (64.0)	15.0 (59.0)	11.4 (52.5)	7.6 (45.7)	4.8 (40.6)	10.6 (51.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	1.5 (34.7)	1.2 (34.2)	2.7 (36.9)	4.8 (40.6)	8.3 (46.9)	11.2 (52.2)	13.5 (56.3)	13.4 (56.1)	10.9 (51.6)	7.9 (46.2)	4.7 (40.5)	2.1 (35.8)	6.8 (44.2)
Record low °C (°F)	−16.4 (2.5)	−14.0 (6.8)	−11.1 (12.0)	−4.4 (24.1)	−1.5 (29.3)	1.7 (35.1)	5.4 (41.7)	5.5 (41.9)	1.2 (34.2)	−4.4 (24.1)	−7.1 (19.2)	−10.6 (12.9)	−16.4 (2.5)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	70.0 (2.76)	59.4 (2.34)	52.8 (2.08)	41.6 (1.64)	52.7 (2.07)	62.8 (2.47)	72.7 (2.86)	84.0 (3.31)	89.2 (3.51)	89.9 (3.54)	90.4 (3.56)	76.4 (3.01)	841.9 (33.15)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1 mm)	12	10	11	9	9	9	10	10	12	13	14	13	132
Average snowy days	5	5	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	4	20
Averagerelative humidity(%)	86	84	83	79	78	79	80	80	83	84	87	87	83
Mean monthlysunshine hours	71.7	96.7	152.0	207.2	240.5	229.3	237.5	213.4	160.0	116.7	68.2	56.5	1,849.7
Source 1:Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute(1981–2010 normal, snowy days normal for 1971–2000)
Source 2: Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (1971–2000 extremes)

Cityscape

See also:List of tallest buildings in Haaglanden

City life concentrates around theHofvijverand theBinnenhof,where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities ofLeidenandDelft.It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in the town centre that may be dated from the lateMiddle Agesand several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, aCity Hall(built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-centuryProtestantchurch built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings.

TheHofvijverand the buildings housing theStates General of the Netherlands

View of theHoftoren(left) and theMinistry of Health, Welfare and Sport(the triangulargableright)

The city is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 ofLeiden Universityas well asLeiden University College The Hague,which was established in 2010. TheRoyal Conservatory of The Hagueand theRoyal Academy of Artare also located there, as well asThe Hague University,avocational universityand a branch of TheOpen University of the Netherlands.The city has manycivil servantsanddiplomats.In fact, the number and variety of foreign residents (especially theexpatriates) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreignpubs,shops and cultural events.

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on theNorth Seaand includes two distinctbeach resorts.The main beach resortScheveningen,in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10 million visitors a year, it is the most popular beach town in theBeneluxarea.Kijkduin,in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents.

The former Dutch colony of theEast Indies,nowIndonesia,has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in the Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable "Indo"(i.e. mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949,"Indo people"also known as" Indische people "often refer to The Hague as" the Widow of the Indies ".

The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of the southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architectH.P. Berlageabout 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architectW.M. Dudokplanned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings.

The layout of the city is more spacious than other Dutch cities and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much more green city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around the city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century and some were filled between 1910 and 1970but many have been restored recently.

The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries ofJustice and Securityand theInterior and Kingdom Relationsof the Netherlands, designed byHans Kollhoff.Other significant skyscrapers include theHoftoren,Het StrijkijzerandDe Kroon.

Demographics

The Hague population pyramid in 2022

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1369 1,494 — 1398 1,300 −0.48% 1477 6,066 +1.97% 1514 5,500 −0.26% 1550 6,000 +0.24% 1622 15,825 +1.36% 1632 16,600 +0.48% 1665 20,000 +0.57% 1732 33,500 +0.77%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1795 38,433 +0.22% 1850 72,000 +1.15% 1874 90,000 +0.93% 1895 180,000 +3.36% 1900 206,022 +2.74% 1910 271,280 +2.79% 1920 359,610 +2.86% 1930 432,680 +1.87% 1940 504,262 +1.54%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1950 558,849 +1.03% 1960 606,110 +0.82% 1970 550,613 −0.96% 1980 456,376 −1.86% 1990 441,327 −0.33% 2000 441,097 −0.01% 2010 489,271 +1.04% 2020 546,335 +1.11% 2021 549,163 +0.52%
Source:Lourens & Lucassen 1997,pp. 108–110 (1369–1795) buurtmonitor.nl(1795–present)

City of Den Haag population by country of origin (2018)

Country/Territory	Population
Netherlands	246,633 (43%)
Suriname	46,346 (8.70%)
Turkey	40,064 (7.52%)
Morocco	31,455 (5.91%)
Indonesia	17,635 (3.31%)
Poland	14,094 (2.65%)
Dutch Caribbean	13,218 (2.48%)
Other	123,116 (26%)

Religions in The Hague (2015)

Irreligion(49.6%)

Roman Catholic(14.9%)

Protestant Church in the Netherlands(9.4%)

Other Christian denominations (5.7%)

Islam(14.7%)

Hinduism(4.8%)

Buddhism(0.8%)

Judaism(0.2%)

As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the housing act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by spatial policy, demographic processes, and lack of space. After several annexations and housing constructions, The Hague has since grown again, celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects the growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030.

The demonym of The Hague officially isHagenaar,but the termHageneesis informally used for someone who was born and raised in The Hague.The usage of these demonyms appears to be class-bound, with Hagenaar being the upper-class term and Hagenees being that of the lower-class.

Origin make-up

43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in the Netherlands, while 15.6% has at least one parent who was born abroad in a western country, and 34.4% has at least one parent that was born in a non-western country.

Inhabitants by birthplace

2020	Numbers	%
Both parents born in NL	242,441	44.42%
Western migration background	105,315	19.29%
Non-Western migration background	198,082	36.29%
Suriname	45,783	8.39%
Turkey	41,122	7.53%
Morocco	32,355	5.93%
Indonesia	17,187	3.15%
Netherlands AntillesandAruba	14,037	2.57%
Total	545,838	100%

Religion

Just under half of The Hague's population identifies with a religious group. The two most popular religions areChristianity(29%) and Islam (14.1%). Religiosity is higher among people with a recent migration background from Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco and Surinam. Islam is the most common religion among people with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background. Among people of Surinamese heritage there is more religious diversity, with Hinduism being the most common. Of The Hague's native Dutch population, most religious people adhere to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship.

Politics

Municipal government

The Hague City Hall

See also:List of mayors of The Hague

As of the2022 municipal election,themunicipal councilof The Hague contains thirteen parties, most notably the localHeart for The Hague(HvDH; 9 seats),Democrats 66(D66; 8 seats), thePeople's Party for Freedom and Democracy(VVD; 7 seats) andGroenLinks(5 seats).

Party		Seats
	Heart for The Hague / Group de Mos	9 / 45
	Democrats 66	8 / 45
	People's Party for Freedom and Democracy	7 / 45
	GroenLinks	5 / 45
	Party for the Animals	3 / 45
	Labour Party	3 / 45
	Christian Democratic Appeal	3 / 45
	DENK	2 / 45
	The Hague City Party	1 / 45
	Socialist Party	1 / 45
	Party for Freedom	1 / 45
	Christian Union – Reformed Political Party	1 / 45
	Forum for Democracy	1 / 45

Since 2019, themunicipal executivehas comprised VVD, D66, GroenLinks, CDA and PvdA. The chairman of the college is MayorJan van Zanen(VVD), and the city has eight aldermen:Anne Mulder,Kavita Parbhudayal (both VVD), Robert van Asten, Saskia Bruines (both D66),Liesbeth van Tongeren,Bert van Alphen (both GroenLinks), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) and Martijn Balster (PvdA). Each alderman is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts.

On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation (Rijksrecherche) performed araidon the homes and offices of then-aldermenRichard de Mosand Rachid Guernaoui, as part of an investigation of alleged administrative corruption, bribery and violation of confidentiality. The offices of several municipal civil servants and the homes of three entrepreneurs were also searched for the investigation. The aldermen were suspected of receiving bribes in exchange for granting permits.In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges.

International politics

ThePeace Palacehouses theInternational Court of JusticeandPermanent Court of Arbitrationamongst other institutions.

International Criminal Court

Meeting in theHall of Knightsduring theCongress of Europe(9 May 1948)

The Hague is home to many different international judicial bodies, such as theInternational Court of Justice(ICJ), theInternational Criminal Court(ICC), and theInternational Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals(IRMCT). It housesScheveningen Prison,the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law.The Hague is the fourth major centre for theUnited Nations,after New York, Geneva and Vienna.

The foundation of The Hague as an"international city of peace and justice"started at the end of the 19th century, whenthe first global peace conferencetook place in The Hague onTobias Asser's initiative, with a second one a few years later. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for the settlement of international disputes, thePermanent Court of Arbitration(PCA). Shortly thereafter, the Scottish-American millionaireAndrew Carnegiemade the necessary funds available to build thePeace Palaceto house the PCA. After the establishment of theLeague of Nations,The Hague became the seat of thePermanent Court of International Justice,which was replaced (afterWorld War II) by the UN'sInternational Court of Justice.The establishments of theIran–United States Claims Tribunal(1981), theInternational Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia(1993), and theInternational Criminal Court(2002) in the city further consolidated its role as a centre for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, theSpecial Tribunal for Lebanon,a UN tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the DutchGeneral Intelligence and Security ServiceinLeidschendam,a town within the greater area of The Hague.

Other major international and European organisations based in The Hague include:

• Europol,European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
• Eurojust,European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation
• Europeana,European Union digital platform for cultural heritage.
• The Hague Academy of International Law,centre for high-level education in both public and private international law
• Hague Conference on Private International Law(HCCH), the oldest and preeminent private international law harmonisation institution
• International Commission on Missing Persons(ICMP)
• European Patent Office
• Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization
• NATO Communications and Information Agency,(NCI Agency)
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons(OPCW)
• The European Library

Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. TheHague Academic Coalition(HAC) is a consortium of those institutions.

Its member institutions are:

• Carnegie Foundation
• Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law(HiiL)
• International Institute of Social Studies(ISS) ofErasmus University Rotterdam
• Leiden University College The Hague
• Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael'
• The Hague Academy of International Law
• The Hague University of Applied Sciences
• T.M.C. Asser Instituut

In 1948, theCongress of Europewas held with 750 delegates from 26 European governments, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development ofEuropean integration,which eventually culminated in the creation of the modern-dayEuropean Union.

Economy

The Hague's central financial district,Beatrixkwartier,with the modern tram viaduct called theNetkous( "Fishnet stocking")

The Hague has aservice-orientedeconomy. A professional life in the city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as of 2006,26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch government or the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries ofDefence,Justice,Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment,Foreign Affairs,theMinistry of the Interior and Kingdom RelationsandTransport, Public Works and Water Management.

Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague includeAegon,APM Terminals,Damco,NIBC Bank,Chicago Bridge & Iron CompanyandPostNL.The city is also host to the regional headquarters ofSiemens,T-Mobile,AT&T,Huawei,Kuwait Petroleum Corporation,McDermott International,Saudi Aramco,TotalEnergiesandWorley.There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour inScheveningen.Many of the city's logistical and minor-industrial services are in the Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses.

Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the second biggestDutchtourist destination, afterAmsterdam.In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in the city increased by 5%; in particular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while the Germans were good for 24% more hotel nights, and the French booked 20% more hotel nights. The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of €2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make their living in the tourism sector.

Culture

The Hague originated around the 13th centuryBinnenhof,and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Nightlife centres around the three main squares in the city centre. ThePlein(literally "Square" ) is taken by several large sidewalk cafés where often politicians may be spotted. TheGrote Markt(literally "Great Market" ) is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. TheBuitenhof(literally "Outer Court", located just outside theBinnenhof) contains a six-screenPathécinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof isDe Passage,the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century,it contains many expensive and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues,Paard van Troje,can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in The Hague is Muziekcafé de Paap.

TheKoninklijke Schouwburg,home toHet Nationale Theater

The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite theNieuwe Kerk.Besides theCity Hall,this was also the location of theAnton Philipszaal,home to theResidentie Orchestra,and theLucent Danstheater,home to the internationally celebrated modern dance companyNederlands Dans Theater.These buildings, designed byRem Koolhaasin 1988, have been demolished to make space for a new theatre,Amare,which would house both institutes as well as theRoyal Conservatory.Despite efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. At the heart of the city centre across the palace gardens is the home ofSummerschool Den Haag,an international school for dance with guest teachers such asValentina Scaglia,Igone de Jongh,andMaia Makhateli.TheKoninklijke Schouwburg,home toHet Nationale Theater,can also be found in the city centre – on the Korte Voorhout.New European Ensembleis a collective forcontemporary musicconsisting on international musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city.

Scheveningenforms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its ownPathécinema as well as the musical theatreCircustheateralthough, especially in the summer, most night life concentrates around the sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature parkMadurodam,theBeelden aan Zeemuseum, and aSea Life Centre.

The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. KingWillem-Alexander of the Netherlandsand QueenMáxima of the Netherlandslive inHuis ten Boschin theHaagse Bosand work in theNoordeinde Palacein the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. TheKneuterdijk Palace,built in 1716, is now home to theCouncil of State of the Netherlands,and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by theEscher Museum,dedicated to Dutch graphical artistM. C. Escher.

Mauritshuis

The Hague has its share of museums, most notably theMauritshuis,located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits manypaintingsby Dutch masters, such asJohannes Vermeer,Rembrandt van RijnandPaulus Potter.Other museums include the science museumMuseon,the modern art museumKunstmuseum,the historic museumHaags Historisch Museum,the national postal museumMuseum voor Communicatie,theMuseum Bredius,theLouis Couperus Museum,the museumBeelden aan ZeeinScheveningen,Panorama Mesdag,and theGevangenpoort,a former prison housed in a 15th-century gatehouse.

Since early times, possibly as far back as the 16th century, thestorkhas been the symbol of The Hague.

Several films have been (partially) shot in The Hague, includingMindhunters(2004),Hum Tum(2004),Ocean's Twelve(2004),Black Book(2006) andSonny Boy(2011). Parts of the second season of the Netflix seriesSense8were filmed in The Hague.Notable actors and filmmakers from The Hague includeMartin Koolhoven,Georgina Verbaan,Carel Struycken,Frederique van der Wal,Marwan Kenzari,Anna Drijver,Renée SoutendijkandPaul Verhoeven,who grew up in the city from an early age.

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  TheRidderzaalinside theBinnenhof,the political centre of the Netherlands
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  Monument commemorating the founding of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Plein 1813
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  Noordeinde Palace
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  Grote of Sint-Jacobskerk
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  Huis ten Boschis the residence of the king.
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  Louwman Museumis a museum for historic cars, coaches, and motorcycles.

Sports

ADO Den Haag Stadium

The city's majorfootballclub isADO Den Haag,which competes in theEerste Divisie,the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. ADO Den Haag has won theKNVB Cuptwice and won the League twice in the era before professional football. They play their matches at the 15,000 seatADO Den Haag Stadium.Amateur teamHVVare also based in the city. Before the professional era, the club won 10 national titles and one KNVB Cup, and they remain fourth in the all-timelist of national title winners.HBS Craeyenhoutis another amateur club in the city, which won three national titles before the establishment of the Eredivisie.On 13 May 2021, football club ADO Den Haag was relegated from the Eredivisie as they lost their final game of the season againstWillem II.In effect, ADO Den Haag no longer holds a position in the top division of professional Dutch football.

Since 2020, the basketball clubThe Hague Royalsplays in the professionalDutch Basketball League(DBL). Home games are played at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark.

The localrugby unionteam is Haagsche Rugby Club (a.k.a. HRC). The ice hockey team isHYS The Hagueand the localAmerican Footballteam is Den Haag Raiders '99.

Dartsis another sport played in The Hague; its popularity was increased byRaymond van Barneveldwinning several World Championships.

The half-marathon raceCPC Loop Den Haagis held annually in The Hague. In 1994, The Hague held theFEIWorld Equestrian Games.

Annual events

Koningsdag,orKing's Day,is held annually on 27 April. It is traditionally celebrated with fairs and flea markets throughout the city. On this day, the colour orange predominates at afunfair(which sells orangecotton candy) and scores of informal street markets. The day is avrijmarkt(literally "free market" ), which means no licence is needed for street vending; children traditionally use this day to sell old unwanted toys. Since King's Day is a national holiday and thus a day off, many people also go out and party on the evening before King's Day. This evening is called King's Night, orKoningnachtin The Hague. The "t" is left out becausenachtis pronounced asnachin The Hague. Outdoor concerts throughout the city centre of The Hague draw tens of thousands of visitors every year.

Every third Tuesday in September isPrinsjesdag,orPrince's Day,the opening of the Dutch parliament. On a festive day, children in The Hague are free from school so they may watch the procession of theGolden Coach.The King is driven in the coach fromNoordeinde Palaceto theRidderzaalin theBinnenhof.Here, the King reads theSpeech from the Throne,written jointly by the Ministers and Secretaries of State. Thistroonredeoutlines the government's plans for the coming year. As the procession returns to the Noordeinde Palace, the road is lined with members of the Dutch Royal Armed Forces, and in the afternoon, the Royal Family appears on the palace balcony to address an adoring and often frenzied public (balkonscène).

Vlaggetjesdag(nl), literallyFlag Day,is the annual celebration of the arrival of the year's first herring (Hollandse Nieuwe) inScheveningen.Hundreds of thousands of people gather in Scheveningen for the festivities, and the fishing boats are decorated specially for the occasion. In addition to the omnipresent herring, this day also features several activities unrelated to fish. In Scheveningen, the first barrel of herring is traditionally sold at an auction on the Thursday preceding the official Vlaggetjesdag, and the proceeds go to charity. Vlaggetjesdag was made official in 1947, although the festive tradition around the beginning of herring season is much older: in the 18th century, the villages along the coast, including Scheveningen, were forbidden to gut the caught herring. Since herring was most appropriate for smoking around September, most fishing boats caught flatfish or round-bodied fish during part of the summer, to avoid a surplus of fresh herring.In July or August, The Hague hosts a series of weekly firework displays by the sea front inScheveningen,as part of an international fireworks festival and competition.

Tong Tong Fair,formerlyPasar Malam Besar,is the largest festival in the world forIndoculture. Established in 1959, it is one of the oldest festivals and the fourth-largest grand fair in the Netherlands. It is also the annual event with the highest number of paying visitors to The Hague, having consistently attracted more than 100,000 visitors since 1993. The Milan Festival is Europe's biggest Hindustani open-air event, annually held inZuiderpark.The Hague also hosts several annual music festivals; on the last Sunday in June, the city hostsParkpop,the largest free open-air pop concert in Europe.Crossing Border Festival,State-XandThe Hague Jazzfestival are among other music festivals in The Hague.

Crossing Border Festivalis an annual festival in November, focusing on music and literature.The first edition took place in 1993.

Movies That Matteris an international film and debate festival about peace and justice that takes place every year at the end of March; nine days filled with screenings of fiction films and documentaries, daily talk-shows, music performances, andexhibitions.The first such event took place in 2006.

Moreover, The Hague International Model United Nations, annually held in January, is a five-day conference held at theWorld Forum,gathering over 4,000 students from over 200 secondary schools across the globe. It is the oldest and largest high schoolUnited Nationssimulation in the world.Den Haag Sculptuuris an open-air exhibition of sculptures; the tenth such event, in 2007, celebrated the 400 years of therelationship between the Netherlands and Australia.Since 2009, the city of The Hague also annually presents anLGBTQ+ emancipationaward, called theJohn Blankenstein Award.The exact date of the ceremony varies each year.

Notable people

Main article:List of people from The Hague

Transport

Modern RegioCitadis tram on route 2,Loosduinen,April 2012

Air

The Hague shares anairportwithRotterdam.It can be reached from Central Station byRandstadRailLine E, with an Airport Shuttle to and fromMeijersplein Station.However, with several direct trains per hour from the railway stations Hollands Spoor and Centraal,Amsterdam Airport Schipholis more frequently used by people travelling to and from The Hague by air.

Rail

View of Hollands Spoor

There are two mainrailway stationsin The Hague:Hollands SpoorandCentraal Station,1.5 km (1 mi) apart from each other. Because the two stations were built and run by two different railway companies in the 19th century, services have traditionally been split between the two: east–west lines terminate at Centraal Station, whereas north–south lines run through Hollands Spoor. However, Centraal Station now offers direct services to most major Dutch cities, such asAmsterdam,Rotterdam,andUtrecht.

Other destinations includeLeiden,Haarlem,Zwolle,Groningen,Leeuwarden,Amersfoort,Enschede,Breda,TilburgandEindhoven.International travellers forAntwerpandBrusselshave to change trains at Rotterdam.

Urban transport

Public transport in The Hague consists ofa tramway networkand a sizeable number of bus routes, operated byHTM Personenvervoer.Plans for a subway were shelved in the early 1970s. However, in 2004 a tunnel was built under the city centre with two underground tram stations (SpuiandGrote Markt); it is shared by RandstadRail lines 3 and 4 and tram routes 2 and 6.

RandstadRailconnects The Hague to nearby cities, Zoetermeer, Rotterdam, and Leidschendam-Voorburg. It consists of four light rail lines (3, 4, and 19 to Zoetermeer, Rijswijk, Delft, and Leidschendam-Voorburg) and one subway line (E to Rotterdam).

Road

Major motorways connecting to The Hague include theA12,running to Utrecht and the German border. The A12 runs directly into the heart of the city in a cutting. Built in the 1970s, this section of the motorway (the "Utrechtsebaan" ) is now heavily overburdened. Plans were made in the late 1990s for a second artery road into the city (the "Rotterdamsebaan", previously called the "Trekvliettracé" ) which was completed in 2021.Other connecting motorways are theA4,which connects the city withAmsterdam,and theA13,which runs toRotterdamand connects to motorways towards the Belgian border. There is also theA44that connects the city toLeiden,HaarlemandAmsterdam.In the 1970s, plans of building another motorway to Leiden existed. This "Leidsebaan" was supposed to start in the city centre and then follow the railway line from The Hague to Amsterdam. Some works had been executed but had been removed by the 1980s.

See also

• List of people from The Hague

References

Sources

Further information:Bibliography of the history of The Hague

• Lourens, Piet; Lucassen, Jan (1997).Inwonertallen van Nederlandse steden ca. 1300–1800.Amsterdam: NEHA.ISBN9057420082.

External links

• City of The Hague.
• The largest painting in the NetherlandsArchived11 January 2016 at theWayback Machine.