North Holland

Capital

Haarlem

North Holland is a province in the northwest of the Netherlands. It is situated on the North Sea, north of South Holland and Utrecht, and west of Friesland and Flevoland. In 2006, it had a population of 2,606,584 and a total area of 2,683 km2 (1,036 sq mi). From the 9th to the 16th century, the area was an integral part of the County of Holland. During this period West Friesland was incorporated. In the 17th and 18th century, the area was part of the province of Holland. At that time, the distinction between the Noorderkwartier (Northern Quarter) and the Zuiderkwartier (Southern Quarter) became common. In 1840, the province of Holland was split into the two provinces of North Holland and South Holland. In 1855, the Haarlemmermeer was drained and turned into land. The capital and seat of the provincial government is Haarlem and its largest city is Amsterdam. The King's Commissioner of North Holland is Johan Remkes. There are 51 municipalities and three (parts of) water boards in the province.