Haarlem (pop. 147,000) is the capital of the province of North Holland. The city is located on the river Spaarne, about 20 km west of Amsterdam and near the coastal dunes. It has been the historical center of the tulip bulb-growing district for centuries and bears the nickname of Bloemenstad ("flower city") for this reason.The New York neighbourhood of Harlem, in Manhattan, was founded by Dutch settlers in the 17th century and was originally called Nieuw Haarlem (New Haarlem).The name Haarlem comes from "Haarloheim" or "Harulahem", which means "wooden place on high sandy soil". First mentioned in the 10th century, Haarlem had become a fortified town by the 12th century, then a residence of the Counts of Holland.