Still Making History: The Dutch East India Company You
may
corporations ExxonMobil
think
that
like are
modern
Apple, the
most
mega
Google,
or
profitable
companies in history. But the truth is, they don’t compare to the economic juggernaut that was the Dutch East India Company,
Did You Know: Eindhoven is one of the most livable cities in Europe?
which remains the most valuable global company of all time. Established in 1602, the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC, or Dutch East India Company) was granted a monopoly on the spice trade with the far East, and was allowed to trade, establish colonies and even military forces to engage in conflict with other countries.
According to a recent expert ranking by ECA International of 480 cities around the world,
At its peak in 1637, the VOC employed over
Eindhoven came in fifth position.
70,000 people and was worth 78 million Dutch guilders. In today’s money, that
The
cities
were
health,
amounts to $7.9 trillion dollars, which is
leisure
equal to the peak value of Apple, Microsoft,
While
Amazon, ExxonMobil, Berkshire Hathaway,
Copenhagen and Bern topped the list, the
Tencent, and Wells Fargo combined. In fact, it
Netherlands as a whole proved the most
was equal to the modern-day combined GDP
livable country, with four cities in the top 20.
of Japan and Germany.
housing,
safety,
facilities,
and
evaluated air
political
for
quality, tension.
The Hague (3), Eindhoven (5), Amsterdam (7), and Rotterdam (12).
Today’s most profitable company in the world, Saudi Aramco, is worth just over half
And it’s not just this ranking: according to
of the peak value of the Dutch East India
online database Numbeo, Eindhoven places
Company, which suggests that the VOC will
just behind number 1 Zurich on its Quality of
remain history’s most valuable company for
Life Index. Congratulations, Eindhoven!
generations to come.
