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