Around the World in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the world’s most diverse cities. The food, the festivals, the music, the art – whether you love Indonesian or Polish, Surinamese or Ghanaian, Amsterdam has it all.

Ever since the 16th century, Amsterdam has been a mix of nationalities, which have shaped and enriched the city. As Russell Shorto, historian and author of the book Amsterdam: A History of the World’s Most Liberal City, puts it: ‘One thing that sets Amsterdam’s diversity apart is its antiquity… in becoming the melting pot of Europe in the 1500s and 1600s, the city set the template for modern urban life.’

In 2023, Amsterdam’s population is at around 883,000, and around half of the city’s residents have an immigrant background and 308,000 of them are first-generation immigrants. And with almost 180 nationalities among its residents, Amsterdam is a city that’s home to a huge range of international delights.

From Chinatown to Suriname

Whether by accident or design, certain neighbourhoods are home to concentrations of a particular community. Some are longstanding, such as the city’s Chinatown, which was established by the first Chinese settlers around 1911. Others are more recent, such as

De Bijlmer in the Zuidoost district, where Amsterdam’s Surinamese community established itself in the 1970s and 1980s. Some neighbourhood clusters, such as Little India and Japantown in Amstelveen, are driven by international companies that provide housing for their employees. And sometimes a neighbourhood becomes home to a community just through a snowball e ect, with existing shops and businesses attracting newcomers from that community.

Whatever the reason, it’s worth taking time to explore neighbourhoods beyond the city centre and discover the delights of Amsterdam’s cultural diversity. As Charles Landry, author and international adviser on urban change, says: ‘The many cultures in Amsterdam contribute to the city’s high level of craziness –something which every interesting city should o er.’ Throughout Amsterdam you can enjoy cultures from Australia to Zimbabwe, taking in Dutch icons along the way. To get you started, here’s a brief introduction to just a few of the city’s communities, including top tips by those who know where to go.