Provincial Government

The Hague is also the capital of the province of Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

South Holland is a bustling, multifaceted province. It is home to 3.5 million people, who inhabit an area of around 2,900 square kilometres. This makes it the most densely populated of the 12 provinces of the Netherlands, with 1,220 inhabitants per square kilometer. 

Beehive of Activity

Lots of people, lots of activity. South Holland has around 130,200 registered businesses. The province also boasts various centres of knowledge and expertise, including three universities in Leiden, Delft and Rotterdam, the TNO research laboratories, the European Space Agency and the Innovation Centers. South Holland is the country’s most important province in terms of economy, agriculture and the provision of services. It is a beehive of activity, crisscrossed by a busy network of roads, railways and waterways. Rotterdam with its main port is South Holland’s largest city. The provincial capital is The Hague, also the seat of the national government and the queen’s official place of residence.

Outside its urban heart, South Holland offers spacious tranquility, sprawling countryside, rivers, polders, lakes, dunes and endless sandy beaches.

It is a constant challenge to strike between the many conflicting interests of such a multifaceted province. This task is in the hands of the provincial administration, which works in cooperation with the national government, the municipalities of South Holland, the neighboring provinces and the regional water boards.

For more information about South Holland, visit the province's website: www.zuid-holland.nl.