Rotterdam, located in the province of Zuid Holland, is the second largest municipality in the Netherlands (after Amsterdam). The city has the largest port in Europe and was until recently the largest port on earth; it is found on the banks of the river the Nieuwe Maas, one of the streams in the delta formed by the Rhine and Meuse rivers. The name "Rotterdam" is derived from a dam in a small river, the Rotte, which joins the Nieuwe Maas at the heart of the city.
Rotterdam has the largest port in Europe (Port of Rotterdam). Most important for the harbour of Rotterdam are the petrochemical industry and general cargo transhipment handlings. The harbour functions as an important transit point for transport of bulk and other goods between the European continent and other parts of the world.
