Government of Rotterdam
Encyclopedia
The Government of Rotterdam is the government of the municipality and city of Rotterdam
in the Netherlands
. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Rotterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as Rozenburg
, cover an even larger area.
and Aldermen for the period 2006-2010 was formed by a coalition
of the parties PvdA (Labour), CDA (Christian Democratic), VVD (Liberal) and GroenLinks (Green Left). The college was sworn in on May 18, 2006.
The college since its inauguration in 2006 had a number of cycles. VVD-waved alderman in 2007 Roelf de Boer
for a burnout down. In 2008, GreenLeft alderman Orhan Kaya replaced by Rik Grashoff
. In April 2009 joined the VVD
from the council, the coalition remained intact and still had a slim majority of 23 of the 45 seats. The two VVD aldermen Jeannette Baljeu and Mark Harbers were replaced by a CDA and PvdA alderman. This was the CDA with only three council seats, three aldermen - a remarkable situation. In July 2009 joined CDA alderman Leonard Geluk
. However, because a new job as chairman of ROC Netherlands. With this was Geluk the fifth alderman since 2006 stepped down prematurely.
Aldermen
are: Jeannette Baljeu, Hugo de Jonge, Hamit Karakus
, Jantine Kriens, Antoinette Laan and Korrie Louwes (Dominic Schrijer resigned on May 17, 2011).
Results of the elections of 2002, 2006 and 2010:
(PvdA). The mayors since the World War II are:
See also: List of mayors of Rotterdam
(deelgemeenten).
The boroughs are responsible for many activities that previously had been run by the central city. The idea was to bring the government closer to the people. All of these have their own council, chosen by a popular election. It is governed by the central municipal council. Local decisions are made at borough level and only affairs pertaining the whole city (like major infrastructural projects), are delegated to the central city council.
The boroughs are:
The port areas are directly under the municipality
The districts are:
s and reclassifications:
* The municipality Katendrecht in 1873 annexed by the municipality Charlois
** The city annexed Pernis in 1834 the town 's-Gravenambracht
Cologne
, Germany 1958 Esch-sur-Alzette
, Luxembourg 1958 Lille
, France 1958 Turin
, Italy 1958 Liège
, Belgium 1958 Burgas
, Bulgaria 1976 Constanța
, Romania 1976 Gdańsk
, Poland 1977 Shanghai
, China 1979 Havana
, Cuba 1983 Saint Petersburg
, Russia 1966 Baltimore
, Maryland, USA 1985 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
, Spain Dresden
, Germany 1988 Istanbul
, Turkey 2005 Surabaya
, Indonesia Szeged
, Hungary Kuching
, Malaysia
, United Kingdom 1936 Antwerp, Belgium 1940 Basel
, Switzerland 1945 Oslo
, Norway 1945 Duisburg
, Germany 1950 Nuremberg
, Germany 1961 Jakarta
, Indonesia 1983 Osaka
, Japan 1984 Budapest
, Hungary 1991 Bratislava
, Slovakia 1991 Durban
, South Africa 1991 Prague
, Czech Republic 1991 Buenos Aires
, Argentina 1990
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Most of the inhabitants live in the city of Rotterdam, but the municipality also covers a number of small villages, and other parts of the local government, such as Rozenburg
Rozenburg
Rozenburg is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² . It was the second-smallest municipality in the Netherlands in area...
, cover an even larger area.
City council 2006 - 2010
The MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and Aldermen for the period 2006-2010 was formed by a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of the parties PvdA (Labour), CDA (Christian Democratic), VVD (Liberal) and GroenLinks (Green Left). The college was sworn in on May 18, 2006.
The college since its inauguration in 2006 had a number of cycles. VVD-waved alderman in 2007 Roelf de Boer
Roelf de Boer
Roelf Hendrik de Boer is a Dutch politician.-References:...
for a burnout down. In 2008, GreenLeft alderman Orhan Kaya replaced by Rik Grashoff
Rik Grashoff
Hendrik Johannes Grashoff is a Dutch engineer and politician. He is a member of GroenLinks , a left-wing, Green political party. Since 23 November 2010 he has been a member of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands...
. In April 2009 joined the VVD
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
The People's Party for Freedom and Democracy is a conservative-liberal political party located in the Netherlands. The VVD supports private enterprise in the Netherlands and is often perceived as an economic liberal party in contrast to the social-liberal Democrats 66 alongside which it sits in...
from the council, the coalition remained intact and still had a slim majority of 23 of the 45 seats. The two VVD aldermen Jeannette Baljeu and Mark Harbers were replaced by a CDA and PvdA alderman. This was the CDA with only three council seats, three aldermen - a remarkable situation. In July 2009 joined CDA alderman Leonard Geluk
Leonard Geluk
Leonard Geluk is a Dutch politician.-References:...
. However, because a new job as chairman of ROC Netherlands. With this was Geluk the fifth alderman since 2006 stepped down prematurely.
City council 2010 - 2014
The city council is formed by four parties: CDA (Christian Democratic), D66 (Left Liberal), PvdA (Labour) and VVD (Liberal).Aldermen
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
are: Jeannette Baljeu, Hugo de Jonge, Hamit Karakus
Hamit Karakus
Hamit Karakus is a Dutch politician of Turkish descent of the Labour Party . Since 2006 Karakus has been an alderman of Housing and Spatial Planning of the municipality of Rotterdam.-External links:...
, Jantine Kriens, Antoinette Laan and Korrie Louwes (Dominic Schrijer resigned on May 17, 2011).
Results of the elections of 2002, 2006 and 2010:
| City councils | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | % 2002 | % 2006 | % 2010 | S. 2002 | S. 2006 | S. 2010 |
| PvdA | 22,4 | 37,4 | 28,9 | 11 (10) | 18 | 14 |
| Livable Rotterdam | 34,7 | 29,7 | 28,6 | 17 (13) | 14 | 14 |
| CDA | 11,3 | 7,7 | 6,7 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| SP | 4,0 | 6,6 | 5,6 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| VVD | 9,8 | 6,2 | 9,6 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| GreenLeft GreenLeft GreenLeft is a green political party operating in the Netherlands.GreenLeft was formed on 1 March 1989 as a merger of four left-wing political parties: the Communist Party of the Netherlands, Pacifist Socialist Party, the Political Party of Radicals and the Evangelical People's Party... |
6,5 | 4,3 | 7,3 | 3 (2) | 2 | 3 |
| CU/SGP | 2,7 | 2,4 | 3,0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| D66 | 5,1 | 2,2 | 9,3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Cityparty Rotterdam | 2,5 | 1,0 | - | 1 | 0 | - |
| Others | 1,0 | 2,5 | 1,1 | 0 (6) | 0 | 0 |
| Emergence | 54,8 | 57,8 | 46,0 | 45 | 45 | 45 |
Mayors
The mayor of Rotterdam is the head of the city council. The current mayor-designate is Ahmed AboutalebAhmed Aboutaleb
Ahmed Aboutaleb is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since January 5, 2009...
(PvdA). The mayors since the World War II are:
- Pieter OudPieter OudPieter Jacobus Oud was a prominent liberal Dutch politician who served held numerous political offices, including member of the House of Representatives, Minister of Finance and Mayor of Rotterdam. He was one of the founding member of the Dutch Labour Party and the People's Party for Freedom and...
(1945–1952) - Gerard van Walsum (1952–1965)
- Wim Thomassen (1965–1974)
- André van der LouwAndré van der LouwAndré van der Louw was a Labour Party politician. He served as Mayor of Rotterdam from 1974 to 1981 and served in the Netherlands cabinet Van Agt-2....
(1974–1981) - Bram PeperBram PeperAbraham Peper is a Dutch sociologist and former politician. Peper was Mayor of Rotterdam and Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and is member of the Dutch Labour Party ....
(1982–1998) - Ivo OpsteltenIvo OpsteltenIvo Willem Opstelten is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy . He is the Minister of Security and Justice in the Cabinet Rutte since October 14, 2010....
(1999–2009) - Ahmed AboutalebAhmed AboutalebAhmed Aboutaleb is a Dutch politician of the Labour Party . He has been the Mayor of Rotterdam since January 5, 2009...
(2010–present)
See also: List of mayors of Rotterdam
Current format
The municipality consists of 14 municipalitiesBorough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
(deelgemeenten).
The boroughs are responsible for many activities that previously had been run by the central city. The idea was to bring the government closer to the people. All of these have their own council, chosen by a popular election. It is governed by the central municipal council. Local decisions are made at borough level and only affairs pertaining the whole city (like major infrastructural projects), are delegated to the central city council.
The boroughs are:
- CentrumRotterdam CentrumRotterdam Centrum is a borough of Rotterdam since March 3, 2010. The center has 31,363 inhabitants .Rotterdam Centrum is bounded by the emplacement of the Rotterdam Centraal railway station and the Goudsesingel in the north, the Tunneltraverse of the Henegouwerlaan and 's-Gravendijkwal in the...
- CharloisCharloisCharlois is a neighbourhood of the Dutch city of Rotterdam. It is located on the south bank of the Meuse River.Charlois used to be a separate village; the municipality Charlois existed until 1895, when it became part of Rotterdam.-References:...
- DelfshavenDelfshavenDelfshaven is a borough of Rotterdam on the right bank of river Nieuwe Maas, in South Holland, the Netherlands. It was a separate municipality until 1886.The town of Delfshaven grew around the port of the city of Delft...
- FeijenoordFeijenoord districtFeijenoord is a district in Rotterdam and is located south of the Nieuwe Maas. As of 1 January 2004 there were 72,320 citizens. The area is 6.44 km²...
- Hillegersberg-SchiebroekHillegersberg-SchiebroekHillegersberg-Schiebroek is a borough in northern Rotterdam. The borough has 40,846 inhabitants.Until the annexation by Rotterdam on August 1, 1941 were Hillegersberg and Schiebroek independent communities. In 1947 in Rotterdam, the first elected councils established, in 1948 was the first...
- HoogvlietHoogvlietHoogvliet is a town and separate borough within Rotterdam in the Netherlands. As of 1 January 2004, it had 36,619 inhabitants. There is also a named after the district.-History:...
- Hook of Holland
- IJsselmondeIJsselmonde (Rotterdam)IJsselmonde is a township located in the southeastern corner of the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. As of 2006 it has 58,782 inhabitants....
- Kralingen-CrooswijkKralingen-CrooswijkKralingen-Crooswijk is a township of the city of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. It is located at the immediate east of the city's centre. As of 2005 it has about 52,379 inhabitants and has a territory of about 1,286 ha...
- NoordNoord (Rotterdam)Noord is a borough of Rotterdam. The municipal portion is formed by the Delfshavense Schie, the Highway 20 , the Rotte and the rails. The borough had 48,990 inhabitants in 2007.- Neighborhoods :The borough Noord consists of the neighborhoods:...
- OverschieOverschieOverschie is a former village in the Dutch province of South Holland, and now a neighbourhood of Rotterdam.The village of Overschie was located on the intersection of four rivers called "Schie": the Delftsche Schie, Schiedamsche Schie, Delfshavensche Schie, and Rotterdamsche Schie. It was a...
- PernisPernis (Netherlands)thumb|200px|right|Pernis in 1865.Pernis is a village and district of the municipality of Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands. The district has a population of 4,560 on a total area size of 1.60 km². Pernis is not a full submunicipality of Rotterdam, but the former independent municipality...
- Prins AlexanderPrins AlexanderPrins Alexander is a borough in the northeast part of Rotterdam, South Holland, the Netherlands.Prins Alexander knows 7 neighbourhoods:*Het Lage Land*Kralingseveer*Nesselande*Ommoord*Oosterflank*Prinsenland*Zevenkamp-Public transportation:...
- RozenburgRozenburgRozenburg is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² . It was the second-smallest municipality in the Netherlands in area...
The port areas are directly under the municipality
Districts
The boroughs are sometimes also divided into districts, but those are not administrative units within the municipality.The districts are:
- Rotterdam-NoordRotterdam-NoordRotterdam-Noord is a district of Rotterdam. Rotterdam-Noord is not an administrative unit within the municipality. It is bordered by the Rotte in the east, the Central Station and the railway in the south and the municipality in the north and west...
- Rotterdam-OostRotterdam-OostRotterdam-Oost is a district of Rotterdam. It includes the part that lies east of the Rotte. It is bordered by the Rotte in the west, the river Meuse in the south and the municipality in the north and east. Rotterdam-Oost is not an administrative unit within the municipality...
- Rotterdam-WestRotterdam-WestRotterdam-West is a district of Rotterdam. Rotterdam-West is not an administrative unit within the municipality. As a boundary for Rotterdam-West normally applies the railway Rotterdam-Schiedam to the north, the Westersingel on the east side, the Nieuwe Maas on the south side and the city Schiedam...
- Rotterdam-ZuidRotterdam-ZuidRotterdam-Zuid includes the part of Rotterdam, which is south of the Nieuwe Maas, on the island IJsselmonde. Rotterdam-Zuid has 200,000 inhabitants....
Annexations and reclassifications
The city of Rotterdam was especially strong growth since 1850. Initially they tried to accommodate the population within existing municipal boundaries, but this soon proved inadequate. Therefore, sequentially neighboring municipalities annexed or she had to cede territory to Rotterdam. An overview of these annexationAnnexation
Annexation is the de jure incorporation of some territory into another geo-political entity . Usually, it is implied that the territory and population being annexed is the smaller, more peripheral, and weaker of the two merging entities, barring physical size...
s and reclassifications:
- 1816 municipality Cool annexed.
- 1870 won territory of the municipalities Charlois, IJsselmonde and Katendrecht* serving ports and urban expansion on the current Kop van Zuid.
- 1886: annexation of the town Delfshaven (13,651 inhabitants)
- 1895: annexation of municipalities Charlois (12,154 inhabitants) and Kralingen (21,132 inhabitants), also won territory of the municipalities IJsselmonde and Overschie
- 1903 won territory of the municipality Overschie
- 1904 won territory of the municipality Hillegersberg
- 1909 won territory of the municipality of SchiedamSchiedamSchiedam is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. It is part of the Rotterdam metropolitan area. The city is located west of Rotterdam, east of Vlaardingen and south of Delft...
- 1914 won territory of the municipalities 's-Gravenzande's-Gravenzandes-Gravenzande is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westland, and lies about 12 km southwest of The Hague. Until 2004 it was a separate municipality and covered an area of 20.77 km² .In 2001, the town of 's-Gravenzande had 15241 inhabitants...
(Hook of Holland village, population 2964), NaaldwijkNaaldwijkNaaldwijk is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westland, and lies about 10 km southwest of The Hague.Naaldwijk lies in the heart of Westland. The largest economic sector is greenhouse horticulture...
and RozenburgRozenburgRozenburg is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² . It was the second-smallest municipality in the Netherlands in area... - 1926 won territory of the municipality of Schiedam
- 1934: annexation of municipalities Hoogvliet (1331 inhabitants) and Pernis** (4988 inhabitants), also won territory of the municipalities PoortugaalPoortugaalthumb|200px|right|View of Poortugaal.Poortugaal is a village that is situated near the municipality of Rotterdam. Together with Rhoon, Poortugaal forms the municipality of Albrandswaard. The village has a long history dating back to the 15th century. It has a church dating from that period...
, RhoonRhoonthumb|200px|Castle Rhoonthumb|200pxRhoon is a village that borders the municipality of the city of Rotterdam, South Holland, the Netherlands.According to its history it was established in 1199 and was ruled by the lords of Duiveland...
and Schiedam - 1939 won territory of the municipalities 's-Gravenzande and Naaldwijk
- 1940 won territory of the municipalities Schiedam and Overschie
- 1941: annexation of municipalities Hillegersberg (25,638 inhabitants), IJsselmonde (9183 inhabitants), Overschie (11,639 inhabitants) and Schiebroek (8030 inhabitants), also territories from the municipalities of BarendrechtBarendrechtBarendrecht is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 43,104 in 2007, and covers an area of 21.72 km² of which 1.45 km² is water....
, Berkel en RodenrijsBerkel en Rodenrijsthumb|250px|right|Town signBerkel en Rodenrijs is a town and former municipality in the Western part of the Netherlands, and is located in the Dutch province of South Holland.- History :...
, Capelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJssel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 65,605 in 2005, and covers an area of 15.42 km² of which 1.13 km² is water...
, Kethel en SpalandKethel en SpalandKethel en Spaland is a former municipality in the Dutch province of South Holland. It was located to the north of the city of Schiedam, and covered the village of Kethel and the hamlet Kandelaar....
(both annexed by Schiedam), Rozenburg, Schiedam and VlaardingenVlaardingenVlaardingen is a town in South Holland in the Netherlands. It is located on the north bank of the Nieuwe Maas/Nieuwe Waterweg river at the confluence with the Oude Maas... - 1953 won and lost territory to the municipality of Schiedam
- 1966 won territory of the municipalities of Geervliet, Heenvliet, Rozenburg, SpijkenisseSpijkenisseSpijkenisse is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 74,482 in 2006, and covers an area of 30.23 km²...
and SiennaSiennaSienna is a form of limonite clay most famous in the production of oil paint pigments. Its yellow-brown colour comes from ferric oxides contained within...
serving the EuropoortEuropoortEuropoort is an area of the Port of Rotterdam and the adjoining industrial area in the Netherlands. Being situated at the mouth of the rivers Rhine and Meuse with the hinterland consisting of the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and partly France, Europoort is by certain measurements the world's... - 1972 won and lost territory to the municipality OostvoorneOostvoorneOostvoorne is a town in the Dutch province of South Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Westvoorne, and lies about 9 km north of Hellevoetsluis....
and won territory of the State (North) serving the MaasvlakteMaasvlakteThe Maasvlakte is part of Europoort, a harbour and industrial area near the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.-Creation:It was created in the 1960s by reclaiming land from the North Sea through dykes and sand suppletion. The sand for the suppletion was largely taken from the North Sea and the... - 1976 won and lost territory to the municipality Rhoon
- 1978 won and lost territory to the municipality Capelle aan den IJssel and territory from the municipality of ZevenhuizenZevenhuizen- Hamlets :*Zevenhuizen, Bunschoten, hamlet in Bunschoten, Utrecht*Zevenhuizen, Eemsmond, hamlet in Eemsmond, Groningen*Zevenhuizen, Franekeradeel, hamlet in Franekeradeel, Friesland*Zevenhuizen, Heeze-Leende, hamlet in Heeze-Leende, North Brabant...
- 1980 won territory of the municipalities of BrielleBrielleBrielle , also called Den Briel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland, on the north side of the island of Voorne-Putten, at the mouth of the New Maas. The municipality covers an area of 31.12 km² of which 3.63 km² is water...
, Rozenburg and Oostvoorne - 1985 won territory of the municipalities and Poortugaal, Rozenburg (new housing east of Hoogvliet, 17,032 inhabitants) and lost to the municipality AlbrandswaardAlbrandswaardAlbrandswaard is a municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 19,607 in 2004, and covers an area of 23.75 km² of which 1.57 km² is water....
(which was recorded simultaneously Poortugaal) - 1995 won territory of the municipalities of Nieuwerkerk aan den IJsselNieuwerkerk aan den IJsselNieuwerkerk aan den IJssel is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland...
and Zevenhuizen-MoerkapelleZevenhuizen-MoerkapelleZevenhuizen-Moerkapelle is a former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland.The municipality was formed on January 1, 1991, through the merger of Moerkapelle and Zevenhuizen...
serving the Vinex Nesselande district, also lost territory to RidderkerkRidderkerkRidderkerk is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 44,886 in 2010, and covers an area of 25.10 km² .... - 1997 won territory of the municipality of Capelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJssel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 65,605 in 2005, and covers an area of 15.42 km² of which 1.13 km² is water...
- 2001 won and lost territory to the municipality Capelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJsselCapelle aan den IJssel is a town and municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 65,605 in 2005, and covers an area of 15.42 km² of which 1.13 km² is water...
- 2010: annexation of the town RozenburgRozenburgRozenburg is a town and former municipality in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 13,173 in 2004, and covers an area of 6.50 km² . It was the second-smallest municipality in the Netherlands in area...
(ca. 12,500 inhabitants).
* The municipality Katendrecht in 1873 annexed by the municipality Charlois
** The city annexed Pernis in 1834 the town 's-Gravenambracht
International relations
Rotterdam has the following city and port connections throughout the world:- 14 Sister Cities
- 13 Partner Cities
- 4 Sister Ports
Twin towns – sister cities
Rotterdam is twinned with:Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Germany 1958 Esch-sur-Alzette
Esch-sur-Alzette
Esch-sur-Alzette is a commune with city status, in south-western Luxembourg. It is the country's second city, and its second-most populous commune, with a population of 29,853 people...
, Luxembourg 1958 Lille
Lille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
, France 1958 Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy 1958 Liège
Liège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, Belgium 1958 Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
, Bulgaria 1976 Constanța
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
, Romania 1976 Gdańsk
Gdansk
Gdańsk is a Polish city on the Baltic coast, at the centre of the country's fourth-largest metropolitan area.The city lies on the southern edge of Gdańsk Bay , in a conurbation with the city of Gdynia, spa town of Sopot, and suburban communities, which together form a metropolitan area called the...
, Poland 1977 Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
, China 1979 Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
, Cuba 1983 Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia 1966 Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland, USA 1985 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria commonly known as Las Palmas is the political capital, jointly with Santa Cruz, the most populous city in the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the ninth largest city in Spain, with a population of 383,308 in 2010. Nearly half of the people of the island...
, Spain Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, Germany 1988 Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey 2005 Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Indonesia Szeged
Szeged
' is the third largest city of Hungary, the largest city and regional centre of the Southern Great Plain and the county town of Csongrád county. The University of Szeged is one of the most distinguished universities in Hungary....
, Hungary Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
, Malaysia
Partner cities
HullKingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, United Kingdom 1936 Antwerp, Belgium 1940 Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland 1945 Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway 1945 Duisburg
Duisburg
- History :A legend recorded by Johannes Aventinus holds that Duisburg, was built by the eponymous Tuisto, mythical progenitor of Germans, ca. 2395 BC...
, Germany 1950 Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
, Germany 1961 Jakarta
Jakarta
Jakarta is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of , and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre...
, Indonesia 1983 Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan 1984 Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Hungary 1991 Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, Slovakia 1991 Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
, South Africa 1991 Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic 1991 Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina 1990
Sister ports
| Kobe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka... , Japan 1967 Seattle, Washington USA United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... 1969 Seattle List Busan Busan Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world... , South Korea 1987 Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan 1989 |