Maastricht

Maastricht took its first steps as a European settlement 2000 years ago. Founded by the Romans, in the sunniest and southernmost part of the Netherlands, it has grown into an internationally oriented city. Maastricht has a unique position and identity within the Netherlands and the Meuse-Rhine-Euro region. On one hand, the city adheres to the ‘northern’ concepts of efficiency and rationality, while also to the ‘Latin’ idea of taking things more lightly by putting them into perspective.

The Heart of Europe

Maastricht is a city with countless churches, a Roman centre and a broad spectrum of shops, culture and gastronomy. Almost all hot spots are within walking distance from each other. The city has more monuments per inhabitant than any other city in the Netherlands!

Visit a museum, stroll through the city park and relax on one of the terraces, or enjoy one of the many cafes. Within the city, old buildings are intertwined with renovated buildings. Maastricht also features districts with high-ranking modern architecture. There are both old and surprisingly modern bridges, connecting the east and west sides of town.

Population: 607.000

Maastricht Region

The Maastricht Region is situated on the border between the Latin and Germanic languages and cultures of Europe.
The main languages spoken are French, German, English and Dutch, alongside many dialects.
The region lies on the dividing line between the Anglo-Saxon and Rhineland social and economic systems, bringing together the best of both worlds.
The region is located on the border of the climatological and gastronomical region of European wine production, resulting in an unmistakable mix of southern joie-devivre and the down to earth practicality of the Netherlands as a whole.
This ‘contact between cultures’ has made the region what it is today: an open, multilingual, and innovative society, full of vitality.
Is home to 30.000 students -- a third of whom come from outside the Netherlands.
Brussels, Cologne and Düsseldorf are less than one hour away; the United World College; the multilingual population.

Europe

By train: Brussels in 1,5 hours, Amsterdam in 2 hours, Paris and Frankfurt in 3 hours and London in 4 hours.
8 airports are within one hour away.
220 km of border shared with foreign countries, only 6 km with the Netherlands.

Economy

30.000 companies, 280.000 jobs.
Region ranks in top-3 most innovative Dutch companies.
Labour productivity per FTE € 116.000 (Netherlands: € 82.000).
Three hospitals (research, care & cure).
6th place in top 40 best performing Dutch regions.
Chemelot Campus (Material sciences) + Maastricht Health Campus are focus of Brainport Southeast Netherlands.
Brainport Southeast Netherlands: 35% export, 45% R&D turnover & 55% patents.
Brainport is one of three national growth areas.

Culture

15 museums, 17 concert halls, 14 theaters and 3 art cinemas.
Hosts the largest art and antiques fair in the world (TEFAF).

All these factors make the Maastricht Region the most European region of the Netherlands, and the most international region of Europe!

For more information: hollandexpatcenter.com

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