View source for The Hague

{{Short description|City and municipality in the Netherlands}}
{{Redirect-multi|3|Den Haag|'s-Gravenhage|Hague|the elm cultivar|Ulmus 'Den Haag'{{!}}''Ulmus'' 'Den Haag'|the fishing trawler|German trawler V 401 Jan Mayen{{!}}FV s'Gravenhage|other uses|Hague (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions -->
<!-- Name and transliteration -->| name               = The Hague
| native_name        = {{lang|nl|Den Haag}} <br/> {{Native name|nl|'s-Gravenhage|paren=omit}}
| settlement_type    = [[List of cities in the Netherlands by province|City]] and [[Municipalities of the Netherlands|municipality]]
<!-- Images, nickname, motto -->| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
  | total_width              = 280
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  | caption_align            = center
  | image1                   = Den Haag Skyline 1.jpg
  | alt1                     = 
  | caption1                 = [[Plein, The Hague|Plein]]
  | image2                   = Vredespaleis-voor.jpg
  | alt2                     =
  | caption2                 = [[Peace Palace]]
  | image3                   = 2010-05-22-den-haag-by-RalfR-43.jpg
  | alt3                     = 
  | caption3                 = [[Binnenhof]]
  | image4                   = Scheveningen The-Netherlands-Kurhaus-01.jpg
  | alt4                     = 
  | caption4                 = [[Kurhaus of Scheveningen|Kurhaus]]
  | image5                   = GraphyArchy - Wikipedia 00807.jpg
  | alt5                     = 
  | caption5                 = [[The Hague City Hall|City Hall]]
  }}
| image_alt          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = Flag of The Hague.svg
| flag_size          = 100x67px
| flag_alt           = 
| image_shield       = Den Haag wapen.svg
| shield_size        = 100x80px
| shield_alt         = 
| image_blank_emblem = Compact Logo gemeente Den Haag.svg
| nicknames          = ''De Hofstad'', ''De Residentie'', ''Agga'', ''070''
| motto              = ''Vrede en Recht'' ('Peace and Justice')
<!-- Maps, coordinates -->| image_map          = NL - locator map municipality code GM0518 (2016).png
| map_alt            = Highlighted position of The Hague in a municipal map of South Holland
| map_caption        = Location within South Holland
| pushpin_map        = Netherlands#Europe
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the Netherlands##Location within Europe
| pushpin_relief     = 1
| coordinates        = {{Coord|52|04|48|N|04|18|36|E|region:NL-ZH_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = [[Netherlands]]
| subdivision_type1  = [[Provinces of the Netherlands|Province]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[South Holland]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of regions of the Netherlands#Subregions|Subregion]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Haaglanden]]
| parts_type         = [[Districts of The Hague|District]]
| parts_style        = coll
| parts              = 8 districts
| p1                 = [[The Hague Center|Centrum]]
| p2                 = [[Escamp]]
| p3                 = [[Haagse Hout]]
| p4                 = [[Laak, The Hague|Laak]]
| p5                 = [[Leidschenveen-Ypenburg]]
| p6                 = [[Loosduinen]]
| p7                 = [[Scheveningen]]
| p8                 = [[Segbroek]]
| government_footnotes = <ref name="aldermen_now">{{cite web
 |url = https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/college-van-burgemeester-en-wethouders.htm
 |title = College van burgemeester en wethouders
 |trans-title = Municipal executive
 |language = nl
 |publisher = Gemeente Den Haag
 |access-date = 28 August 2021
 |df = dmy-all
 |archive-date = 12 October 2019
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191012201828/https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/college-van-burgemeester-en-wethouders.htm
 |url-status = dead
 }}</ref>
| governing_body     = [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|Municipal council]]
| leader_party       = [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]]
| leader_title       = [[List of mayors of The Hague|Mayor]]
| leader_name        = [[Jan van Zanen]]
| leader_title1      = [[Municipal executive#Aldermen|Aldermen]]
| leader_name1       = {{Collapsible list
 |title=List
 |Kavita Parbhudayal ([[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]])
 |Saskia Bruines ([[Democrats 66|D66]])
 |{{nowrap|[[Liesbeth van Tongeren]] ([[GroenLinks|GL]])}}
 |Hilbert Bredemeijer ([[Christian Democratic Appeal|CDA]])
 |Martijn Balster ([[Labour Party (Netherlands)|PvdA]])
 |[[Anne Mulder]] ([[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy|VVD]])
 |[[Robert van Asten]] ([[Democrats 66|D66]])
 |Bert van Alphen ([[GroenLinks|GL]])
 }}
<!-- Geographic information -->| total_type         = Municipality
| unit_pref          = Metric
| area_footnotes     = <ref>{{Dutch municipality total area|dataref}}</ref><ref name="tno_randstad">{{cite tech report
 |author1=Anita Bouman–Eijs
 |author2=Thijmen van Bree
 |author3=Wouter Jonkhoff
 |author4=Olaf Koops
 |author5=Walter Manshanden
 |author6=Elmer Rietveld
 |url=http://www.zuidvleugel.nl/sites/www.zuidvleugel.nl/files/article/downloads/top_20_europese_grootstedelijke_regios_1995_2011_tno_2012_r11155.pdf
 |title=De Top 20 van Europese grootstedelijke regio's 1995–2011; Randstad Holland in internationaal perspectief
 |language=nl
 |trans-title=Top 20 of European metropolitan regions 1995–2011; Randstad Holland compared internationally
 |date=17 December 2012
 |publisher=[[Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research|TNO]]
 |place=Delft
 |access-date=25 July 2013
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140303212054/http://www.zuidvleugel.nl/sites/www.zuidvleugel.nl/files/article/downloads/top_20_europese_grootstedelijke_regios_1995_2011_tno_2012_r11155.pdf
 |archive-date=3 March 2014
 |url-status=dead
 }}</ref>
<!-- square kilometers -->| area_total_km2     = {{Dutch municipality total area|The Hague}}
| area_land_km2      = {{Dutch municipality land area|The Hague}}
| area_water_km2     = {{Dutch municipality water area|The Hague}}
| area_urban_km2     = 286.31
| area_metro_km2     = 1,256.40
| area_blank1_title  = [[Randstad]]
| area_blank1_km2    = 4384.10
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name="AHN">{{cite web
 |url = http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
 |title = Postcodetool for 2511BT
 |language = nl
 |author = <!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->
 |work = Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland
 |publisher = Het Waterschapshuis
 |access-date = 23 July 2013
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053543/http://www.ahn.nl/postcodetool
 |archive-date = 21 September 2013
 |url-status = live
 }}</ref>
| elevation_m        = 1
| elevation_max_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_max_m    = 
| elevation_min_footnotes = <!-- for references: use <ref> tags -->
| elevation_min_m    = <!-- Population, demographics -->
| population_footnotes = <ref name="tno_randstad"/><ref>{{Dutch municipality population|dataref}}</ref><ref>{{Dutch municipality population urbanmetro|dataref}}</ref>
| population_total   = 549,163
| population_as_of   = 1 January 2021
| population_density_km2 = {{Dutch municipality population density|The Hague}} <!-- For automatic calculation: auto-->
| population_urban   = {{Dutch municipality population urbanmetro|'s-Gravenhage Urban}}
| population_metro   = {{Dutch municipality population urbanmetro|'s-Gravenhage Metro}}{{efn|Counted as one with the city of [[Rotterdam]], [[Port of Rotterdam|its seaport and industrial area]], and its suburbs / metro area.}}
| population_blank1_title = [[Randstad]]
| population_blank1  = 6,396,416
| population_demonym = Hagenaar or Hagenees
<!-- Other information -->| timezone1          = [[Central European Time|CET]]
| utc_offset1        = +01:00
| timezone1_DST      = [[Central European Summer Time|CEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST    = +02:00
| postal_code_type   = [[Postal codes in the Netherlands|Postcodes]]
| postal_code        = 2490–2599
| area_code_type     = [[Telephone numbers in the Netherlands|Area code]]
| area_code          = 070, 015
| website            = {{URL|http://www.denhaag.nl/}} {{in lang|nl}}
| mapframe           = yes
| mapframe-wikidata  = yes
| mapframe-zoom      = 9
}}

'''The Hague'''{{efn|English pronunciation: {{IPAc-en|h|eɪ|ɡ}} {{respell|HAYG}}.}} ({{langx|nl|Den Haag}},{{efn|{{IPA|nl|dɛn ˈɦaːx|-|Nl-Den Haag.ogg|small=no}}.}} short for {{lang|nl|'s-Gravenhage}}){{efn|{{IPA|nl|ˌsxraːvə(n)ˈɦaːɣə|-|Nl-'s-Gravenhage.ogg|small=no}}.}} is the capital city of the [[South Holland]] province of the [[Netherlands]]. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the [[North Sea]], The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its [[seat of government]], and has been described as the country's ''de facto'' capital since the time of the [[Dutch Republic]], while [[Amsterdam]] is the official [[capital of the Netherlands]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Kaufmann |first=David |title=Varieties of Capital Cities: The Competitiveness Challenge for Secondary Capitals |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-78811-643-5 |location=Cheltenham, UK |oclc=1049802517}}</ref>

The Hague is the core municipality of the [[COROP|Greater The Hague urban area]] containing over 800,000 residents, and is also part of the [[Rotterdam–The Hague metropolitan area]], which, with a population of approximately 2.6&nbsp;million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of the [[Randstad]] region, one of the largest [[conurbation]]s in Europe.

The Hague is the seat of the [[Cabinet of the Netherlands|Cabinet]], the [[States General of the Netherlands|States General]], the [[Supreme Court of the Netherlands|Supreme Court]], and the [[Council of State (Netherlands)|Council of State]] of the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite book|last=Daum|first=Andreas|title=Berlin – Washington, 1800–2000 Capital Cities, Cultural Representation, and National Identities|year=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=0521841178|pages=13, 38|quote=Amsterdam is the statuary capital of the Netherlands, while the Dutch government resides in De Hague. (''sic'') (p. 13) The Dutch seat of government is The Hague but its capital is bustling Amsterdam, the national cultural centre. (p. 38)|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OA-yi2sUDT4C|access-date=23 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160503212953/https://books.google.com/books?id=OA-yi2sUDT4C|archive-date=3 May 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands|King Willem-Alexander]] officially lives in the [[Huis ten Bosch]] and works at the [[Noordeinde Palace]] together with [[Queen Máxima of the Netherlands|Queen Máxima]].<ref>[https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/huis-ten-bosch-palace Huis ten Bosch Palace] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170731235202/https://www.royal-house.nl/topics/huis-ten-bosch-palace |date=31 July 2017 }} at "The Official Website of the Dutch Royal House in English", maintained by the [[Netherlands Government Information Service]].</ref> Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters of [[List of companies of the Netherlands|many Dutch companies]], with [[Shell plc]] having major offices in the city as well. The [[Royal Library of the Netherlands]] is also located there. The Hague's coastal area includes the popular seaside resort [[Scheveningen]].

The Hague is known as the global hub of international law and arbitration. The [[International Court of Justice]], the main judicial arm of the [[United Nations]], is based in the city, as are the [[International Criminal Court]], the [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]], the [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]], [[Europol]], and approximately 200 other [[international governmental organization]]s.<ref>{{cite web |title=Internationale organisaties in Den Haag |url=https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/stad-van-vrede-en-recht/den-haag-internationale-stad-van-vrede-en-recht-1.htm |website=Gemeente Den Haag |access-date=3 February 2019 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204065736/https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/bestuur-en-organisatie/stad-van-vrede-en-recht/den-haag-internationale-stad-van-vrede-en-recht-1.htm |archive-date=4 February 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> The name "The Hague" is commonly used [[Metonymy|metonymically]] to refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city. The city has hosted several major international conferences, including the [[2014 Nuclear Security Summit]] and the [[2025 The Hague NATO summit|2025 NATO Summit]].

==Etymology==
The name {{lang|nl|Den Haag}} (anglicised as ''The Hague'' and [[French language|gallicised]] as {{lang|fr|La Haye}}) derives from the [[Middle Dutch]] word {{lang|dum|hag(h)e}}, meaning "hedge", "enclosure", or "hunting ground".<ref>{{cite web|title=Haag – (omheining met struiken, heg)|publisher=etymologiebank.nl|url=https://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/haag1|access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref> It first appeared in 1242. The fuller form {{lang|nl|'s-Gravenhage}}, meaning "the count's enclosure", first appeared in 1347.<ref>{{cite web|title='s-Gravenhage – (geografische naam)|publisher=etymologiebank.nl|url=https://etymologiebank.nl/trefwoord/sgravenhage|access-date=14 July 2025}}</ref>{{Efn|{{wikt-lang|nl|'s}} is an abbreviated form of the genitive article {{wikt-lang|nl|des}}, while {{wikt-lang|nl|den}} is a fossilised dative article (see [[archaic Dutch declension]]). The name is grammatically masculine even though the word {{wikt-lang|nl|haag}} is normally feminine.}} The count in question was the [[Count of Holland]] (as is the case with nearby [['s-Gravenzande]]).

In deference to common usage, the municipal government adopted the shorter name in 1990, reserving the long-form name for official documents.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1199/ |title='s-Gravenhage / Den Haag |publisher=Taaladvies.net |access-date=16 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116115237/http://taaladvies.net/taal/advies/vraag/1199/ |archive-date=16 January 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> The post office specifies that letters should be addressed to {{lang|nl|'s-Gravenhage}}, but a letter to {{lang|nl|Den Haag}} will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name {{lang|nl|Den Haag}}, as do signposts.

== History ==
{{For timeline}}

=== Ancient history===
The area was part of the [[Roman province]] of [[Germania Inferior]] and was close to the border of the empire, the [[Upper Germanic-Rhaetian Limes]]. In 1997, four Roman milestones were discovered at Wateringse Veld. The originals are in the "[[Museon]]" museum. The milestones indicate the distance from the nearest Roman city, Forum Hadriani (modern [[Voorburg]]), and can be dated to the reign of the emperors [[Antoninus Pius]] (138–161; the column is dated 151), [[Caracalla]] (211–217), [[Gordian III]] (238–244), and [[Decius]] (249–251).

=== Early history ===
[[File:Joust on the Hofvijver, by Dutch School of the 17th century.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Binnenhof]] at the [[Hofvijver]], 1625]]
[[File:Beest Street in The Hague.jpg|thumb|left|''Street in The Hague'' by Sybrand van Beest, {{Circa|1650}}, [[Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle]] in [[Warsaw]]]]

Little is known about the origin of The Hague. There are no contemporary documents describing it, and later sources are often of dubious reliability. What is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of the [[House of Holland (nobility)|House of Holland]]. [[Floris IV]] already owned two residences in the area, but presumably purchased a third court situated by the present-day [[Hofvijver]] in 1229, previously owned by a woman called Meilendis. Presumably, Floris IV intended to rebuild the court into a large castle, but he died in a [[Tournament (medieval)|tournament]] in 1234, before anything was built.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04a_florisiv.htm |title=De geschiedenis van den Haag: graaf Floris IV |website=Geschiedenis van Den Haag |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424093819/http://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04a_florisiv.htm |archive-date=24 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> His son and successor [[William II of Holland|William II]] lived in the court, and after he was elected [[King of the Romans]] in 1248, he promptly returned to The Hague, and had builders turn the court into a "royal palace" (''regale palacium''), which would later be called the [[Binnenhof]] ("Inner Court"). He died in 1256 before this palace was completed, but parts of it were finished during the reign of his son [[Floris V, Count of Holland|Floris V]], of which the [[Ridderzaal]] ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04b_willemii.htm |title=Den Haag en graaf Willem II |website=Geschiedenis van Den Haag |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424093824/http://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04b_willemii.htm |archive-date=24 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04d_bouw_binnenhof.htm |title=Het Binnenhof: ontstaat |website=Geschiedenis van Den Haag |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424191019/http://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04d_bouw_binnenhof.htm |archive-date=24 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is still used for political events, such as the annual [[speech from the throne]] by the Dutch [[monarch]]. From the 13th century onward, the counts of Holland used The Hague as their administrative center and residence when in Holland.

The village that originated around the Binnenhof was first mentioned as ''Die Haghe'' in a charter dating from 1242. It became the primary residence of the Counts of Holland in 1358 and thus became the seat of many government institutions. This status allowed the village to grow; by the Late Middle Ages, it had grown to the size of a city, although it did not [[City rights in the Low Countries|receive city rights]].<ref name=ZH>{{Cite web |url=https://geschiedenisvanzuidholland.nl/locatie/geschiedenis-van-den-haag |title=Geschiedenis van Den Haag |website=Geschiedenis van Zuid-Holland |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616203832/https://geschiedenisvanzuidholland.nl/locatie/geschiedenis-van-den-haag |archive-date=16 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In its early years, the village was in the {{wikt-lang|nl|ambacht}}, or rural district, of [[Monster, South Holland|Monster]], which was governed by the Lord of Monster. Seeking to exercise more direct control over the village, however, the Count split the village off and created a separate ''ambacht'' called Haagambacht, governed directly by the Counts of Holland. The territory of Haagambacht was considerably expanded during the reign of Floris V.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04e_die_haghe.htm |title=Het dorp Die Haghe: het ontstaan |website=Geschiedenis van Den Haag |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424093832/http://anemaa.home.xs4all.nl/ges/geschiedenis_den_haag_04e_die_haghe.htm |archive-date=24 April 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

When the [[House of Burgundy]] inherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed a [[stadtholder]] to rule in their stead with the [[States of Holland and West Friesland]] as an advisory council. Although their seat was in The Hague, the city became subordinate to more important centres of government such as [[Brussels]] and [[Mechelen]], from where the sovereigns ruled over the increasingly centralised [[Burgundian Netherlands]].<ref name=ZH/>

At the beginning of the [[Eighty Years' War]], the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed [[Spain|Spanish]] troops to easily occupy the town. In 1575, the States of Holland, temporarily based in [[Delft]], even considered demolishing the city, but this proposal was abandoned after mediation by [[William the Silent]]. In 1588, The Hague became the permanent seat of the States of Holland as well as the [[States General of the Netherlands|States General]] of the [[Dutch Republic]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.merkdenhaag.nl/de-allerkortste-geschiedenis-van-den-haag |title=De allerkortste geschiedenis van Den Haag |website=Merkboek Den Haag |language=nl |access-date=16 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616203831/https://www.merkdenhaag.nl/de-allerkortste-geschiedenis-van-den-haag |archive-date=16 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of the privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore.

=== Modern history ===
[[File:Den Haag - Stadhuis 1900.jpg|thumb|The [[Old City Hall (The Hague)|Old City Hall]] of The Hague around 1900]]
In 1806, when the [[Kingdom of Holland]] was a puppet state of the [[First French Empire]], the settlement was [[City rights in the Low Countries|granted city rights]] by [[Louis Bonaparte]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/press-room/to/A-short-history-of-The-Hague.htm |title=A short history of The Hague |date=28 November 2011 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=9 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413125843/http://www.denhaag.nl/en/residents/news-and-events/press-room/to/A-short-history-of-The-Hague.htm |archive-date=13 April 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> After the [[Napoleonic Wars]], modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the [[United Kingdom of the Netherlands]] to form a buffer against France. As a compromise, [[Brussels]] and [[Amsterdam]] alternated as capital every two years, with the government remaining in The Hague. After the separation of Belgium in 1830, Amsterdam remained the capital of the Netherlands, while the government was situated in The Hague. When the government started to play a more prominent role in Dutch society after 1850, The Hague quickly expanded. Many streets were specifically built for the large number of civil servants employed in the country's government and for the Dutchmen who were retiring from the administration of the [[Netherlands East Indies]]. The growing city amalgamated the rural municipality of [[Loosduinen]] partly in 1903 and completely in 1923.<ref>{{Repertorium Nederlandse Gemeenten}}</ref>

The city sustained heavy damage during [[World War II]]. Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally, the [[Atlantic Wall]] was built through the city,<ref>{{cite web |author=Jack Oosthoek |date=18 October 2022 |title='Vitaal onderdeel geschiedenis van bezet Nederland' |url=https://magazines.defensie.nl/defensiekrant/2022/41/02_boek-atlantikwall-_41 |website=Defensiekrant |publisher=Defensie.nl}}</ref> causing a large quarter to be torn down by the [[Nazism|Nazi]] occupants. On 3 March 1945, the [[Royal Air Force]] mistakenly [[Bombing of the Bezuidenhout|bombed]] the [[Bezuidenhout]] quarter. The target was an installation of [[V-2 rocket]]s in the nearby [[Haagse Bos]] park, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kb.nl/dossiers/geschiedenis/bombardement-op-bezuidenhout|title=Bombardement op Bezuidenhout maart 1945|trans-title=Bombing of the Bezuidenhout March 1945|publisher=[[National Library of the Netherlands|Koninklijke Bibliotheek]]|access-date=5 December 2013|language=nl|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215125838/http://www.kb.nl/dossiers/geschiedenis/bombardement-op-bezuidenhout|archive-date=15 December 2013}}</ref> The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in the area<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_vQfUQxCjtMC&q=razed |title=The Low Countries: arts and society in Flanders and the Netherlands, a yearbook |volume=9 |author=Stichting Ons Erfdeel |year=1998 |publisher=Flemish-Netherlands Foundation |page=113 |isbn=9789075862287 |access-date=23 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160617185656/https://books.google.com/books?ei=FcOXUtmIFYfwhQeC-4CgAQ&id=_vQfUQxCjtMC&dq=The+Low+Countries:+Arts+and+Society+in+Flanders+and+the+Netherlands,+a+Yearbook&focus=searchwithinvolume&q=razed |archive-date=17 June 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and caused 511 fatalities.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A010462560%3Ampeg21%3Ap008%3Aa0146 Bombardement Bezuidenhout 3 maart '45 Voor velen stortte in luttele minuten de wereld in elkaar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215185333/http://kranten.kb.nl/view/article/id/ddd%3A010462560%3Ampeg21%3Ap008%3Aa0146 |date=15 December 2013 }}, Amigoe di Curacao, 4 March 1965</ref>

Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destruction of the bombing, nobody attempted to plan a reconstruction of Bezuidenhout. In 1962, David Jokinen saw an opportunity to put an end to the situation where two main stations each served only part of the rail traffic. The [[Jokinen Plan]] included the intent to demolish the [[Den Haag Centraal railway station#History|Staatsspoor Station]], with [[Hollands Spoor]] becoming the central station. Jokinen's plan sparked fierce discussions. The plan was not implemented, in part because it was only presented when decision-making had finally reached an advanced stage. In the place of the Staatsspoor station now stands the [[Den Haag Centraal railway station]].

[[File:Den Haag Skyscrapers 5.jpg|thumb|The [[Ministry of Justice and Security]] building, opened in 2012]]
After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site in [[Europe]]. The city expanded massively to the southwest, and the destroyed areas were quickly rebuilt. The population peaked at 600,000 inhabitants around 1965. In the 1970s and 1980s, mostly white middle-class families moved to neighbouring towns such as [[Voorburg]], [[Leidschendam]], [[Rijswijk]] and (most of all) [[Zoetermeer]]. This led to the traditional pattern of an impoverished inner city and more prosperous suburbs. Attempts to include parts of these municipalities in the city of The Hague were highly controversial. In the 1990s, with the consent of the Dutch Parliament, The Hague annexed large areas from neighboring and non-adjacent towns to build new residential areas, which are still being developed today.

== Geography ==
{{See also|Districts of The Hague}}
[[File:DenHaag-plaats-OpenTopo.jpg|thumb|Detailed topographic map of The Hague, 2014]]
[[File:Haagse wijken.PNG|thumb|The Hague, divided into neighbourhoods]]
[[File:Netherlands, The Hague, Rembrandtstraat (01a).jpg|thumb|Rembrandt Street]]

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the [[North Sea]] in the Netherlands and forms the centre of the [[COROP#South Holland province|Greater The Hague urban area]]. [[Westland (municipality), Netherlands|Westland]] and [[Wateringen]] lie to the south, [[Rijswijk]], [[Delft]] and the [[Rotterdam]] conurbation (known as ''[[Rijnmond]]'') to the southeast, [[Pijnacker-Nootdorp]] and [[Zoetermeer]] to the east, [[Leidschendam-Voorburg]], [[Voorschoten]] and the [[Leiden]] conurbation to the northeast and [[Wassenaar]] to the north.

The conurbations around The Hague and Rotterdam are close enough to be seen as a single conurbation in some contexts. For example, they share the [[Rotterdam The Hague Airport]] and a light rail system called [[RandstadRail]]. This led to the creation of the [[Rotterdam-The Hague metropolitan area]]. This large conurbation centred on The Hague and Rotterdam is, in turn, part of the [[Randstad]]—specifically a band of municipalities called the South Wing ([[Zuidvleugel]]). The Randstad, which also includes, among others, [[Amsterdam]] and [[Utrecht (city)|Utrecht]], has a population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the [[List of metropolitan areas in Europe#Polycentric metropolitan areas in the European Union|second-largest conurbation in the European Union]].

The Hague is divided into eight official districts, which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/stadsdelen-en-wijken/to/Stadsdelen-9.htm|title=Stadsdelen|date=18 October 2010|publisher=Denhaag.nl|language=nl|access-date=31 August 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928144925/http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/stadsdelen-en-wijken/to/Stadsdelen-9.htm|archive-date=28 September 2011}}</ref> Some of the most prosperous and some of the poorest neighbourhoods of the Netherlands can be found in The Hague. The wealthier areas such as [[Statenkwartier]], [[Belgisch Park]], [[Marlot]], [[Benoordenhout]] and [[The Hague Center#Archipelbuurt|Archipelbuurt]] are generally in the northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such as [[The Hague Center#Transvaal|Transvaal]], [[Moerwijk]], and the [[Schilderswijk]] are significantly poorer, except the [[Vinex-location]]s of [[Leidschenveen-Ypenburg]] and [[Wateringse Veld]]. This division is reflected in the local accent: The more affluent citizens are usually called "Hagenaars" and speak so-called ''bekakt Haags'' ("posh"), this contrasts with the ''Hagenezen'', who speak ''plat Haags'' ("vulgar"); see [[#Demographics|Demographics]] below.

The districts are:
* [[The Hague Center|Centrum]] (110,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop>[https://denhaag.incijfers.nl/Jive?workspace_guid=f17a1247-92b3-4c3c-b84c-dac23f1e5358 Den Haag in Cijfers] (in Dutch)</ref> forms the heart of The Hague. The [[Binnenhof]], the [[Noordeinde Palace]], the [[Mauritshuis]] museum, the [[Nieuwe Kerk (The Hague)|Nieuwe Kerk]], the [[Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk (The Hague)|Grote Kerk]], the [[Old City Hall (The Hague)|Old City Hall]] and the [[The Hague City Hall|City Hall]] are located here. Architecture varies from medieval to the 20th century.
* [[Escamp]] (131,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is the most populous district of The Hague, built largely after [[World War II]] as part of The Hague's large expansion to the southeast. One railway station can be found here: [[Den Haag Moerwijk railway station|Den Haag Moerwijk]]. The district is divided into six neighbourhoods.
* [[Haagse Hout]] (51,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is a wealthy district in the northeast of the city and the location of the [[Haagse Bos]], a large forest. The King of the Netherlands lives in the royal palace [[Huis ten Bosch]], in this forest. The district also includes the financial centre of the city, the [[Beatrixkwartier]].
* [[Laak, The Hague|Laak]] (46,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is the smallest district of the city, southeast of its centre, for the most part, built in the 20th and 21st centuries. The area used to be part of [[Rijswijk]] until the municipality of The Hague bought the land in 1844. The [[Den Haag Hollands Spoor railway station|Hollands Spoor]] railway station and [[The Hague University]] are located here, as well as the site of the planned mixed-use development [[Nieuw Binckhorst]].
* [[Leidschenveen-Ypenburg]] (48,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is an early 21st-century [[Vinex-location]] southeast of the city, geographically connected to the main body of the city [[Flagpole annexation|only by a narrow corridor]]. The district is divided into Leidschenveen and Ypenburg, which were part of [[Leidschendam]], [[Nootdorp]], and [[Rijswijk]] before the areas were annexed by The Hague in 2002. This area was the site of [[Ypenburg Airport]], which was a military airport during World War II.
* [[Loosduinen]] (53,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is the westernmost district of The Hague. It was a village unto itself until 1923, when it was annexed by The Hague. The less popular of the city's two seaside resorts, [[Kijkduin]], is located here. The district is divided into four neighbourhoods.
* [[Scheveningen]] (61,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is the wealthy northernmost district of The Hague. A modern beach resort, Scheveningen is a popular tourist destination. It has a long sandy beach and its own esplanade, pier, and lighthouse, but also a [[Pathé]] cinema, a musical theatre, a casino, and a special Museum for Scheveningen. The district also includes a fishing harbour. Notable buildings include the [[Kurhaus of Scheveningen|Kurhaus]] and, farther inland, the [[Peace Palace]].
* [[Segbroek]] (63,000 inhabitants)<ref name=pop/> is a district located between Scheveningen and Loosduinen. The population decreased until around 2005, but since then has begun to grow again, driven by students and Eastern European immigrants. It became a district of The Hague in 1988 and is divided into five neighbourhoods.

=== Climate ===
The Hague experiences a temperate [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen:]] ''Cfb'') similar to almost all of the Netherlands. Because of its location on the coast, it experiences milder winters and cooler summers than more inland locations. However, because of its location, it can also be extremely windy in the winter and humid in the summer. It also gets more sunshine.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}}

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = [[Valkenburg Naval Air Base]]
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 13.8
| Feb record high C = 15.9
| Mar record high C = 20.8
| Apr record high C = 25.9
| May record high C = 29.7
| Jun record high C = 33.5
| Jul record high C = 36.5
| Aug record high C = 34.6
| Sep record high C = 31.7
| Oct record high C = 24.5
| Nov record high C = 17.5
| Dec record high C = 15.4
|year record high C = 36.5
| Jan high C = 6.4
| Feb high C = 6.9
| Mar high C = 9.8
| Apr high C = 13.6
| May high C = 17.0
| Jun high C = 19.6
| Jul high C = 21.6
| Aug high C = 21.8
| Sep high C = 18.9
| Oct high C = 14.7
| Nov high C = 10.2
| Dec high C = 7.1
|year high C = 14.0
| Jan mean C = 4.1
| Feb mean C = 4.2
| Mar mean C = 6.4
| Apr mean C = 9.4
| May mean C = 12.8
| Jun mean C = 15.6
| Jul mean C = 17.8
| Aug mean C = 17.8
| Sep mean C = 15.0
| Oct mean C = 11.4
| Nov mean C = 7.6
| Dec mean C = 4.8
|year mean C = 10.6
| Jan low C = 1.5
| Feb low C = 1.2
| Mar low C = 2.7
| Apr low C = 4.8
| May low C = 8.3
| Jun low C = 11.2
| Jul low C = 13.5
| Aug low C = 13.4
| Sep low C = 10.9
| Oct low C = 7.9
| Nov low C = 4.7
| Dec low C = 2.1
|year low C = 6.8
| Jan record low C = -16.4
| Feb record low C = -14.0
| Mar record low C = -11.1
| Apr record low C = -4.4
| May record low C = -1.5
| Jun record low C = 1.7
| Jul record low C = 5.4
| Aug record low C = 5.5
| Sep record low C = 1.2
| Oct record low C = -4.4
| Nov record low C = -7.1
| Dec record low C = -10.6
|year record low C = -16.4
| precipitation colour = green
| Jan precipitation mm = 70.0
| Feb precipitation mm = 59.4
| Mar precipitation mm = 52.8
| Apr precipitation mm = 41.6
| May precipitation mm = 52.7
| Jun precipitation mm = 62.8
| Jul precipitation mm = 72.7
| Aug precipitation mm = 84.0
| Sep precipitation mm = 89.2
| Oct precipitation mm = 89.9
| Nov precipitation mm = 90.4
| Dec precipitation mm = 76.4
|year precipitation mm = 841.9
|unit precipitation days = 1&nbsp;mm
| Jan precipitation days = 12
| Feb precipitation days = 10
| Mar precipitation days = 11
| Apr precipitation days = 9
| May precipitation days = 9
| Jun precipitation days = 9
| Jul precipitation days = 10
| Aug precipitation days = 10
| Sep precipitation days = 12
| Oct precipitation days = 13
| Nov precipitation days = 14
| Dec precipitation days = 13
|year precipitation days = 132
| Jan snow days = 5
| Feb snow days = 5
| Mar snow days = 3
| Apr snow days = 1
| May snow days = 0
| Jun snow days = 0
| Jul snow days = 0
| Aug snow days = 0
| Sep snow days = 0
| Oct snow days = 0
| Nov snow days = 2
| Dec snow days = 4
|year snow days = 20
|Jan humidity = 86
|Feb humidity = 84
|Mar humidity = 83
|Apr humidity = 79
|May humidity = 78
|Jun humidity = 79
|Jul humidity = 80
|Aug humidity = 80
|Sep humidity = 83
|Oct humidity = 84
|Nov humidity = 87
|Dec humidity = 87
| Jan sun = 71.7
| Feb sun = 96.7
| Mar sun = 152.0
| Apr sun = 207.2
| May sun = 240.5
| Jun sun = 229.3
| Jul sun = 237.5
| Aug sun = 213.4
| Sep sun = 160.0
| Oct sun = 116.7
| Nov sun = 68.2
| Dec sun = 56.5
|year sun = 1849.7
|source 1 = [[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]] (1981–2010 normal, snowy days normal for 1971–2000)<ref>{{cite web
 |url = http://www.klimaatatlas.nl/tabel/stationsdata/klimtab_8110_210.pdf
 |title = Klimaattabel Valkenburg, langjarige gemiddelden, tijdvak 1981–2010
 |publisher = [[Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute]]
 |language = nl
 |access-date = 10 September 2013
 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171010161642/http://www.klimaatatlas.nl/tabel/stationsdata/klimtab_8110_210.pdf
 |archive-date = 10 October 2017
 |url-status = live
}}</ref>
|source 2 = Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (1971–2000 extremes)<ref>
{{cite web
 |url = http://www.knmi.nl/klimatologie/normalen1971-2000/per_station/stn210/5-extremen/210_extremen.pdf
 |title = Klimaattabel Valkenburg, langjarige extremen, tijdvak 1971–2000
 |publisher = Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute
 |language = nl
 |access-date = 10 September 2013
}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
|date=October 2013}}

=== Cityscape ===
{{see also|List of tallest buildings in Haaglanden}}
{{Panorama
 | image = File:The Hague Skyline Part I.jpg
 | caption = 
 | height = 250
}}

City life concentrates around the [[Hofvijver]] and the [[Binnenhof]], where the States General of the Netherlands is located. Because of its history, the historical inner city of The Hague differs in various aspects from the nearby smaller cities of [[Leiden]] and [[Delft]]. It does not have a cramped inner city, bordered by canals and walls. Instead, it has some small streets in the town centre that may be dated from the late [[Middle Ages]] and several spacious streets boasting large and luxurious 18th-century residences built for diplomats and affluent Dutch families. It has a large church dating from the 15th century, a [[Old City Hall (The Hague)|City Hall]] (built as such) from the 16th century, several large 17th-century palaces, a 17th-century [[Protestant]] church built in what was then a modern style, and many important 18th-century buildings.

[[File:Den Haag Binnenhof 02.jpg|thumb|The [[Hofvijver]] and the buildings housing the [[States General of the Netherlands]]]]
[[File:Den Haag, skyline vanaf Laan van Reagan en Gorbatsjov IMG 8945 2019-03-24 17.46.jpg|thumb|View of the [[Hoftoren]] (left) and the [[Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport]] (the triangular [[gable]] right)]]
The city is becoming more student-friendly with the introduction of a new campus in 2012 of [[Leiden University]] as well as [[Leiden University College The Hague]], which was established in 2010. The [[Royal Conservatory of The Hague]] and the [[Royal Academy of Art (The Hague)|Royal Academy of Art]] are also located there, as well as [[The Hague University]], a [[vocational university]], and a branch of The [[Open University of the Netherlands]]. The city has many [[civil servant]]s and [[diplomat]]s.<ref name="denh_Dipl">{{Cite web |title=Diplomatic Corps and embassies |last=Haag |first=Den |work=Gemeente Den Haag |access-date=27 February 2019 |url=https://www.denhaag.nl/en/in-the-city/international-the-hague/diplomatic-corps-and-embassies.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228065846/https://www.denhaag.nl/en/in-the-city/international-the-hague/diplomatic-corps-and-embassies.htm |archive-date=28 February 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In fact, the number and variety of foreign residents (especially the [[expatriate]]s) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign [[pub]]s, shops and cultural events.

The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the [[North Sea]] and includes two distinct [[beach resort]]s. The main beach resort [[Scheveningen]], in the northwestern part of the city, is a popular destination for tourists as well as for inhabitants. With 10&nbsp;million visitors a year, it is the most popular beach town in the [[Benelux]] area. [[Kijkduin]], in the southwest, is The Hague's other beach resort. It is significantly smaller and attracts mainly local residents.

The former Dutch colony of the [[Dutch East Indies|East Indies]], now [[Indonesia]], has left its mark on The Hague. Since the 19th century, high-level civil servants from the Dutch East Indies often spent long-term leave and vacations in The Hague. Many streets are named after places in the Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname), and there is a sizable "[[Indo people|Indo]]" (i.e., mixed Dutch-Indonesian) community. Since the loss of these Dutch possessions in December 1949, "[[Indo people]]" also known as "Indische people" often refer to The Hague as "the Widow of the Indies".<ref>Dutch: 'de Weduwe van Indie'. As per song text by the famous singer [[Wieteke van Dort]], see text of the song "Arm Den Haag" ("Pity The Hague"): [http://www.muzikum.eu/nl/123-1151-22012/wieteke_van_dort/arm_den_haag-songtekst.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720165653/http://www.muzikum.eu/nl/123-1151-22012/wieteke_van_dort/arm_den_haag-songtekst.html|date=20 July 2011}}</ref>

The older parts of the town have many characteristically wide and long streets. Houses are generally low-rise (often not more than three floors). A large part of the southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect [[Hendrik Petrus Berlage|H.P. Berlage]] about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large portion of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect [[Willem Marinus Dudok|W.M. Dudok]] planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings.

The layout of the city is more spacious than other Dutch cities, and because of the incorporation of large and old nobility estates, the creation of various parks, and the use of green zones around natural streams, it is a much greener city than any other in the Netherlands. That is, excepting some medieval close-knitted streets in the centre. The Hague has a canal system around the old city center, which is mainly used for boat tours around the city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century, and some were filled between 1910 and 1970,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mvrdv.com/projects/407/the-hague-canals|title= The Hague Canals|website=MVRDV }}</ref> but many have been restored recently.{{when|date=July 2023}}

The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of [[Ministry of Justice and Security|Justice and Security]] and the [[Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations|Interior and Kingdom Relations]] of the Netherlands, designed by [[Hans Kollhoff]]. Other significant skyscrapers include the [[Hoftoren]], [[Het Strijkijzer]] and [[De Kroon (The Hague)|De Kroon]].

==Demographics==
[[File:The Hague population pyramid.svg|thumb|The Hague population pyramid in 2022]]
{{Historical populations
| percentages = pagr
| cols = 3
| source = {{Harvnb|Lourens|Lucassen|1997|pp=108–110}} (1369–1795)<br />[http://www.denhaag.buurtmonitor.nl/ buurtmonitor.nl] (1795–present)<br>[[Statistics Netherlands]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Population dynamics; birth, death and migration per region
|url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/en/dataset/37259eng/table?ts=1742391441388|publisher=[[Statistics Netherlands]]}}</ref>
| 1369|1494
| 1398|1300
| 1477|6066
| 1514|5500
| 1550|6000
| 1622|15825
| 1632|16600
| 1665|20000
| 1732|33500
| 1795|38433
| 1850|72000
| 1874|90000
| 1895|180000
| 1900|206022
| 1910|271280
| 1920|359610
| 1930|432680
| 1940|504262
| 1950|558849
| 1960|606110
| 1970|550613
| 1980|456886| 1990|441506| 2000|441094
| 2010|488553| 2020|545838|2023|562839}}
{| class="wikitable floatright"
|+City of Den Haag population by country of origin (2018)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://statline.cbs.nl/Statweb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37713&D1=0-8&D2=0&D3=1-2,6-55&D4=603&D5=l&HDR=T,G4&STB=G1,G3,G2&VW=T|title= Bevolking; leeftijd, herkomstgroepering, geslacht en regio, 1 januari |website=CBS StatLine |access-date=4 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170630224048/http://statline.cbs.nl/Statweb/publication/?DM=SLNL&PA=37713&D1=0-8&D2=0&D3=1-2,6-55&D4=603&D5=l&HDR=T,G4&STB=G1,G3,G2&VW=T|archive-date=30 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
! scope="col" | Country/Territory 
! scope="col" | Population
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Netherlands]] 
| 246,633 (43%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Suriname}} [[Suriname]] 
| 46,346 (8.70%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Turkey}} [[Turkey]] 
| 40,064 (7.52%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Morocco}} [[Morocco]] 
| 31,455 (5.91%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Indonesia}} [[Indonesia]] 
| 17,635 (3.31%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Poland}} [[Poland]] 
| 14,094 (2.65%)
|-
! scope="row" |{{Flagicon|Netherlands}} [[Dutch Caribbean]] 
| 13,218 (2.48%)
|-
! scope="row" |Other 
| 123,116 (26%)
|}
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Religions in The Hague (2015)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbs.nl/-/media/_excel/2016/51/kerkelijke-gezindte-en-kerkbezoek-naar-gemeenten.xlsx|format=XLSX|publisher=Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek|title=Kerkelijke gezindte en kerkbezoek naar gemeenten 2010/2015|access-date=2020-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621204358/https://www.cbs.nl/-/media/_excel/2016/51/kerkelijke-gezindte-en-kerkbezoek-naar-gemeenten.xlsx|archive-date=21 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
|label1 = [[Irreligion]]
|value1 = 49.6
|color1 = White
|label2 = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
|value2 = 14.9
|color2 = Purple
|label3 = [[Protestant Church in the Netherlands]]
|value3 = 9.4
|color3 = DarkBlue
|label4 = Other Christian denominations
|value4 = 5.7
|color4 = Blue
|label5 = [[Islam in the Netherlands|Islam]]
|value5 = 14.7
|color5 = DarkGreen
|label6 = [[Hinduism]]
|value6 = 4.8
|color6 = DarkOrange
|label7 = [[Buddhism]]
|value7 = 0.8
|color7 = Gold
|label8 = [[Judaism]]
|value8 = 0.2
|color8 = Red
}}

As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Between 1800 and 1960, the city saw considerable growth from 40,000 in 1800 to 200,000 in 1900 and eventually 600,000 in 1960. The growth following 1900 was partially caused by the Housing Act of 1901, which stimulated the expansion of cities such as The Hague. In the period between 1960 and 1980, The Hague saw a shrinkage from 600,000 to 440,000 inhabitants, caused mostly by spatial policy, demographic processes, and lack of space. After several annexations and housing constructions, The Hague has since grown again, celebrating its 500,000th inhabitant in 2011. The municipality expects the growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://denhaag.incijfers.nl/Jive?workspace_guid=c2afd650-eebf-4a7c-a24d-692a114c1edb |title=Aantal personen prognose WBP - Gemeenten |website=Den Haag in Cijfers |access-date=7 February 2022 |language=nl}}</ref>

The demonym of The Hague officially is ''Hagenaar'', but the term ''Hagenees'' is informally used for someone who was born and raised in The Hague.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stam |first1=Niek |title=Kaakstand maakt verschil tussen Hagenaar en Hagenees |url=https://www.rd.nl/vandaag/binnenland/kaakstand-maakt-verschil-tussen-hagenaar-en-hagenees-1.358927 |access-date=15 July 2018 |work=Reformatorisch Dagblad |date=17 December 2013 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716025320/https://www.rd.nl/vandaag/binnenland/kaakstand-maakt-verschil-tussen-hagenaar-en-hagenees-1.358927 |archive-date=16 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The usage of these demonyms appears to be class-bound, with Hagenaar being the upper-class term and Hagenees being that of the lower-class.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jaspers |first1=Klaartje |title=Den Haag: uitvergrote versie van Keeping Up Appearances? |url=https://www.haacs.nl/identiteit-den-haag-keeping-up-appearances/ |access-date=15 July 2018 |work=HAACS |date=30 March 2016 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716030542/https://www.haacs.nl/identiteit-den-haag-keeping-up-appearances/ |archive-date=16 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Origin make-up===
43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in the Netherlands, while 15.6% have at least one parent who was born abroad in a Western country, and 34.4% have at least one parent that was born in a non-Western country.<ref>{{in lang|nl}} [http://www.denhaag.buurtmonitor.nl/ Den Haag in Cijfers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130504115138/http://www.denhaag.buurtmonitor.nl/ |date=4 May 2013 }}.</ref>

=== Inhabitants by birthplace ===
{| class="wikitable"
!2020<ref>{{Cite web |title=CBS Statline |url=https://opendata.cbs.nl/statline/#/CBS/nl/dataset/37713/table |access-date=2023-06-28 |website=opendata.cbs.nl |language=nl}}</ref>
!Numbers
!%
|-
!Both parents born in NL
|242,441
|44.42%
|-
!Western migration background
|105,315
|19.29%
|-
!Non-Western migration background
|198,082
|36.29%
|-
|''[[Suriname]]''
|45,783
|8.39%
|-
|''[[Turkey]]''
|41,122
|7.53%
|-
|''[[Morocco]]''
|32,355
|5.93%
|-
|''[[Indonesia]]''
|17,187
|3.15%
|-
|''[[Netherlands Antilles]] and [[Aruba]]''
|14,037
|2.57%
|-
|Total
|545,838
|100%
|}

===Religion===
Just under half of The Hague's population identifies with a religious group. The two most popular religions are [[Christianity]] (29%) and Islam (14.1%). Religiosity is higher among people with a recent [[migration background]] from Indonesia, Turkey, Morocco, and Suriname. Islam is the most common religion among people with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background. Among people of Surinamese heritage, there is more religious diversity, with Hinduism being the most common. Of The Hague's native Dutch population, most religious people adhere to Christianity. Just under 40% of the population of The Hague regularly attends a house of worship.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/to/Burgerschapsmonitor-2009.htm |title = Burgerschapsmonitor (2009) |date = 28 September 2009 |website = DenHaag.nl |access-date = 25 November 2013 |language = nl |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131202222237/http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/to/Burgerschapsmonitor-2009.htm |archive-date = 2 December 2013 |url-status = dead }}</ref>

== Politics ==
=== Municipal government ===
[[File:GraphyArchy - Wikipedia 00807.jpg|thumb|[[The Hague City Hall]]]]
{{See also|List of mayors of The Hague}}
Following the [[2022 Dutch municipal elections#The Hague|2022 municipal election]], the [[Municipal council (Netherlands)|municipal council]] of The Hague currently contains fourteen groups, most notably [[Richard de Mos|Heart for The Hague]] (HvDH; 11 seats), [[Democrats 66]] (D66; 8 seats), the [[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]] (VVD; 6 seats) and [[GroenLinks]] (5 seats).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/GR20220316/705145 |title=Gemeenteraad 16 maart 2022 |website=Verkiezingsuitslagen |access-date=25 March 2022 |language=nl |archive-date=26 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326223212/https://www.verkiezingsuitslagen.nl/verkiezingen/detail/GR20220316/705145 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{election table}}
! colspan=2|Group
! Seats
|-
|bgcolor="#008f51"|
|align=left|[[Richard de Mos#Local politics in The Hague|Heart for The Hague]]||{{Composition bar compact|12|45|#008f51}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Democrats 66}}
|align=left|[[Democrats 66]]||{{Composition bar compact|8|45|{{party color|Democrats 66}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}
|align=left|[[People's Party for Freedom and Democracy]]||{{Composition bar compact|6|45|{{party color|People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (2020)}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|GroenLinks}}
|align=left|[[GroenLinks]]||{{Composition bar compact|5|45|{{party color|GroenLinks}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Party for the Animals}}
|align=left|[[Party for the Animals]]||{{Composition bar compact|3|45|{{party color|Party for the Animals}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Labour Party (Netherlands)}}
|align=left|[[Labour Party (Netherlands)|Labour Party]]||{{Composition bar compact|2|45|{{party color|Dutch Labour Party}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Christian Democratic Appeal (2021)}}
|align=left|[[Christian Democratic Appeal]]||{{Composition bar compact|2|45|{{party color|Christian Democratic Appeal (2021)}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|DENK (political party)}}
|align=left|[[DENK (political party)|DENK]]||{{Composition bar compact|2|45|{{party color|DENK (political party)}}}}
|-
|bgcolor="#fcda00"|
|align=left|The Hague City Party||{{Composition bar compact|1|45|#fcda00}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}
|align=left|[[Socialist Party (Netherlands)|Socialist Party]]||{{Composition bar compact|1|45|{{party color|Socialist Party (Netherlands)}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Party for Freedom}}
|align=left|[[Party for Freedom]]||{{Composition bar compact|1|45|{{party color|Party for Freedom}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Christian Union (Netherlands)}}
|align=left|[[Christian Union – Reformed Political Party]]||{{Composition bar compact|1|45|{{party color|Christian Union (Netherlands)}}}}
|-
| {{party color cell|Forum for Democracy}}
|align=left|[[Forum for Democracy]]||{{Composition bar compact|1|45|{{party color|Forum for Democracy}}}}
|-
|align=left colspan=3|Source: Municipal Council<ref>[https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/gemeenteraad/politieke-partijen-in-de-gemeenteraad/ Politieke partijen in de gemeenteraad] (in Dutch).</ref>
|}

Since 2023, the [[municipal executive]] has comprised D66, GroenLinks, PvdD, PvdA, CDA, and DENK. The chairman of the college is Mayor [[Jan van Zanen]] (VVD), and the city has seven aldermen: [[Robert van Asten]], Saskia Bruines (both D66), Mariëlle Vavier, Arjen Kapteijns (both GroenLinks), Robert Barker (PvdD), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA), and Nur Ican (DENK). Each alderman is responsible for many particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/in-de-stad/nieuws/pers/nieuwe-haagse-coalitie-presenteert-haar-coalitieakkoord.htm |title=Nieuwe Haagse coalitie presenteert haar coalitieakkoord |website=Den Haag |date=29 May 2018 |access-date=7 June 2018 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612143920/https://www.denhaag.nl/nl/in-de-stad/nieuws/pers/nieuwe-haagse-coalitie-presenteert-haar-coalitieakkoord.htm |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation (''Rijksrecherche'') performed a [[police raid|raid]] on the homes and offices of then-aldermen [[Richard de Mos]] and Rachid Guernaoui, as part of an investigation of alleged administrative corruption, bribery, and violation of confidentiality. The offices of several municipal civil servants and the homes of three entrepreneurs were also searched for the investigation. The aldermen were suspected of receiving bribes in exchange for granting permits.<ref>{{cite news |title=Invallen bij wethouders Den Haag wegens verdenking omkoping en corruptie |url=https://nos.nl/artikel/2304154-invallen-bij-wethouders-den-haag-wegens-verdenking-omkoping-en-corruptie.html |access-date=1 October 2019 |agency=Nederlandse Omroep Stichting |date=1 October 2019 |language=nl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191001092500/https://nos.nl/artikel/2304154-invallen-bij-wethouders-den-haag-wegens-verdenking-omkoping-en-corruptie.html |archive-date=1 October 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges.<ref>{{cite web |title=Vrijspraak voor Richard de Mos in corruptiezaak |url=https://www.rechtspraak.nl/Organisatie-en-contact/Organisatie/Rechtbanken/Rechtbank-Rotterdam/Nieuws/Paginas/Vrijspraak-voor-Richard-de-Mos-in-corruptiezaak.aspx |website=Rechtspraak.nl |access-date=23 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{ECLI|ECLI:NL:RBROT:2023:3199}}</ref><ref>{{ECLI|ECLI:NL:RBROT:2023:3267}}</ref>

=== International politics ===
[[File:International Court of Justice HQ 2006.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|The [[Peace Palace]] houses the [[International Court of Justice]] and [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]] amongst other institutions.]]
[[File:International Criminal Court Headquarters, Netherlands.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|[[International Criminal Court]]]]
[[File:Europa Congres Ridderzaal Den Haag. Overzicht, Bestanddeelnr 902-7379.jpg|thumb|upright=1.25|Meeting in the [[Ridderzaal|Hall of Knights]] during the [[Congress of Europe]] (9 May 1948)]]
The Hague is home to many different international judicial bodies, such as the [[International Court of Justice]] (ICJ), the [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC), and the [[International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals]] (IRMCT). It houses [[Hague Penitentiary Institution|Scheveningen Prison]], the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-05-16 |title=Profile: Scheveningen prison |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18084974 |access-date=2022-04-23}}</ref> The Hague is the fourth major centre for the [[United Nations]], after New York, Geneva and Vienna.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4324/Nieuws/article/detail/1132183/2009/03/11/Beveiliging-is-routine-voor-Haagse-autoriteiten.dhtml|title=Beveiliging is routine voor Haagse autoriteiten|last=Slager|first=Seije|date=11 March 2009|newspaper=Trouw|language=nl|access-date=31 August 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020075010/http://www.trouw.nl/tr/nl/4324/Nieuws/article/detail/1132183/2009/03/11/Beveiliging-is-routine-voor-Haagse-autoriteiten.dhtml|archive-date=20 October 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

The foundation of The Hague as an [[Hague Justice Portal|"international city of peace and justice"]] started at the end of the 19th century, when [[Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907|the first global peace conference]] took place in The Hague on [[Tobias Asser]]'s initiative, with a second one a few years later. A direct result of these meetings was the establishment of the world's first organisation for the settlement of international disputes, the [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]] (PCA). Shortly thereafter, the Scottish-American millionaire [[Andrew Carnegie]] made the necessary funds available to build the [[Peace Palace]] to house the PCA. After the establishment of the [[League of Nations]], The Hague became the seat of the [[Permanent Court of International Justice]], which was replaced (after [[World War II]]) by the UN's [[International Court of Justice]]. The establishments of the [[Iran–United States Claims Tribunal]] (1981), the [[International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia]] (1993), and the [[International Criminal Court]] (2002) in the city further consolidated its role as a centre for international legal arbitration. Most recently, on 1 March 2009, the [[Special Tribunal for Lebanon]], a UN tribunal to investigate and prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, opened in the former headquarters of the Dutch [[General Intelligence and Security Service]] in [[Leidschendam]], a town within the greater area of The Hague.

Other major international and European organisations based in The Hague include:

* [[Europol]], European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
* [[Eurojust]], European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation
* [[Europeana]], European Union digital platform for cultural heritage.
* [[The Hague Academy of International Law]], centre for high-level education in both public and private international law
* [[Hague Conference on Private International Law]] (HCCH), the oldest and preeminent private international law harmonisation institution
* [[International Commission on Missing Persons]] (ICMP)
* [[European Patent Office]]
* [[Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization]]
* [[NATO Communications and Information Agency]], (NCI Agency)
* [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]] (OPCW)
* [[European Library|The European Library]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/index.html |title=TheEuropeanLibrary.org |publisher=TheEuropeanLibrary.org |access-date=4 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617120215/http://www.theeuropeanlibrary.org/portal/index.html |archive-date=17 June 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. The [[Hague Academic Coalition]] (HAC) is a consortium of those institutions.

Its member institutions are:
* [[Carnegie Foundation (Netherlands)|Carnegie Foundation]]
* [[Hague Institute for the Internationalisation of Law]] (HiiL)
* [[International Institute of Social Studies]] (ISS) of [[Erasmus University Rotterdam]]
* [[Leiden University College The Hague]]
* [[Netherlands Institute of International Relations Clingendael|Netherlands Institute of International Relations 'Clingendael']]
* [[The Hague Academy of International Law]]
* [[The Hague University of Applied Sciences]]
* [[T.M.C. Asser Instituut]]

In 1948, the [[Congress of Europe]] was held with 750 delegates from 26 European governments, providing them with the opportunity to discuss ideas about the development of [[European integration]], which eventually culminated in the creation of the modern-day [[European Union]].

== Economy ==
[[File:RandstadRail Den Haag netkous.jpg|thumb|The Hague's central financial district, [[Beatrixkwartier]], with the modern tram viaduct called the ''{{lang|nl|Netkous}}'' ("[[Fishnet stocking]]")]]

The Hague has a [[Service economy|service-oriented]] economy. A professional life in the city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; {{As of|2006|lc=y}}, 26% of the jobs in The Hague are those offered by the Dutch government or the international institutions. Large employers in this sector include the ministries of [[Ministry of Defence (Netherlands)|Defence]], [[Ministry of Justice and Security|Justice]], [[Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment (Netherlands)|Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment]], [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Netherlands)|Foreign Affairs]], the [[Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations]] and [[Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management (Netherlands)|Transport, Public Works and Water Management]].

Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague include [[Aegon N.V.|Aegon]], [[APM Terminals]], [[Damco]], [[NIBC Bank]], [[Chicago Bridge & Iron Company]] and [[PostNL]]. The city is also host to the regional headquarters of [[Siemens]], [[T-Mobile International AG|T-Mobile]], [[AT&T]], [[Huawei]], [[Kuwait Petroleum Corporation]], [[McDermott International]], [[Saudi Aramco]], [[TotalEnergies]] and [[Worley (company)|Worley]]. There has never been any large-scale industrial activity in The Hague, with the possible exception of the fishing activities of the harbour in [[Scheveningen]]. Many of the city's logistical and minor-industrial services are in the Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses.

The city is the second biggest [[Netherlands|Dutch]] tourist destination after [[Amsterdam]]. In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2&nbsp;million tourists, half of whom came from abroad. Tourists spend an average of €2&nbsp;billion a year in the local economy. 1 in 10 residents makes their living in the tourism sector.<ref>[http://denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/More-tourists-visiting-The-Hague.htm More tourists visiting The Hague] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029191319/http://denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/More-tourists-visiting-The-Hague.htm |date=29 October 2013 }}. Denhaag.nl. 7 May 2013 (last update 18 July 2013). Retrieved 25 October 2013.</ref><ref>[http://denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Tourism-sector-growing-in-The-Hague.htm Tourism sector growing in The Hague] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029194248/http://denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Tourism-sector-growing-in-The-Hague.htm |date=29 October 2013 }}. Denhaag.nl. 24 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.</ref>

== Culture ==
{{more citations needed section|date=May 2022}}
The Hague originated around the 13th century [[Binnenhof]], and this is still considered the cultural centre of the city. Nightlife centres around the three main squares in the city centre. The ''[[Plein, The Hague|Plein]]'' (meaning "Plaza" or "Town square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafés, where often politicians may be spotted. The ''Grote Markt'' (literally "Big Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The [[Buitenhof (The Hague)|Buitenhof]] (literally "Outer Courtyard", located just outside the [[Binnenhof]]) contains a six-screen [[Pathé]] cinema and a handful of bars and restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Adjacent to the Buitenhof is [[De Passage]], the country's first covered shopping mall. Dating from the late 19th century,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://denhaag.com/en/passage|title=Passage &#124; DenHaag.com|website=denhaag.com}}</ref> it contains many expensive and speciality shops. One of the country's largest music venues, [[Paard van Troje]], can be found in the centre of The Hague. Another popular music venue in The Hague is Muziekcafé de Paap.

[[File:Koninklijke Schouwburg Den Haag.jpg|thumb|The [[Koninklijke Schouwburg]], home to [[Het Nationale Theater]]]]
The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the [[Nieuwe Kerk (The Hague)|Nieuwe Kerk]]. Besides the [[The Hague City Hall|City Hall]], this was also the location of the [[Anton Philipszaal]], home to the [[Residentie Orchestra]], and the [[Lucent Danstheater]], home to the internationally celebrated modern dance company [[Nederlands Dans Theater]]. These buildings, designed by [[Rem Koolhaas]] in 1988, have been demolished to make space for a new theatre, [[Amare (theatre)|Amare]], which would house both institutes as well as the [[Royal Conservatory of The Hague|Royal Conservatory]]. Despite the efforts of the municipality, public support for the proposed theatre remains low. At the heart of the city centre, across the palace gardens, is the home of [[Summerschool Den Haag]], an international school for dance with guest teachers such as [[Valentina Scaglia]], [[Igone de Jongh]], and [[Maia Makhateli]]. The [[Koninklijke Schouwburg]], home to [[Het Nationale Theater]], can also be found in the city centre – on the Korte Voorhout. [[New European Ensemble]] is a collective for [[contemporary music]] consisting on international musicians. The ensemble has its main base in the city.

[[Scheveningen]] forms a second cultural centre of The Hague, having its own [[Pathé]] cinema as well as the musical theatre [[Circustheater]], although, especially in the summer, most nightlife concentrates around the sea-front boulevard with its bars, restaurants, and gambling halls. Several other attractions can be found in Scheveningen, such as the miniature park [[Madurodam]], the [[Beelden aan Zee]] museum, and a [[Sea Life Centres|Sea Life Centre]].

The Hague is the residence of the Dutch monarch, and several (former) royal palaces can be found in the city. King [[Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands]] and Queen [[Máxima of the Netherlands]] live in [[Huis ten Bosch]] in the [[Haagse Bos]] and work in the [[Noordeinde Palace]] in the city centre. Moreover, there are two former royal palaces in The Hague. The [[Kneuterdijk Palace]], built in 1716, is now home to the [[Council of State of the Netherlands]], and the Lange Voorhout Palace is now occupied by the [[Escher Museum]], dedicated to Dutch graphical artist [[M. C. Escher]].

[[File:2010-05-22-den-haag-by-RalfR-48.jpg|thumb|[[Mauritshuis]]|251x251px]]
The Hague has numerous museums, most notably the [[Mauritshuis]], located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many [[painting]]s by old masters up to 1800, such as [[Johannes Vermeer]], [[Rembrandt van Rijn]] and [[Paulus Potter]]. The art museum [[Gemeentemuseum Den Haag|Kunstmuseum]], housed in a striking building by architect [[H. P. Berlage|HP Berlage]], exhibits art from after 1800, including the world's large collection of paintings by [[Piet Mondrian]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mondrian {{!}} Kunstmuseum Den Haag |url=https://www.kunstmuseum.nl/en/collections/mondrian |access-date=2025-03-10 |website=www.kunstmuseum.nl |language=en}}</ref> Other museums include the science museum [[Museon]], the historic museum [[Haags Historisch Museum]], the national postal museum [[Museum voor Communicatie]], the [[Museum Bredius]], the [[Louis Couperus Museum]], the museum [[Beelden aan Zee]] in [[Scheveningen]], [[Panorama Mesdag]], and the [[Gevangenpoort]], a former prison housed in a 15th-century gatehouse.

Since early times, possibly as far back as the 16th century, the [[stork]] has been the symbol of The Hague.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/to/Haagse-weetjes.htm |title=Den Haag – Haagse weetjes |publisher=Denhaag.nl |date=12 July 2010 |access-date=16 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160602153030/http://www.denhaag.nl/home/bewoners/to/Haagse-weetjes.htm |archive-date=2 June 2016 }}</ref> Several films have been (partially) shot in The Hague, including ''[[Mindhunters]]'' (2004), ''[[Hum Tum (film)|Hum Tum]]'' (2004), ''[[Ocean's Twelve]]'' (2004), ''[[Zwartboek|Black Book]]'' (2006) and ''[[Sonny Boy (2011 film)|Sonny Boy]]'' (2011). Parts of the second season of the Netflix series ''[[Sense8]]'' were filmed in The Hague.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://denhaagfm.nl/2016/07/10/opnamen-netflix-serie-sense8-dit-weekend-in-den-haag/ |title=Opnamen Netflix-serie 'Sense8' dit weekend in Den Haag |publisher=DenhaagFM.nl |date=10 July 2016 |access-date=20 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160710123710/http://denhaagfm.nl/2016/07/10/opnamen-netflix-serie-sense8-dit-weekend-in-den-haag/ |archive-date=10 July 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Notable actors and filmmakers from The Hague include [[Martin Koolhoven]], [[Georgina Verbaan]], [[Carel Struycken]], [[Frederique van der Wal]], [[Marwan Kenzari]], [[Anna Drijver]], [[Renée Soutendijk]] and [[Paul Verhoeven]], who grew up in the city from an early age.

<gallery widths="200px" heights="180">
File:Bevel Koninklijke Marechaussee in handen van Leijtens-9.jpg|The [[Ridderzaal]] inside the [[Binnenhof]], the political centre of the Netherlands
File:Plein 1813.JPG|Monument commemorating the founding of the Kingdom of the Netherlands at Plein 1813
File:Noordeinde Palace.jpg|[[Noordeinde Palace]]
File:Den Haag, Grote Kerk foto2 2010-03-07 15.31.JPG|[[Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk (The Hague)|Grote or Sint-Jacobskerk]]
File:Overzicht voorgevel met gedeelte zijvleugels, vanaf de oprijlaan - 's-Gravenhage - 20358480 - RCE.jpg|[[Huis ten Bosch]] is the residence of the king.
File:Den Haag Louwman Museum 005.jpg|[[Louwman Museum]] is a museum for historic cars, coaches, and motorcycles.
File:Kloosterkerk (The Hague) (5).jpg| the [[Lange Voorhout]] is a street in the old city centre
File:De zandstenen voorgevel heeft een middenrisaliet met fronton - 's-Gravenhage - 20396168 - RCE.jpg| [[Escher in the Palace]]
File:Gemeente museum.jpg|View of the [[Kunstmuseum Den Haag]], Designed by [[H. P. Berlage]], and opened in 1935
</gallery>

=== Sports ===
[[File:20180916-Ado - Ajax vrouwen.jpg|thumb|[[ADO Den Haag Stadium]]]]
The city's major [[association football|football]] club is [[ADO Den Haag]], which competes in the [[Eerste Divisie]], the second-highest tier of football in the Netherlands. ADO Den Haag has won the [[KNVB Cup]] twice and won the League twice in the era before professional football. They play their matches at the 15,000-seat [[ADO Den Haag Stadium]]. Amateur team [[HVV Den Haag|HVV]] is also based in the city. Before the professional era, the club won 10 national titles and one KNVB Cup, and they remain fourth in the all-time [[List of Dutch football champions|list of national title winners]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nedchamp.html|title=Netherlands – Champions|website=[[RSSSF]]|access-date=2017-10-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608070758/http://www.rsssf.com/tablesn/nedchamp.html|archive-date=8 June 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> [[HBS Craeyenhout (football club)|HBS Craeyenhout]] is another amateur club in the city, which won three national titles before the establishment of the Eredivisie.<ref name=":0" /> On 13 May 2021, football club ADO Den Haag was relegated from the Eredivisie as they lost their final game of the season against [[Willem II (football club)|Willem II]]. In effect, ADO Den Haag no longer holds a position in the top division of professional Dutch football.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/05/ado-and-vvv-relegated-from-eredivisie-as-willem-ii-and-emmen-win/|title = ADO and VVV relegated from Eredivisie as Willem II and Emmen win|date = 13 May 2021}}</ref>

Since 2020, the basketball club [[The Hague Royals]] has played in the professional [[Dutch Basketball League]] (DBL). Home games are played at the Sportcampus Zuiderpark.

The local [[rugby union]] team is Haagsche Rugby Club (a.k.a. HRC). The ice hockey team is [[HYS The Hague]] and the local [[American football]] team is Den Haag Raiders '99.

[[Darts]] is another sport played in The Hague; its popularity was increased by [[Raymond van Barneveld]] winning several World Championships.

The half-marathon race [[CPC Loop Den Haag]] is held annually in The Hague. In 1994, The Hague held the [[International Federation for Equestrian Sports|FEI]] World Equestrian Games.

=== Annual events ===
[[Koningsdag]], or ''King's Day'', is held annually on 27 April. It is traditionally celebrated with fairs and flea markets throughout the city. On this day, the colour orange predominates at a [[funfair]] (which sells orange [[cotton candy]]) and scores of informal street markets. The day is a ''vrijmarkt'' (literally "free market"), which means no licence is needed for street vending; children traditionally use this day to sell old, unwanted toys. Since King's Day is a national holiday and thus a day off, many people also go out and party on the evening before King's Day. This evening is called King's Night, or ''Koningnacht'' in The Hague. The "t" is left out because ''nacht'' is pronounced as ''nach'' in The Hague. Outdoor concerts throughout the city centre of The Hague draw tens of thousands of visitors every year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Kings-Day-Koningsdag.htm |title=King's Day (Koningsdag) |date=11 November 2013 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419221344/http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Kings-Day-Koningsdag.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/The-Hague-turns-Orange-on-Kings-Day.htm |title=The Hague turns Orange on King's Day!) |date=26 March 2014 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419224259/http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/The-Hague-turns-Orange-on-Kings-Day.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Every third Tuesday in September is {{Lang|nl|[[Prinsjesdag]]|italic=no}}, or ''Prince's Day'', the opening of the Dutch parliament. On a festive day, children in The Hague are free from school so they may watch the procession of the [[Golden Coach (Netherlands)|Golden Coach]]. The King is driven in the coach from [[Noordeinde Palace]] to the [[Ridderzaal]] in the [[Binnenhof]]. Here, the King reads the [[Speech from the Throne]], written jointly by the Ministers and Secretaries of State. This ''troonrede'' outlines the government's plans for the coming year. As the procession returns to the Noordeinde Palace, the road is lined with members of the Dutch Royal Armed Forces, and in the afternoon, the Royal Family appears on the palace balcony to address an adoring and often frenzied public (''balkonscène'').<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Princes-Day-Prinsjesdag.htm |title=Prince's Day (Prinsjesdag) |date=26 August 2013 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419220113/http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Princes-Day-Prinsjesdag.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Vlaggetjesdag]] ([[:nl:Vlaggetjesdag|nl]]), literally ''Flag Day'', is the annual celebration of the arrival of the year's first herring (Hollandse Nieuwe) in [[Scheveningen]]. Hundreds of thousands of people gather in Scheveningen for the festivities, and the fishing boats are decorated specially for the occasion. In addition to the omnipresent herring, this day also features several activities unrelated to fish. In Scheveningen, the first barrel of herring is traditionally sold at an auction on the Thursday preceding the official Vlaggetjesdag, and the proceeds go to charity. Vlaggetjesdag was made official in 1947, although the festive tradition around the beginning of herring season is much older: in the 18th century, the villages along the coast, including Scheveningen, were forbidden to gut the caught herring. Since herring was most appropriate for smoking around September, most fishing boats caught flatfish or round-bodied fish during part of the summer, to avoid a surplus of fresh herring.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Flag-Day-Vlaggetjesdag.htm |title=Vlaggetjesdag (Flag Day) |date=19 July 2013 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419214619/http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Flag-Day-Vlaggetjesdag.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In July or August, The Hague hosts a series of weekly firework displays by the sea front in [[Scheveningen]], as part of an international fireworks festival and competition.

[[Tong Tong Fair]], formerly ''Pasar Malam Besar'', is the largest festival in the world for [[Indo people|Indo]] culture. Established in 1959, it is one of the oldest festivals and the fourth-largest grand fair in the Netherlands. It is also the annual event with the highest number of paying visitors to The Hague, having consistently attracted more than 100,000 visitors since 1993. The Milan Festival is Europe's biggest Hindustani open-air event, annually held in [[Zuiderpark]]. The Hague also hosts several annual music festivals; on the last Sunday in June, the city hosts [[Parkpop]], the largest free open-air pop concert in Europe. [[Crossing Border Festival]], [[State-X]] and [[The Hague Jazz]] festival are among other music festivals in The Hague.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Music-City-The-Hague-5.htm |title=Music City The Hague |date=23 August 2012 |website=Denhaag.nl |access-date=19 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140419214407/http://en.denhaag.nl/en/residents/to/Music-City-The-Hague-5.htm |archive-date=19 April 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[Crossing Border Festival]] is an annual festival in November, focusing on music and literature.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://crossingborder.nl/ |title=Crossing Border Festival |access-date=5 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140915044439/http://crossingborder.nl/ |archive-date=15 September 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The first edition took place in 1993.

Movies That Matter<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.moviesthatmatter.nl/english_index |title=Moviesthatmatter.nl |access-date=8 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170415014727/http://www.moviesthatmatter.nl/english_index |archive-date=15 April 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> is an international film and debate festival about peace and justice that takes place every year at the end of March; nine days filled with screenings of fiction films and documentaries, daily talk-shows, music performances, and [[exhibition]]s. The first such event took place in 2006.

Moreover, the Hague International Model United Nations, annually held in January, is a five-day conference held at the [[World Forum (The Hague)|World Forum]], gathering over 4,000 students from over 200 secondary schools across the globe. It is the oldest and largest high school [[United Nations]] simulation in the world. ''Den Haag Sculptuur'' is an open-air exhibition of sculptures; the tenth such event, in 2007, celebrated the 400 years of the [[Australia–Netherlands relations|relationship between the Netherlands and Australia]]. Since 2009, the city of The Hague has also annually presented an [[LGBT social movements|LGBTQ+ emancipation]] award, called the [[John Blankenstein Award]]. The exact date of the ceremony varies each year.

== Notable people ==
{{main|List of people from The Hague}}

== Transport ==
[[File:Lijn2 Citadis4036 25042012.jpg|thumb|Modern RegioCitadis tram on route 2, [[Loosduinen]], April 2012]]

===Air===
The Hague shares an [[Rotterdam The Hague Airport|airport]] with [[Rotterdam]]. It can be reached from Central Station by [[RandstadRail]] Line E, with an Airport Shuttle to and from [[Meijersplein RandstadRail station|Meijersplein Station]]. However, with several direct trains per hour from the railway stations Hollands Spoor and Centraal, [[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol]] is more frequently used by people travelling to and from The Hague by air.

===Rail===
[[File:Den Haag - Station Holland Spoor v1.JPG|thumb|View of Hollands Spoor]]

There are two main [[railway station]]s in The Hague: [[Den Haag HS railway station|Hollands Spoor]] and [[Den Haag Centraal railway station|Centraal Station]], {{convert|1.5|km|0|abbr=on}} apart from each other. Because the two stations were built and run by two different railway companies in the 19th century, services have traditionally been split between the two: east–west lines terminate at Centraal Station, whereas north–south lines run through Hollands Spoor. However, Centraal Station now offers direct services to most major Dutch cities, such as [[Amsterdam]], [[Rotterdam]], and [[Utrecht]].

Other destinations include [[Leiden]], [[Haarlem]], [[Zwolle]], [[Groningen]], [[Leeuwarden]], [[Amersfoort]], [[Enschede]], [[Breda]], [[Tilburg]] and [[Eindhoven]]. International travellers for [[Antwerp]] and [[Brussels]] have to change trains at Rotterdam.

===Urban transport===
Public transport in The Hague consists of [[Trams in The Hague|a tramway network]] and a sizeable number of bus routes, operated by [[HTM Personenvervoer]].<ref>[http://www.htm.net/smartsite.dws?id=169 Public transport map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520163149/http://www.htm.net/smartsite.dws?id=169 |date=20 May 2009 }} (from [[HTM Personenvervoer|HTM]])</ref> Plans for a subway were shelved in the early 1970s. However, in 2004, a tunnel was built under the city centre with two underground tram stations ([[Spui RandstadRail station|Spui]] and [[Grote Markt RandstadRail station|Grote Markt]]); it is shared by RandstadRail lines 3 and 4 and tram routes 2 and 6.

[[RandstadRail]] connects The Hague to nearby cities, Zoetermeer, Rotterdam, and Leidschendam-Voorburg. It consists of four light rail lines (3, 4, and 19 to Zoetermeer, Rijswijk, Delft, and Leidschendam-Voorburg) and one subway line (E to Rotterdam).

===Road===
Major motorways connecting to The Hague include the [[A12 motorway (Netherlands)|A12]], running to Utrecht and the German border. The A12 runs directly into the heart of the city in a cutting. Built in the 1970s, this section of the motorway (the "Utrechtsebaan") is now heavily overburdened. Plans were made in the late 1990s for a second artery road into the city (the "Rotterdamsebaan", previously called the "Trekvliettracé"), which was completed in 2021.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wegenwiki.nl/Rotterdamsebaan|title=Rotterdamsebaan – Wegenwiki|website=www.wegenwiki.nl|access-date=2 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005015024/http://www.wegenwiki.nl/Rotterdamsebaan|archive-date=5 October 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Other connecting motorways are the [[A4 motorway (Netherlands)|A4]], which connects the city with [[Amsterdam]], and the [[A13 motorway (Netherlands)|A13]], which runs to [[Rotterdam]] and connects to motorways towards the Belgian border. There is also the [[A44 motorway (Netherlands)|A44]] that connects the city to [[Leiden]], [[Haarlem]] and [[Amsterdam]]. In the 1970s, plans for building another motorway to Leiden existed. This "Leidsebaan" was supposed to start in the city centre and then follow the railway line from The Hague to Amsterdam. Some works had been executed but had been removed by the 1980s.{{citation needed|date=May 2022}}

== See also ==
{{Portal|Netherlands}}
* [[List of people from The Hague]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{Further|Timeline of The Hague#Bibliography|l1=Bibliography of the history of The Hague}}
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1 = Lourens |first1 = Piet |last2 = Lucassen |first2 = Jan |title = Inwonertallen van Nederlandse steden ca. 1300–1800 |year = 1997 |location = Amsterdam |publisher = NEHA |isbn = 9057420082 }}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Sister project links |wikt=The Hague |commons=Den Haag |b=no |n=Category:The Hague |q=no |s=no |v=no |voy=The Hague |species=no |d=no |display=The Hague}}
*[http://www.thehague.com/ City of The Hague].
* [http://www.panorama-mesdag.com The largest painting in the Netherlands] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160111203026/http://panorama-mesdag.com/ |date=11 January 2016 }}.

<!--Please note that not all directions need to be filled-->
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{{Geographic location
|Centre = The Hague
|North = [[Wassenaar]], [[Leidschendam-Voorburg]]
|Northeast = [[Zoetermeer]]
|East = [[Pijnacker-Nootdorp]]<br />[[Rijswijk]]
|Southeast = [[Delft]]<br />[[Midden-Delfland]]
|South = [[Westland (municipality), Netherlands|Westland]]
|Southwest = 
|West = ''[[North Sea]]''
|Northwest = 
}}
{{South Holland Province}}
{{Dutch capital cities}}
{{World Games Host Cities}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hague, The}}
[[Category:The Hague| ]]
[[Category:1248 establishments in Europe]]
[[Category:Cities in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Former national capitals]]
[[Category:Municipalities of South Holland]]
[[Category:Populated places in South Holland]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 13th century]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals of the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Port cities and towns of the North Sea]]