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The Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA ) is a non- UN intergovernmental organization headquartered at the Peace Palace , in The Hague , Netherlands . Unlike a judicial court in the traditional sense, the PCA provides administrative support in international arbitrations involving various combinations of States, State entities, international organizations and private parties. The cases span a range of legal issues involving territorial and maritime boundaries , sovereignty , human rights , international investment, and international and regional trade. The PCA is constituted through two separate multilateral conventions with a combined membership of 124 Contracting Parties. The PCA is not a United Nations agency , but has been a United Nations observer since 1993.

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83-601: The European Urban Knowledge Network (EUKN) is an international organization that promotes sustainable urban development through policy development, research and technical assistance. The EUKN secretariat is based in The Hague . Member countries are Belgium , Czech Republic , France , Germany , Netherlands , Poland , Slovenia and Spain . The EUKN supports national ministries in developing their National Urban Policies, for example through facilitation of knowledge sharing events. The EUKN also provides support to countries holding

166-526: A European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) allowing it engage directly in cross-border cooperation and activities. The Hague The Hague ( / h eɪ ɡ / HAYG ; Dutch : Den Haag [dɛn ˈɦaːx] or 's-Gravenhage [ˌsxraːvə(n)ˈɦaːɣə] ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands . With a population of over half

249-489: A 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. In April 2023, De Mos and Guernaoui were acquitted of all charges. The Hague

332-638: 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 . At the beginning of the Eighty Years' War , the absence of city walls proved disastrous, as it allowed Spanish troops to easily occupy

415-549: 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

498-515: 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 receive city rights . In its early years, the village was in the ambacht , or rural district, of Monster , which was governed by

581-517: A letter to Den Haag will be delivered just as well. The railway stations use the name Den Haag , as do signposts. 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

664-510: 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 while the official capital of the Netherlands is Amsterdam , The Hague has been described as the country's de facto capital since the time of the Dutch Republic . The Hague is the core municipality of

747-549: A new theatre, Amare , which would house both institutes as well as the Royal Conservatory . Despite 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

830-526: A population of 6,659,300. The Hague lies at the southwestern corner of the second-largest conurbation in the European Union . The Hague is divided into eight official districts which are, in turn, divided into neighbourhoods. 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 Archipelbuurt are generally in

913-689: A real and lasting peace, and above all, of limiting the progressive development of existing armaments". The current Secretary-General of the PCA is Dr. Hab. Marcin Czepelak , who was elected on 14 February 2022 by the PCA Administrative Council for a term of 5 years (from 1 June 2022 until 31 May 2027). The below table lists all the Secretaries-General who have served the PCA since its founding. PCA tribunals have jurisdiction for disputes based on

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996-470: A summary procedure for simple cases being the most conspicuous change, and were relevant in the 1920s development of rules for the Court of International Justice. The first act of parties before the PCA is the submission of the so-called "compromisis", stating the issue and the competence of the arbitrator(s). Proceedings are then conducted in two phases: written pleadings and oral discussion. The Court retires once

1079-625: 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 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

1162-722: Is Muziekcafé de Paap. The Spuiplein is a modern fourth square in the city centre, opposite the Nieuwe Kerk . Besides the 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

1245-464: Is a consortium of those institutions. Its member institutions are: 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 . The Hague has a service-oriented economy. A professional life in

1328-474: Is also host to the regional headquarters of Siemens , T-Mobile , AT&T , Huawei , Kuwait Petroleum Corporation , McDermott International , Saudi Aramco , TotalEnergies and 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

1411-512: 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 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 servants and diplomats . In fact,

1494-449: Is certain is that The Hague was founded by the last counts of the 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 in 1234, before anything

1577-597: Is entitled to nominate candidates for the election to the International Court of Justice . The Members of the Court (along with the judges of the International Court of Justice ) are among a handful of groups entitled to nominate candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize . Parties to a dispute may, but are not obliged to, select arbitrators from the list of the Members of the Court. The PCA sometimes gets confused with

1660-594: 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 Scheveningen Prison , the ICC's detention center for those suspected of war crimes and other violations of international law. The Hague is the fourth major centre for

1743-696: Is presided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands , who is also a Contracting Party. It is responsible for the "direction and control" of the International Bureau, directs the organisation's budget and reports on its activities. The International Bureau is the Secretariat of the PCA and is headed by the Secretary-General. It provides linguistic, research, administrative and financial support to PCA arbitration tribunals. The third organ of

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1826-407: 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. As of the 2022 municipal election ,

1909-541: The If two member states have elected different dispute resolution measures, the third option is to be used. As of August 2016, the PCA has administered twelve of the thirteen cases initiated by states under Annex VII to the UNCLOS . Many free trade agreements provide for a mechanism to resolve disputes between investors and states through arbitration through so-called investor-state dispute settlement ( ISDS ) clauses. The PCA may play

1992-648: The Atlantic Wall was built through the city, causing a large quarter to be torn down by the Nazi occupants. On 3 March 1945, the Royal Air Force mistakenly bombed the Bezuidenhout quarter. The target was an installation of V-2 rockets in the nearby Haagse Bos park, but because of navigational errors, the bombs fell on a heavily populated and historic part of the city. The bombardment wreaked widespread destruction in

2075-536: 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, 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

2158-728: The 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 million, is the largest metropolitan area of the Netherlands. The city is also part of the Randstad region, one of the largest conurbations in Europe. The Hague is the seat of the Cabinet , the States General ,

2241-682: 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 . The Hague has its share of museums, most notably

2324-470: The Hagenezen , who speak plat Haags ("vulgar"); see Demographics below. The districts are: The Hague experiences a temperate oceanic climate ( 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

2407-685: The International Court of Justice , which also has its seat in the Peace Palace. The PCA is not part of the UN system, holding observer status in the UN General Assembly since 1993. In the Articles 30–57 of the Hague Convention of 1899 the rules of arbitration procedure are outlined. These rules are an adapted version of pre-existing treaties among the states. They were amended in 1907, the creation of

2490-634: The Mauritshuis , located next to the Binnenhof, which exhibits many paintings by Dutch masters, such as Johannes Vermeer , Rembrandt van Rijn and Paulus Potter . Other museums include the science museum Museon , the modern art museum Kunstmuseum , the historic museum Haags Historisch Museum , the national postal museum Museum voor Communicatie , the Museum Bredius , the Louis Couperus Museum ,

2573-501: The Ridderzaal ("Knights' Hall"), still intact, is the most prominent. 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

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2656-585: 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 , has

2739-512: The Supreme Court , and the Council of State of the Netherlands. King Willem-Alexander officially lives in the Huis ten Bosch and works at the Noordeinde Palace together with Queen Máxima . Most foreign embassies in the Netherlands are in the city. The Hague is also home to the headquarters of many Dutch companies , with Shell plc having major offices in the city as well. The Royal Library of

2822-461: The United Nations , after New York, Geneva and Vienna. The foundation of The Hague as an "international city of peace and justice" started at the end of the 19th century, when 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

2905-449: The municipal council of The Hague contains thirteen parties, most notably the local Heart for The Hague (HvDH; 9 seats), Democrats 66 (D66; 8 seats), the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD; 7 seats) and GroenLinks (5 seats). Since 2019, the municipal executive has comprised VVD, D66, GroenLinks, CDA and PvdA. The chairman of the college is Mayor Jan van Zanen (VVD), and

2988-446: 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 (literally "Square") is taken by several large sidewalk cafés where often politicians may be spotted. The Grote Markt (literally "Great Market") is completely strewn with chairs and tables, summer or winter. The Buitenhof (literally "Outer Court", located just outside

3071-473: The 1899 Hague Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes . At the second Hague Peace Conference, the earlier Convention was revised by the 1907 Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes . The Conference was convened at the initiative of emperor Nicholas II of Russia "with the object of seeking the most objective means of ensuring to all peoples the benefits of

3154-605: 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: Many academic institutions in the fields of international relations, international law, and international development are based in The Hague. The Hague Academic Coalition (HAC)

3237-649: The Binckhorst in the Laak district, which contains many sizeable warehouses. Tourism is an important sector in The Hague. The city is the second biggest Dutch tourist destination, after Amsterdam . In 2012, The Hague welcomed 1.2 million tourists (an increase of 80,000 compared to the previous year), half of whom came from abroad. The number of hotel nights in the city increased by 5%; in particular, visitors from neighbouring countries are finding their way to The Hague. Compared to 2011 Belgians booked 27% more hotel nights, while

3320-560: The Convention on the Pacific Settlement of disputes of 1899 (71 Parties) and 1907 (101 Parties) are automatically parties to the PCA. As 51 are parties to both conventions, the PCA has 122 Contracting Parties: 120 members of the United Nations, as well as Kosovo and Palestine . The PCA is the oldest institution for international dispute resolutions. It was established in 1899 by the first Hague Peace Conference under Articles 20 to 29 of

3403-499: The Germans were good for 24% more hotel nights, and the French booked 20% more hotel nights. The 14% average increase in visits by foreign tourists more than compensated for the slight decrease of less than 1% by Dutch visitors. Tourists spend an average of €2 billion a year in the local economy. Today 1 in 10 residents make their living in the tourism sector. The Hague originated around

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3486-498: 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. When the House of Burgundy inherited the counties of Holland and Zeeland in 1432, they appointed

3569-514: 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

3652-700: The Netherlands East Indies (as well as other former Dutch colonies such as Suriname) and there is a sizable " 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". 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

3735-444: The Netherlands, while 15.6% has at least one parent who was born abroad in a western country, and 34.4% has at least one parent that was born in a non-western country. 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 Surinam. Islam

3818-457: The PCA are the Members of the Court . Each Contracting Party may appoint up to four persons "of known competency in questions of international law, of the highest moral reputation and disposed to accept the duties of arbitrators" for a renewable 6-year term. In addition to forming a panel of potential arbitrators, the Members of the Court from each Contracting Party constitute a “national group,” which

3901-564: The PCA decide to submit a dispute for arbitration to a PCA Tribunal. The Tribunal consists of five arbitrators: two (one of whom may be a national of the party concerned) are selected by each party to the arbitration; these four arbitrators then choose the fifth and presiding arbitrator. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides for a dispute resolution mechanism regarding maritime boundaries in which member states can choose either

3984-405: The PCA founding documents (the Conventions on Pacific Settlement of International Disputes), or based on bilateral and multilateral treaties. Its Secretary General furthermore acts as an appointing authority for arbitration. When problems arise in designating arbitrators for an arbitration under UNCITRAL arbitration rules (e.g. because one of the parties refuses to designate an arbitrator, or when

4067-517: The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons , Europol , and approximately 200 other international governmental organizations . The name "The Hague" is commonly used as a totum pro parte to refer to either of the international courts that reside in the city. The Hague was first mentioned as Die Haghe in 1242. In the 15th century, the name des Graven hage came into use, literally meaning "the Count's Grove", with connotations such as "hedge", "private enclosure" or "hunting grounds". The count in question

4150-445: 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

4233-435: The area and caused 511 fatalities. Because of uncertainty about what to do after the destructions 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 Staatsspoor Station entirely, with Hollands Spoor becoming

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4316-417: 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 site of the Staatsspoor station now stands the Den Haag Centraal railway station . After the war, The Hague became at one time the largest building site in Europe . The city expanded massively to the southwest, and

4399-399: 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 night life concentrates around

4482-442: The city has eight aldermen: Anne Mulder , Kavita Parbhudayal (both VVD), Robert van Asten, Saskia Bruines (both D66), Liesbeth van Tongeren , Bert van Alphen (both GroenLinks), Hilbert Bredemeijer (CDA) and Martijn Balster (PvdA). Each alderman is responsible for a number of particular policy areas and one of the city's eight districts. On 1 October 2019, the National Department of Criminal Investigation ( Rijksrecherche ) performed

4565-706: The city is dominated by a large number of civil servants and diplomats working in the city; as of 2006 , 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 Defence , Justice , Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment , Foreign Affairs , the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations and Transport, Public Works and Water Management . Several large international businesses have their headquarters in The Hague. Significant companies headquartered in The Hague include Aegon , APM Terminals , Damco , NIBC Bank , Chicago Bridge & Iron Company and PostNL . The city

4648-433: 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 more green 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

4731-416: 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. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea in the Netherlands and forms the centre of the Greater The Hague urban area . Westland and Wateringen lie to

4814-530: The city. Most of the canals were drained in the late 19th century and some were filled between 1910 and 1970 but many have been restored recently. The tallest buildings of The Hague are both 146-meter-tall ministries of Justice and Security and the Interior and Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands, designed by Hans Kollhoff . Other significant skyscrapers include the Hoftoren , Het Strijkijzer and De Kroon . Religions in The Hague (2015) As of 1 January 2021, The Hague counts 549,163 inhabitants, making it

4897-406: The debate is over to deliberate and conclude the case by a simple majority of votes. The decision is published as an award, along with any dissenting opinions. Early Court decisions were countersigned by the arbitrators themselves, but in 1907, that responsibility was passed to the president and secretary (of the PCA). The award is read in a public session in the presence of the agents and lawyers of

4980-404: The designated arbitrators are unable to agree on designation of a third arbitrator), the PCA Secretary-General may be requested to serve as an appointing authority. This option is also open for other arbitration agreements, in which the Secretary General is designated. Between 2011, and 2015, 257 of such requests were submitted. Arbitration between two states takes place when two member states of

5063-413: 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

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5146-405: 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). 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

5229-406: The expenses of the arbitral tribunal set up to hear the case, including the salary of the arbitrators, registry and administrative functions, but not including overheads of the organization. The costs of arbitration vary from case to case and discussions may be held between the PCA and the parties over fee arrangements. The fixed costs for action as an appointing authority are €3000. Parties to

5312-424: The growth to continue to just over 600,000 inhabitants by 2030. 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. 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. 43% of the population of The Hague has two parents that were born in

5395-482: The initiative of emperor Nicolas II of Russia “with the object of seeking the most objective means of ensuring to all peoples the benefits of a real and lasting peace, and above all, of limiting the progressive development of existing armaments.” The PCA's headquarters, the Peace Palace , was built from 1907 to 1913 to house the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The PCA is not a court in the conventional understanding of that term but an administrative organization with

5478-399: 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. The city sustained heavy damage during World War II . Many Jews were killed during the German occupation. Additionally,

5561-400: The museum Beelden aan Zee in Scheveningen , Panorama Mesdag , and the Gevangenpoort , a former prison housed in a 15th-century gatehouse. Permanent Court of Arbitration The PCA was established by the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, concluded at The Hague in 1899 during the first Hague Peace Conference of 1899. The Conference had been convened at

5644-427: The northwestern part of the city, closer to the sea, whereas the southeastern neighbourhoods such as Transvaal , Moerwijk , and the Schilderswijk are significantly poorer, except the Vinex-locations 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

5727-439: The number and variety of foreign residents (especially the expatriates ) make the city quite culturally diverse, with many foreign pubs , shops and cultural events. The Hague is the largest Dutch city on the North Sea and includes two distinct beach resorts . 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 million visitors

5810-407: The object of having permanent and readily available means to serve as the registry for purposes of international arbitration and other related procedures, including commissions of enquiry and conciliation. The Administrative Council (formally the Permanent Administrative Council ) is a body composed of all the diplomatic representatives of the Contracting Parties accredited to the Netherlands. It

5893-454: The parties to the case. The decision is binding on the parties, and there is no mechanism for appeal. Between 2007 and 2008, the budget was €1.8 million. The budget of PCA comes from the contributions of its Contracting Parties and income through arbitration cases. The distribution of the amounts to be paid by the individual Contracting Parties is based on the system in use by the Universal Postal Union . Parties to arbitration have to pay

5976-624: The privileges normally granted only to cities. In modern administrative law, "city rights" have no place anymore. In 1806, when the Kingdom of Holland was a puppet state of the First French Empire , the settlement was granted city rights by Louis Bonaparte . After the Napoleonic Wars , modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands were combined in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands to form

6059-636: The rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union and has contributed to milestones in European urban policy such as the Leipzig Charter, the New Leipzig Charter and the Ljubljana agreement. The EUKN also works with stakeholders such as policymakers, academic experts and practitioners. It collaborates with partners on agenda-setting research in urban development. The EUKN holds legal status as

6142-546: 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 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

6225-574: 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

6308-513: 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

6391-429: The southwestern city was planned by the progressive Dutch architect H.P. Berlage about 1910. This 'Plan Berlage' decided the spacious and homely streets for several decades. In World War II, a large amount of the western portion of The Hague was destroyed by the Germans. Afterward, modernist architect W.M. Dudok planned its renewal, putting apartment blocks for the middle class in open park-like settings. The layout of

6474-526: The summer. It also gets more sunshine. 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

6557-636: 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

6640-461: 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 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. The city

6723-593: 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 Dutch Republic . For the administration to maintain control over city matters, The Hague never received official city status, although it did have many of

6806-469: Was built. His son and successor 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 , of which

6889-468: Was the Count of Holland (as is the case with nearby 's-Gravenzande ). The spelling ' s-Gravenhage was officially used for the city from the 17th century onward. Today, this name is only used in some official documents such as birth and marriage certificates. The city itself uses Den Haag in all its communications. The post office specifies that letters should be addressed to ' s-Gravenhage , but

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