Delft is known for its historic town center with canals, Delft Blue pottery, the Delft Campus, painter Johannes Vermeer and scientist Antony van Leeuwenhoek, and its association with the royal House of Orange-Nassau.
To give an impression of the main elements of Delft:
– Education; (Delft University of Technology) (As of 2007 14.299 students, 2.712 scientists and 1.859 researchers), the Haagse Hogeschool, InHolland and UNESCO-IHE Institute for water education.
– Scientific research; Delft University of Technology , TNO ( Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), Stichting Deltares, Nederlands Normalisatie-Instituut,
– Tourism; (about three million visitors a year),
– Industry; (DSM Gist Services BV (Delft ware) pottery production by Royal Delft, Exact Software Netherlands BV, Topdesk, Ampelmann, 3M, Festo)
– Retail; (Ikea ( Inter IKEA Systems B.V., owner and worldwide franchisor of the IKEA Concept, is based in Delft), Makro, Hanos.
