| Zaan | |
|---|---|
 Den Uylbridge in Zaandam, the Netherlands. | |
  Mouth of Zaan | |
| Location | |
| Country | Netherlands |
| District | Zaan District |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• coordinates | 52°28′11″N 4°49′35″E / 52.46972°N 4.82639°E |
The Zaan (Dutch pronunciation: [zaːn] ) is a small river in the province of North Holland in the northwestern Netherlands and the name of a district through which it runs. The river was originally a side arm of the IJ bay and travels 13.5 kilometers (8½ miles) through the municipalities of Zaanstad ("Zaan City") and Wormerland north of Amsterdam, from West-Knollendam in the north to Zaandam in the south, where it empties into the IJ.
The municipality of Zaanstad and several towns along the Zaan are named for the river: Koog aan de Zaan, Westzaan, Oostzaan, Zaandijk and the city of Zaandam. The river also runs past Zaanse Schans, a village with historic windmills and houses. It ranks among the top tourist destinations in the Netherlands.