Amsterdam is exceptionally flat and low-lying, characteristic of the broader Dutch landscape. The majority of the city sits roughly 2 meters (6.6 feet) below sea level, protected from flooding by an intricate network of coastal defenses and dikes.
There are no natural hills, mountains, plateaus, or canyons. The highest natural point in the immediate vicinity is scarcely above sea level, while localized artificial elevations exist, such as the constructed mounds (terps) of older historical buildings, bridges over canals, and landfills turned into parks.
The topographical defining features are entirely hydrological. The city center forms a horseshoe shape of concentric canals. To the north lies the IJ, a body of water that acts as the city's waterfront, separating the center from the rapidly developing Amsterdam-Noord district.