Antwerp is a city and a metropolis in Belgium, its chief center of commerce. Antwerp has and estimated total population of 460,000. Antwerp is, historically, one of Belgium's most vital cities in terms of economy and culture. It is one of the three primary centers of the global diamond industry along with New York City's "diamond district", and South Africa. The diamond industry is traditionally controlled by the city's Hassidic Jewish population, the largest outside of New York. Antwerp is also well-known for its seaport with a high level of cargo shipping and oil refineries. Since the 1990s it has been recognized worldwide as an principal city for fashion design, as numerous graduates of the Belgian Royal Academy of Fine Arts have become internationally lucrative designers. Antwerp is positioned on the right bank of the river Scheldt. It is also one of the largest ports in the world. Antwerp also hosted the 1920 Summer Olympics and was the first city to host the World Gymnastics Championships, in 1903.
Antwerp has one of the most well known places in all of the world the Antwerp Zoo. Antwerp Zoo is a zoo in the center of Antwerp, Belgium positioned right next to the train station. It is the oldest animal park in the country, established in July of 1843. Throughout the years it has tried to encourage wildlife preservation through activities and exhibits on a recreational, scientific and cultural level. Antwerp Zoo houses over 5,000 animals of about 950 species. They get practically 1.5 million visitors each year and have around 38,000 employees.