There are over 10,000 houseboats in the Netherlands. MANY are on Amsterdam's canals. THESE are old barges that are now homes. Lots of artists and young people like to live on the houseboats. ALSO,Amsterdam is very crowded, and there are not enough houses for everyone,especially in the city center. So houseboats offer people the chance to live right in the city. Houseboats in Amsterdam have one thing in common:they all look different.