The name Zaan also refers to the district through which the river runs. The district (Dutch: Zaanstreek  is believed to be the world's first industrialized area. During the Dutch Golden Age in the 17th century, the Zaan district was dotted with windmills, which processed materials such as linseed, used in the paint industry, and agricultural products such as mustard seed and wood. By the mid-17th century, approximately 900 windmills could be found along the river, some of them still preserved in the Zaanse Schans. The Zaan district continues to be a heavily industrialized area with many factories, particularly around the city of Zaandam. A number of major Dutch companies, like Ahold and Verkade, were founded in the Zaan district.

Zaanstreek-Waterland  (Dutch: Waterland en Zaanstreek) is a showcase of every stereotype one would expect from the country: dykes, windmills, flowers and wooden houses dot its flat rural lands. Some of these typical rural villages and attractions include Broek in Waterland, Edam, Marken, Monnickendam, Volendam and Zaanse Schans.

Ziggo Dome is a 17,000-seat multi-use indoor arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Marco Borsato was the first artist to perform at the Dome on June 24, 2012 with his "Dichtbij" tour. The American rock band Pearl Jam was the first foreign artist to play in the Ziggo Dome: they played two shows in June 2012 as part of their European tour.

The Zuiderzee Works (Dutch: Zuiderzeewerken) are a manmade system of dams, land reclamation and water drainage works, the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the twentieth century. The project involved the damming of the Zuiderzee, a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water using polders. Its main purposes are to improve flood protection and create additional land for agriculture. Together with the Delta Works, the American Society of Civil Engineers declared the works among the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.