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This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


Map of Netherlands
Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Netherlands Top of Page
Background:
Definition Field Listing
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
   Geography    Netherlands Top of Page
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Europe
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative:
Definition Field Listing
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
451 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
5,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
Definition Field Listing
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
Definition Field Listing
Total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)
Per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
flooding
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
Definition Field Listing
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
   People    Netherlands Top of Page
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
16,570,613 (July 2007 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 1,505,931/female 1,436,532)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,683,877/female 5,557,745)
65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,015,731/female 1,370,797) (2007 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 39.7 years
male: 38.9 years
female: 40.5 years (2007 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.464% (2007 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
10.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.741 male(s)/female
total population: 0.981 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 79.11 years
male: 76.52 years
female: 81.82 years (2007 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.66 children born/woman (2007 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
19,000 (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
less than 100 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
   Government    Netherlands Top of Page
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
name: Amsterdam
geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
note: The Hague (seat of government)
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Dependent areas:
Definition Field Listing
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter GEEL]; Christian Union Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Jacques TICHELAAR]; List Pim Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KROENER
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century
   Economy    Netherlands Top of Page
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the five largest investors in the US. The economy experienced a slowdown in 2005 but in 2006 recovered to the fastest pace in six years on the back of increased exports and strong investment. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$638.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
Definition Field Listing
$644.6 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.8% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$38,600 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 2.2%
industry: 24%
services: 73.8% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.5 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 3%
industry: 21%
services: 76% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
4.5% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
10.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
Definition Field Listing
30.9 (2005)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.8% (2007 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
19.9% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $302.8 billion
expenditures: $352.3 billion (2007 est.)
Public debt:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
47.7% of GDP (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
94.34 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
108.2 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
5.398 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
23.69 billion kWh (2005)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
84,390 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.024 million bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.546 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.465 million bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
106 million bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Natural gas - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
75.58 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
47.46 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
50.21 billion cu m (2005 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
22.08 billion cu m (2005)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.684 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Current account balance:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$59.28 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$465.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 25.5%, Belgium 14%, UK 8.9%, France 8.6%, Italy 5.1%, US 4.5% (2006)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$402.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Germany 17.1%, Belgium 9.4%, China 9.4%, US 7.8%, UK 5.9%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.5% (2006)
Economic aid - donor:
Definition Field Listing
ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$23.9 billion (2006 est.)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.277 trillion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$450.9 billion (2006 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$652.3 billion (2006 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$924.4 billion (November 2007)
Currency (code):
Definition Field Listing
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
euros per US dollar - 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Netherlands Top of Page
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
7.6 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.834 million (2005)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with 5 major network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.nl
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
11.17 million (2007)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
14.544 million (2006)
   Transportation    Netherlands Top of Page
Airports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
27 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Definition Field Listing
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Heliports:
Definition Field Listing
1 (2007)
Pipelines:
Definition Field Listing
condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km (2006)
Railways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 2,811 km
standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 134,000 km (includes 3,270 km of expressways) (2004)
Waterways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 566 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,210,664 GRT/5,217,874 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 346, carrier 19, chemical tanker 39, container 63, liquefied gas 13, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 16, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 4
foreign-owned: 172 (Belgium 2, Denmark 19, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 70, Ireland 9, South Korea 1, Norway 9, Sweden 27, UK 7, US 13)
registered in other countries: 220 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cyprus 23, Gibraltar 11, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 28, Luxembourg 1, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 5, Netherlands Antilles 53, Norway 1, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 22, Portugal 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 5, UK 2, US 1, unknown 1) (2007)
Ports and terminals:
Definition Field Listing
Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen
   Military    Netherlands Top of Page
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2006)
Military service age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 20-49: 3,557,918
females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 20-49: 2,856,691
females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males age 18-49: 99,934
females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.6% (2005 est.)
   Transnational Issues    Netherlands Top of Page
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy

This page was last updated on 17 January, 2008


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