| Netherlands |
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Netherlands | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | The 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 a brutal 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 EC, and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Netherlands | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates: | 52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references: | Europe

Area: | total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative: | slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries: | total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline: | 451 km

Maritime claims: | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain: | mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m

Natural resources: | natural gas, petroleum, arable land

Land use: | arable land: 25% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 25% forests and woodland: 8% other: 39% (1996 est.)

Irrigated land: | 6,000 sq km (1996 est.)

Natural hazards: | flooding

Environment - current issues: | 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: | party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Biodiversity, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geography - note: | located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)

Netherlands | People | Top of Page

Population: | 15,981,472 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: | 0-14 years: 18.38% (male 1,501,925; female 1,436,017) 15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,518,575; female 5,333,442) 65 years and over: 13.72% (male 899,052; female 1,292,461) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: | 0.55% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 11.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 2.34 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: | 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 78.43 years male: 75.55 years female: 81.44 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 1.65 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.19% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 15,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 100 (1999 est.)

Nationality: | noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups: | Dutch 91%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 9% (1999 est.)

Religions: | Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998)

Languages: | Dutch

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (2000 est.) male: NA% female: NA%

Netherlands | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

Government type: | constitutional monarchy

Capital: | Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Administrative divisions: | 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas: | Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence: | 1579 (from Spain)

National holiday: | Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution: | adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983

Legal system: | 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: | 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: | 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 Wim KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Annemarie JORRITSMA (since 3 August 1998) and Els BORST-EILERS (since 3 August 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch 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; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: government coalition - PvdA, VVD, and D'66; there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors consulted by the executive on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch: | 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 for 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 25 May 1999 (next to be held NA May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 6 May 1998 (next to be held May 2002) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 20, VVD 19, PvdA 15, D'66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - PvdA 30.0%, VVD 25.3%, CDA 19.3%, D'66 9.3%, other 16.1%; seats by party - PvdA 45, VVD 38, CDA 29, D'66 14, other 24

Judicial branch: | Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders: | Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jaap de Hoop SCHEFFER]; Democrats '66 or D'66 [Tom DE GRAAF]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wim KOK]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Hans F. DIJKSTAL]; a host of minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders: | Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation: | AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Joris M. VOS chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Cynthia P. SCHNEIDER embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description: | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

Netherlands | Economy | Top of Page

Economy - overview: | The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate 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 4% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Dutch rank third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. The Dutch economy has expanded by 3% or more in each of the last four years and real GDP growth is likely to be about 3.6% in 2001. The government in 2001 will implement its most comprehensive tax reform since World War II, designed to reduce high income tax levels and redirect the fiscal burden onto consumption. The Dutch were among the first 11 EU countries establishing the euro currency zone on 1 January 1999.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $388.4 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $24,400 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 3.3% industry: 26.3% services: 70.4% (2000 est.)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 2.6% (2000 est.)

Labor force: | 7.2 million (2000)

Labor force - by occupation: | services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: | 2.6% (2000 est.)

Budget: | revenues: $134 billion expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)

Industries: | agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: | 3.2% (2000)

Electricity - production: | 85.294 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 90.25% hydro: 0.11% nuclear: 4.27% other: 5.37% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 97.76 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 3.97 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 22.407 billion kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Exports: | $210.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners: | EU 78% (Germany 26%, Belgium-Luxembourg 12%, France 12%, UK 11%, Italy 6%), Central and Eastern Europe, US (2000)

Imports: | $201.2 billion (c.i.f., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing

Imports - partners: | EU 56% (Germany 18%, Belgium-Luxembourg 10%, UK 5%, France 6%), US 9%, Central and Eastern Europe (2000)

Debt - external: | $0

Economic aid - donor: | ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)

Currency: | Netherlands guilder (NLG); euro (EUR) note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in the Netherlands at a fixed rate of 2.20371 Netherlands guilders per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002

Currency code: | NLG; EUR

Exchange rates: | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Netherlands guilders per US dollar - 1.9837 (1998), 1.9513 (1997), 1.6859 (1996)

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Netherlands | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 9,132,400 (1999)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 4,081,891 (April 1999)

Telephone system: | general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in the year 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios: | 15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations: | 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions: | 8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code: | .nl

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 52 (2000)

Internet users: | 6.8 million (2000)

Netherlands | Transportation | Top of Page

Railways: | total: 2,739 km standard gauge: 2,739 km 1.435-m gauge; (1,991 km electrified) (1998)

Highways: | total: 125,575 km paved: 113,018 km (including 2,235 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,557 km (1998)

Waterways: | 5,046 km note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

Pipelines: | crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km

Ports and harbors: | Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine: | total: 596 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,321,500 GRT/4,877,632 DWT ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 371, chemical tanker 43, container 59, liquefied gas 21, livestock carrier 1, multi-functional large-load carrier 9, passenger 8, petroleum tanker 26, refrigerated cargo 29, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 5 (2000 est.)

Airports: | 28 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.)

Heliports: | 1 (2000 est.)

Netherlands | Military | Top of Page

Military branches: | Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Military manpower - military age: | 20 years of age

Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 4,083,349 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 3,555,501 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 96,082 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 1.5% (FY00/01 est.)

Netherlands | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

Disputes - international: | none

Illicit drugs: | major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy