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National Map
Of |
Netherlands |
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National Flag
Of |
Netherlands |
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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; one of the oldest flags in constant use,
originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter
half of the 16th century
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Netherlands |
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National Anthem
Of |
Netherlands |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Netherlands |
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Background:
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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 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. |
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Location:
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Western
Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and
Germany |
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Geographic coordinates:
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52 30 N,
5 45 E |
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Map references:
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Europe
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Area:
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total:
41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than twice the size of New Jersey |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
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Coastline:
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451 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
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Climate:
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temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters |
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Terrain:
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mostly
coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills
in southeast |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m |
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Natural resources:
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natural
gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 26.71%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 72.32% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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5,650 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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flooding
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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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 |
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Geography - note:
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located
at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde) |
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Population:
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16,407,491 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 18.1% (male 1,523,316/female 1,453,232)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,627,007/female
5,491,802)
65 years and over: 14.1% (male 974,037/female
1,338,097) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
39.04 years
male: 38.22 years
female: 39.9 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.53%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.14
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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8.68
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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2.8
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at
birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
5.04 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.81 years
male: 76.25 years
female: 81.51 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.66
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2%
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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19,000
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than
100 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch |
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Ethnic groups:
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Dutch
83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin
mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and
Indonesians) (1999 est.) |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim
5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002) |
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Languages:
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Dutch
(official), Frisian (official) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% (2000 est.)
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland |
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Government type:
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constitutional monarchy |
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Capital:
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Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government |
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Administrative divisions:
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12
provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen,
Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel,
Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland |
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Dependent areas:
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Aruba,
Netherlands Antilles |
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Independence:
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23
January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low
Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with
Spain; it was not until 1648 that Spain recognized their
independence) |
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National holiday:
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Queen's
Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and
accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX
in 1980), 30 April |
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Constitution:
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adopted
1815; amended many times, last time 2002 |
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Legal system:
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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 |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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) and Deputy Prime
Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May 2003) and Laurens
Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)
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; vice
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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 2003
(next to be held May 2007); Second Chamber - last held
22 January 2003 (next to be held May 2007)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote
by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD
15, Green Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6;
Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 28.6%,
PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party
- CDA 44, PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim
Fortuyn 8, Green Party 8, D66 6, other 5 |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by
the monarch) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Christian
Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel
VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET];
Democrats 66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke
HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim
Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's Party for Freedom and
Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN AARTSEN];
Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor
parties |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of
a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions);
Christian Trade Union Federation (CNV); Trade Union
Federation of Middle and High Personnel (MHP);
Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large
multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of
Netherlands Enterprises |
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International organization participation:
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AfDB,
AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC,
EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
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, Miami, New York
consulate(s): Boston |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
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 |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 4% 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.
Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-04, as part
of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years
before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well
above the EU average. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$481.1
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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1.2%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 24.5%
services: 73.1% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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7.53
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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6% (2004
est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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32.6
(1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1.4%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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19.9% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $256.9 billion
expenditures: $274.4 billion, including capital
expenditures of NA (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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55.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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grains,
potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
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Industries:
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agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals,
petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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0.8%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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90.61
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 89.9%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 4.3%
other: 5.7% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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100.7
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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4.5
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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20.9
billion kWh (2002) |
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Oil - production:
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46,200
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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895,300
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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1.418
million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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2.284
million bbl/day (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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88.06
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
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Natural gas - production:
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77.75
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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49.72
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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49.28
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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20.78
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.693
trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
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Current account balance:
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$19.9
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$293.1
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs |
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Exports - partners:
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Germany
25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy 6%, US
4.3% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$252.7
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
clothing |
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Imports - partners:
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Germany
17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK 6.4%,
France 4.8% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$21.44
billion (2003) |
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Economic aid - donor:
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ODA, $4
billion (2003 est.) |
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Currency (code):
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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 |
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Currency code:
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EUR |
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Exchange rates:
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euros per
US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002),
1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar
year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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10.004
million (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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12.5
million (2003) |
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Telephone system:
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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 five major network operators utilizing
the third generation of the Global System for Mobile
Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine
cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian
Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat
(Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004) |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 4, FM
246, shortwave 3 (2004) |
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Radios:
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15.3
million (1996) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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21 (plus
26 repeaters) (1995) |
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Televisions:
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8.1
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.nl |
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Internet hosts:
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4,518,226
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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52 (2000)
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Internet users:
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8.5
million (2003) |
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Railways:
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total:
2,808 km
standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999) |
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Waterways:
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5,046 km
(navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004) |
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Pipelines:
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condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined
products 716 km (2004) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Amsterdam, Groningen, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen,
Vlissingen, Zaanstad |
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Merchant marine:
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total:
558 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 361, chemical
tanker 32, container 48, liquefied gas 13, passenger 11,
passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated
cargo 32, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 4
foreign-owned: 139 (Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Canada
1, Denmark 4, Finland 7, Germany 62, Ireland 13, Norway
9, Sweden 19, United Kingdom 6, United States 11)
registered in other countries: 223 (2005) |
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Airports:
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27 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Royal
Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval
Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air
Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Constabulary,
Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2004) |
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Military service age and obligation:
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20 years
of age for an all-volunteer force (2004) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 20-49: 3,557,918 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 20-49: 2,856,691 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
99,934 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$9.408
billion (2004) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.6%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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major
European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and
other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine,
heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of
US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to
money laundering |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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