Netherlands

§1. Netherlands Introduction

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 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.

§2. Netherlands Geography

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 km²
  land: 33,883 km²
  water: 7,643 km²

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:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 200 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: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
  highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
  natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land

Land use:
  arable land: 21.96%
  permanent crops: 0.77%
  other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  5,650 km² (1998 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- 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:
  located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and
  Schelde)

§3. Netherlands People

Population:
  16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)
  15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)
  65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723/female 1,354,296) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 39.4 years
  male: 38.6 years
  female: 40.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.49% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  10.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 78.96 years
  male: 76.39 years
  female: 81.67 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 100 (2003 est.)

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

Ethnic groups:
  Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly Turks,
  Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%, other
  2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Languages:
  Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 99%
  male: 99%
  female: 99% (2003 est.)

§4. Netherlands Government

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 (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,
  Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant,
  Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

Dependent areas:
  Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
  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)

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 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

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 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

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 2003 (next to be held May
    2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be held by 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

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

Political parties and leaders:
  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

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  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:
  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, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO,
  IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest),
  NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA,
  UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO,
  WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Chat BLAKEMAN
  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; one of the
  oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange,
  in the latter half of the 16th century

§5. Netherlands Economy

Economy - overview:
  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 2% 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 2001-05,
  as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before
  that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $501.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  $586.7 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  0.7% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $30,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 2.1%
  industry: 24.4%
  services: 73.5% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
  7.53 million (2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 2%, industry 19%, services 79% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  6.5% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: 2.5%
  highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
  30.9 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  1.7% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
  19.3% of GDP (2005 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $291.8 billion
  expenditures: $303.7 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2005
    est.)

Public debt:
  55% of GDP (2005 est.)

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

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  2.2% (2005 est.)

Electricity - production:
  95 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
  101.6 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  3.8 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  20.8 billion kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  94,870 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - consumption:
  920,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
  2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
  88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  73.13 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  50.4 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  49.28 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  20.78 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  1.756 trillion m³ (1 January 2002)

Current account balance:
  $17.94 billion (2005 est.)

Exports:
  $365.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Germany 25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy 6%, US 4.3% (2004)

Imports:
  $326.6 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Germany 17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK 6.4%, France 4.8%
  (2004)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
  $21.05 billion (2004 est.)

Debt - external:
  $1.645 trillion (30 June 2005)

Economic aid - donor:
  ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
  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:
  euros per US dollar - 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626
  (2002), 1.1175 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Netherlands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  7.861 million (2004)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  14.8 million (2004)

Telephone system:
  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)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

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

Internet country code:
  .nl

Internet hosts:
  6,781,729 (2005)

Internet users:
  10,806,328 (2004)

§7. Netherlands Transportation

Airports:
  27 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  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 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 7
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 4 (2005)

Heliports:
  1 (2005)

Pipelines:
  condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716 km (2004)

Railways:
  total: 2,808 km
  standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 116,500 km
  paved: 104,850 km
  unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
  5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Merchant marine:
  total: 563 ships (1000 GRT or over) 4,925,489 GRT/5,052,931 DWT
  by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 366, chemical tanker 31, container 54,
    liquefied gas 12, passenger 12, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 14,
    refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 16, specialized tanker 3
  foreign-owned: 152 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 9, Germany
    58, Ireland 13, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 6, Sweden 21, UK 21, US
    11)
  registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 10, Australia 2,
    Austria 2, The Bahamas 25, Bermuda 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 18, Isle of Man 2,
    Liberia 13, Luxembourg 3, Malta 5, Marshall Islands 5, Netherlands
    Antilles 69, Norway 3, Panama 26, Philippines 20, Portugal 1, Saint
    Vincent and the Grenadines 7, Singapore 1, Turkey 1, UK 2, US 4, unknown
    1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Amsterdam, Groningen, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen, Zaanstad

§8. Netherlands Military

Military branches:
  Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service
  and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht or
  KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2004)

Military service age and obligation:
  20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 20-49: 3,557,918 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 20-49: 2,856,691 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 99,934 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $9.408 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  1.6% (2004)

§9. Netherlands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  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


<Factbook 2006>
