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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 28 usable: 28 with permanent-surface runways: 20 with runways over 3,659 m: 0 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 11 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 6

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

108,360 km total; 92,525 km paved (including 2,185 km of limited access, divided highways); 15,835 km gravel, crushed stone

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

Merchant marine [time series]

344 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,762,000 GRT/3,675,649 DWT; includes 3 short-sea passenger, 193 cargo, 30 refrigerated cargo, 26 container, 13 roll-on/roll-off, 1 livestock carrier, 11 multifunction large-load carrier, 23 oil tanker, 22 chemical tanker, 10 liquefied gas, 2 specialized tanker, 6 bulk, 4 combination bulk; note - many Dutch-owned ships are also registered on the captive Netherlands Antilles register

Pipelines [time series]

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

Ports [time series]

coastal - Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Den Helder, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Terneuzen, Vlissingen; inland - 29 ports

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

2,828 km 1.435-meter standard gauge operated by Netherlands Railways (NS) (includes 1,957 km electrified and 1,800 km double track)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

highly developed, well maintained, and integrated; extensive redundant system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by microwave radio relay microwave links; 9,418,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 (3 relays) AM, 12 (39 repeaters) FM, 8 (7 repeaters) TV; 5 submarine cables; 1 communication satellite earth station operating in INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean antenna) and EUTELSAT systems; nationwide mobile phone system

Defense Forces

Affiliation [time series]

(part of the Dutch realm)

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $7.8 billion, 3% of GDP (1992)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 4,183,167; fit for military service 3,677,445; reach military age (20) annually 104,263 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 4.6% of GDP; animal production predominates; crops - grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; shortages of grain, fats, and oils

Budget [time series]

revenues $109.9 billion; expenditures $122.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

donor - ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $19.4 billion

Electricity [time series]

22,216,000 kW capacity; 63,500 million kWh produced, 4,200 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1 - 1.8167 (January 1993), 1.7585 (1992), 1.8697 (1991), 1.8209 (1990), 2.1207 (1989), 1.9766 (1988)

Exports [time series]

$128.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: agricultural products, processed foods and tobacco, natural gas, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing partners: EC 77% (Germany 27%, Belgium-Luxembourg 15%, UK 10%), US 4% (1991)

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

transit country for illicit narcotics produced in neighboring countries; European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs

Imports [time series]

$117.7 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products partners: EC 64% (Germany 26%, Belgium-Luxembourg 14%, UK 8%), US 8% (1991)

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 1.6% (1992 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

Industries [time series]

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3.5% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $259.8 billion (1992)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$17,200 (1992)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

1.6% (1992)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise. The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations, permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic activity. The trade and financial services sector contributes over 50% of GDP. Industrial activity provides about 25% of GDP and is led by the food-processing, oil-refining, and metalworking industries. The highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 5% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. Unemployment and a sizable budget deficit are currently the most serious economic problems. Many of the economic issues of the 1990s will reflect the course of European economic integration.

Unemployment rate [time series]

5.3% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 37,330 km2 land area: 33,920 km2 comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Climate [time series]

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Coastline [time series]

451 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

without an extensive system of dikes and dams, nearly one-half of the total area would be inundated by sea water

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

5,500 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 1,027 km, Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 26% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 32% forest and woodland: 9% other: 32%

Location [time series]

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Map references [time series]

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil

Note [time series]

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, Schelde)

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Constitution [time series]

17 February 1983

Dependent areas [time series]

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Johan Hendrick MEESMAN chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-5300 FAX: (202) 362-3430 consulates general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila (Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands), New York

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

First Chamber: last held on 9 June l991 (next to be held 9 June 1995); results - elected by the country's 12 provincial councils; seats - (75 total) percent of seats by party NA Second Chamber: last held on 6 September 1989 (next to be held in May 1994); results - CDA 35.3%, PvdA 31.9%, VVD 14.6%, D'66 7.9%, other 10.3%; seats - (150 total) CDA 54, PvdA 49, VVD 22, D'66 12, other 13

Executive branch [time series]

monarch, prime minister, vice prime minister, Cabinet, Cabinet of Ministers

Flag [time series]

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

Independence [time series]

1579 (from Spain)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad)

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER, Prince of Orange, son of Queen Beatrix (born 27 April 1967) Head of Government: Prime Minister Ruud (Rudolph) F. M. LUBBERS (since 4 November 1982); Vice Prime Minister Willem (Wim) KOK (since 2 November 1989)

Legal system [time series]

civil law system incorporating French penal theory; judicial review in the Supreme Court of legislation of lower order rather than Acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral legislature (Staten Generaal) consists of an upper chamber or First Chamber (Eerste Kamer) and a lower chamber or Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer)

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk de Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

National holiday [time series]

Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

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

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Willem van VELZEN; Labor (PvdA), Wim KOK; Liberal (VVD), Frederick BOLKSTEIN; Democrats '66 (D'66), Hans van MIERIO; a host of minor parties

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

constitutional monarchy

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Thomas H. GEWECKE embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate general: Amsterdam

People

Birth rate [time series]

12.81 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

8.53 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Dutch 96%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

6.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

5.3 million by occupation: services 50.1%, manufacturing and construction 28.2%, government 15.9%, agriculture 5.8% (1986)

Languages [time series]

Dutch

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.55 years male: 74.48 years female: 80.78 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1979) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

Nationality [time series]

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

Net migration rate [time series]

2.06 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Population [time series]

15,274,942 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.63% (1993 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 36%, Protestant 27%, other 6%, unaffiliated 31% (1988)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.59 children born/woman (1993 est.)