|
Background Note: The Netherlands
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Kingdom of the
Netherlands
Geography
Area: 41,526 sq. km. (16,485 sq. mi.).
Cities: Capital--Amsterdam (pop. 744,736). Other
cities--The Hague, seat of government (475,959); Rotterdam
(583,853); Utrecht (283,893).
Terrain: Coastal lowland.
Climate: Northern maritime.
People
Population: 16.3 million.
Nationality: Noun--Dutchmen and Dutchwomen. Adjective--Dutch.
Ethnic groups: Predominantly Dutch; largest minority communities
are Moroccans, Turks, Surinamese.
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, other.
Language: Dutch.
Education: Years compulsory--10. Attendance--nearly
100%. Literacy--99%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--5.0/1,000. Life
expectancy--78 yrs.
Work force (2004: 7,401 million): Commercial services--46.1%;
non-commercial services--33.2%; industry--19.1%;
agriculture--1.6%.
Government
Type: Parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarch.
Constitution: 1814 and 1848.
Branches: Executive--monarch (chief of state), prime
minister (head of government), cabinet. Legislative--bicameral
parliament (First and Second Chambers). Judicial--Supreme
Court.
Subdivisions: 12 provinces.
Political parties: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Labor
Party (PvdA), Socialist Party (SP), Liberal Party (VVD), other
minor parties.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2006 est.): $688 billion.
GDP real growth rate (2006 est.): 3.0%.
GDP per capita (2006 est.): $42,200.
Natural resources: Natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil.
Agriculture (2.1% of GDP): Products--dairy, poultry,
meat, flower bulbs, cut flowers, vegetables and fruits, sugar
beets, potatoes, wheat, barley.
Industry (24.4% of GDP): Types--agro-industries, steel
and aluminum, metal and engineering products, electric machinery
and equipment, bulk chemicals, natural gas, petroleum products,
transport equipment, microelectronics.
Services (73.6% of GDP): Types--trade, hotels,
restaurants, transport, storage and communication, financial
(banking and insurance) and business services, care and other.
Trade (2006 est.): Exports--$400.5 billion (f.o.b.):
mineral fuels, chemicals, machinery and transport equipment,
processed food and tobacco, agricultural products. Imports--$355.8
billion (f.o.b.): mineral fuels and crude petroleum, machinery,
transportation equipment, consumer goods, foodstuffs. Major
trading partners in 2005 (exports/imports)--EU
(76.8%/55.0%), Germany (23.6%/19.0%), Belgium (11.9%/10.7%),
China (0.9%/7.7%), U.K. (9.3%/6.3%), U.S. (4.9%/8.0%).
HISTORY
The Dutch are primarily of Germanic stock with some
Gallo-Celtic mixture. Their small homeland frequently has been
threatened with destruction by the North Sea and has often been
invaded by the great European powers. |