Statistical information The Netherlands 1996

The Netherlands in the World
top of pageBackground: 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.
top of pageLocation: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinatesMap referenceAreaTotal: 37,330 km²
Land: 33,920 km²
Comparative: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: Total 1,027 km, Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claimsExclusive 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
ElevationExtremes lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m
Extremes highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m
Natural resources:
Natural gas
Petroleum
Fertile soil
Land useArable land: 26%
Permanent crops: 1%
Permanent pastures: 32%
Forests and woodland: 9%
Other: 32%
Irrigated land: 5,500 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation:
15,568,034 (July 1996 est.)
15,452,903 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 0.56% (1996 est.) 0.52% (1995 est.)
NationalityNoun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
Adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 96%
Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)
Languages:
DutchReligions:
Demographic profileAge structure0-14 years:18% (male 1,457,694; female 1,393,402) (1996)
18% (male 1,445,451; female 1,382,057) (1995)
15-64 years:68% (male 5,412,402; female 5,228,579) (1996)
68% (male 5,369,018; female 5,184,224) (1995)
65 years and over:14% (male 836,934; female 1,239,023) (July 1996 est.)
14% (male 833,817; female 1,238,336) (July 1995 est.)
Dependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 0.56% (1996 est.) 0.52% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 12.08 births/1000 population (1996 est.) 12.42 births/1000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1000 population (1996 est.) 8.48 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.25 migrant(s)/1000 population (1996 est.) 1.29 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent 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
Current issues Natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams, protects nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded
International agreements: party to_Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty,
Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation,
Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified_Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification,
Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94
International agreements note: Located at mouths of three major European rivers (
Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
Air pollutantsSex ratioAt birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
All ages:0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.) Infant Mortality Rate:4.9 deaths/1000 live births (1996 est.)
6 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)
Mothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rateLife expectancy at birthTotal population: 77.73 years (1996) 77.95 years (1995)
Male: 74.91 years (1996) 74.9 years (1995)
Female: 80.68 years (1996 est.) 81.17 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.51 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.56 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracyDefinition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1979 est.)
Total population: 99%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry nameConventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Conventional short form: Netherlands
Local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
Local short form: Nederland (
Pronunciation)
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 AntillesDependent areasIndependence: 1579 (from
Spain)
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Constitution: 17 February 1983
Legal system: 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
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branchChief 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 Willem (Wim) KOK (since 22 August 1994); Vice Prime Minister Hans DIJKSTAL and Hans VAN MIERLO (since 22 August 1994)
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: Bicameral legislature (Staten Generaal) First Chamber (Eerste Kamer):members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms; election last held 9 June 1995 (next to be held 9 June 1999; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(75 total) number of seats by party NA Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer):Members directly elected for four-year terms; elections last held on 3 May 1994 (next to be held in May 1998; results_PvdA 24.3%, CDA 22.3%, VVD 20.4%, D'66 16.5%, other 16.5%; seats_(150 total) PvdA 37, CDA 34, VVD 31, D'66 24, other 24
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad), justices are nominated for life by the crown from a list compiled by the Second Chamber of the Staten Generaal
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB,
Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP,
EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representationFlag 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
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: 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 a.htming 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 mechanizing 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 mechaniz.htmricultural sector employs only 4% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. Indeed the Netherlands ranks third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the
U.S. and
France. High 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.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate:
3.2% (1999 est.)
3.7% (1998 est.)
3.3% (1997)
3.3% (1996)
2.6% (1985-1995)
Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity_ $19,500 (1995 est.)
$17940 1994 est. GDP composition by sector:
agriculture 3.4%
industry 26.9%
services 69.7% (1994)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture products: Accounts for 4.6% of GDP; animal production predominates; crops_grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; shortages of grain, fats, and oils
Industries:
Agroindustries
Metal and engineering products
Electrical machinery and equipment
Chemicals
Petroleum
Fishing
Construction
Microelectronics
Industrial production growth rate:
1% (1995 est.)
Growth rate -1.5% (1993 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP
Labor force: 6.4 million (1993)
By occupation services: 73%
By occupation manufacturing and construction: 23%
By occupation agriculture: 4% (1994)
Unemployment rate:
5.2% (1997)
6.3% (1996)
6.9% (1995)
7.1% (1994)
6.6% (1993)
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudgetRevenues: $109.9 billion
Expenditures: $122.1 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (1992 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: Calendar year
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports:
total value. $146 billion (f.o.b., 1995)
$153 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Metal products
Chemicals
Processed food and tobacco
Agricultural products
Partners:EU 73% (Germany 28%
Belgium-Luxembourg 13%
U.K. 9%)
Central and Eastern Europe 2%
U.S. 5% (1994)
ImportsTotal value:$133 billion (c.i.f., 1995)
$137 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
Commodities:Raw materials and semifinished products
Consumer goods
Transportation equipment
Crude oil
Food products
Partners:EU 56% (Germany 21%
Belgium-Luxembourg 11%
U.K. 8.5%)
U.S. 8.6% (1994)
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt external: $0
Stock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange ratestop of pageElectricityCapacity: 17,520,000 kW
Production: 72.4 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 5,100 kWh (1993)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone system: 8.272 million (1983) telephones; highly developed, well maintained, and integrated; extensive redundant system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by microwave radio relay links
Local: nationwide mobile phone systems
Intercity: microwave radio relay
International: 5 submarine cables; 3 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2
Atlantic Ocean) and 1 EUTELSAT earth station
Broadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresDollar figure:$8.2 billion, 2.1% of GDP (1995)
$7.1 billion, 2.2% of GDP (1994)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 29
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 8
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 5
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 3 (1995)
With paved runways under 914 m: 8
Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)
Pipelines: Crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km
RailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger
Merchant marineTotal: 352 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,681,133 GRT/3,379,762 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 206, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 3, container 34, liquefied gas tanker 13, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 38, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 16, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2
Note: many Dutch-owned ships are operating under the registry of Netherlands Antilles (1995 est.)
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes internationalRefugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs: Important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs