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FACTS
ABOUT THE NETHERLANDS:
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 |
Geographic coordinates:
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52 30 N,
5 45 E |
Map references:
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Europe |
Area:
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total:
41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km |
Area - comparative:
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slightly
less than twice the size of New Jersey |
Land boundaries:
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total:
1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km |
Coastline:
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451 km |
Maritime claims:
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territorial
sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
Climate:
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temperate;
marine; cool summers and mild winters |
Terrain:
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mostly
coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast |
Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m |
Natural resources:
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natural
gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land |
Land use:
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arable
land: 26.71%
permanent crops: 0.97%
other: 72.32% (2001) |
Irrigated land:
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5,650 sq
km (1998 est.) |
Natural hazards:
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flooding |
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 |
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 |
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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16,318,199
(July 2004 est.) |
Age structure:
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0-14
years: 18.3% (male 1,527,316; female 1,457,192)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,598,706; female 5,459,936)
65 years and over: 13.9% (male 953,370; female 1,321,679) (2004
est.) |
Median age:
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total:
38.7 years
male: 37.9 years
female: 39.6 years (2004 est.) |
Population growth rate:
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0.57%
(2004 est.) |
Birth rate:
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11.41
births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Death rate:
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8.67
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Net migration rate:
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2.91
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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: 0.72 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Infant mortality rate:
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total:
5.11 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.68 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 78.68 years
male: 76.15 years
female: 81.34 years (2004 est.) |
Total fertility rate:
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1.66
children born/woman (2004 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2%
(2001 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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17,000
(2001 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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110
(2001 est.) |
Nationality:
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noun:
Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch |
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.) |
Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40%
(1998) |
Languages:
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Dutch
(official language), Frisian (official language) |
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 |
Government type:
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constitutional
monarchy |
Capital:
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Amsterdam;
The Hague is the seat of government |
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 |
Dependent areas:
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Aruba,
Netherlands Antilles |
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) |
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 |
Constitution:
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adopted
1815; amended many times, last time 2002 |
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 |
Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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 Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
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 prime
minister on legislative and administrative policy |
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
NA May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
held NA January 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:
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Supreme
Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch) |
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 [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal)
or VVD [Jozias VAN AARTSEN]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host
of minor parties |
Political pressure groups and leaders:
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Federation
of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic
trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and
Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV;
large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of
Netherlands Enterprises |
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, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club,
PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNTSO, UPU, WCL,
WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC |
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 |
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 |
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 2001-03, as part of the global
economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth
averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average. The government is
wrestling with a deteriorating budget position, and is moving toward the
EU 3% of GDP budget deficit limit. |
GDP:
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purchasing
power parity - $461.4 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate:
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-0.7%
(2003 est.) |
GDP - per capita:
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purchasing
power parity - $28,600 (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture:
2.5%
industry: 24.4%
services: 73.1% (2003 est.) |
Investment (gross fixed):
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20.1% of
GDP (2003) |
Population below poverty line:
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NA |
Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest
10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1994) |
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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32.6
(1994) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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2.1%
(2003 est.) |
Labor force:
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7.46
million (2003) |
Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture
4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.) |
Unemployment rate:
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5.3%
(2003 est.) |
Budget:
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revenues:
$237.1 billion
expenditures: $249.5 billion, including capital expenditures of
NA (2003) |
Public debt:
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54.1% of
GDP (2003) |
Agriculture - products:
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grains,
potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock |
Industries:
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agroindustries,
metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment,
chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing |
Industrial production growth rate:
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-2.1%
(2003 est.) |
Electricity - production:
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88.32
billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - consumption:
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99.42
billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports:
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4.209
billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports:
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21.49
billion kWh (2001) |
Oil - production:
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46,200
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - consumption:
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895,300
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
Oil - exports:
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1.418
million bbl/day (2001) |
Oil - imports:
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2.284
million bbl/day (2001) |
Oil - proved reserves:
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88.06
million bbl (1 January 2002) |
Natural gas - production:
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77.75
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - consumption:
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49.72
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - exports:
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49.28
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - imports:
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20.78
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.693
trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
Current account balance:
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$12.09
billion (2003) |
Exports:
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$253.2
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
Exports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs |
Exports - partners:
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Germany
25.3%, Belgium 12.6%, France 10.2%, UK 10.1%, Italy 6%, US 4.5% (2003) |
Imports:
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$217.7
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing |
Imports - partners:
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Germany
18.2%, Belgium 10%, US 8%, UK 7.3%, China 6.2%, France 5% (2003) |
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold:
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$21.44
billion (2003) |
Economic aid - donor:
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ODA,
$3.3 billion (2002 est.) |
Currency:
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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 |
Currency code:
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EUR |
Exchange rates:
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euros
per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854
(2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
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) |
Telephones - mobile cellular:
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12.5
million (2003) |
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) |
Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 4, FM
246, shortwave 3 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations:
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21 (plus
26 repeaters) (1995) |
Internet country code:
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.nl |
Internet hosts:
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4,518,226
(2004) |
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)
(2003) |
Highways:
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total:
116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999) |
Waterways:
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5,046 km
(navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004) |
Pipelines:
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condensate
325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716 km (2004) |
Ports and harbors:
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Amsterdam,
Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, IJmuiden, Maastricht,
Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen |
Merchant marine:
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total:
635 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT
by type: bulk 1, cargo 375, chemical tanker 59, combination bulk
1, container 71, liquefied gas 13, multi-functional large load carrier
15, passenger 12, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 37, roll
on/roll off 14, short-sea/passenger 2, specialized tanker 7
foreign-owned: Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 9, Germany 54,
Ireland 14, Norway 9, Singapore 1, Sweden 19, Thailand 1, United Kingdom
31, United States 16
registered in other countries: 241 (2003 est.) |
Airports:
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27 (2003
est.) |
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.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Heliports:
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1 (2003
est.)
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Military branches:
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Royal
Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service
and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary,
Defense Interservice Command |
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
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20
years of age for an all volunteer force (May 2004) |
Military manpower - availability:
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males
age 15-49: 4,070,043 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service:
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males
age 15-49: 3,534,392 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age
annually:
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males:
97,624 (2004 est.) |
Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$8,044.4
million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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1.6%
(2003)
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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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JEWISH AND KOSHER NETHERLANDS:
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