consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Nancy J. POWELL
embassy: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 400-7200
Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
Economy ::Nepal
Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security, improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5% in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate of population growth - for the previous three years. The deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness and landlocked geographic location, its civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$31.39 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 $29.81 billion (2007 est.)
$28.86 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.28 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 81 3.3% (2007 est.)
3.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 210 $1,100 (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.5%
industry: 16.6%
services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)
Labor force:
14.6 million country comparison to the world: 39 note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
46% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 191 42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.2 (2008) country comparison to the world: 35 36.7 (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 72 6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$2.106 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 69 $2.184 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.885 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 70 $4.745 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.556 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 80 $5.636 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.5 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 88 $4.909 billion (31 December 2007)
$1.805 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Industries:
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (FY08) country comparison to the world: 110
Electricity - production:
2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - consumption:
2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 132
Electricity - exports:
140 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
213 million kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 154
Oil - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 128
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Oil - imports:
16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 142
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152
Current account balance:
$241 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 53 $58 million (2007)
Exports:
$868 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 153 $830 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain
Exports - partners:
India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$3.229 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 135 $2.398 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods
Imports - partners:
India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3.285 billion (2008) country comparison to the world: 118 $3.07 billion (March 2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007), 72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)
Communications ::Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:
805,100 (2008) country comparison to the world: 87
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.2 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 94
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone network
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)
Internet country code:
.np
Internet hosts:
43,411 (2009) country comparison to the world: 87
Internet users:
499,000 (2008) country comparison to the world: 108
Transportation ::Nepal
Airports:
47 (2009) country comparison to the world: 93
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Railways:
total: 59 km country comparison to the world: 130 narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 17,282 km country comparison to the world: 120 paved: 10,142 km
unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)
Military ::Nepal
Military branches:
Nepal Army (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,322,965
females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,886,103
females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 365,567
female: 352,643 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 104
Transnational Issues ::Nepal
Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)
IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country) (2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Netherlands (Europe)
Introduction ::Netherlands
Background:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a 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.
Geography ::Netherlands
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,543 sq km country comparison to the world: 134 land: 33,893 sq km
water: 7,650 sq km
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
contiguous zone: 24 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 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)
per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
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, AirPollution-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-KyotoProtocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, EnvironmentalModification, 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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
People ::Netherlands
Population:
16,715,999 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 40.4 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.412% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 162
Birth rate:
10.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 186
Death rate:
8.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 86
Net migration rate:
2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 34
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 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: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 198 male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.4 years country comparison to the world: 30 male: 76.8 years
female: 82.14 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 107
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
18,000 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 82
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 122
Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008 est.)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, otherProtestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages:
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 17 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2005) country comparison to the world: 58
Government ::Netherlands
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:
name: Amsterdam
geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October
note: The Hague is the seat of government; time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant(North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht,Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South 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; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Constitution:
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Legal system:
based on 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); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: 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; deputy 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 to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter VAN GEEL]; ChristianUnion Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD];Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [MarietteHAMER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for theAnimals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom andDemocracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party ofSGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Agnes KANT]; plus a fewminor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS]; Confederationof Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW [Bernard WIENTJES];Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses or MKB [LoekHERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV [AgnesJONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY KAN];Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [AdVERHOEVEN]
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council(observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE,CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, ParisClub, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
consulate(s): Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael GALLAGHER
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209
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; the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because it tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use
Economy ::Netherlands
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 3% 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 has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the US. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007, but economic growth fell sharply in 2008 as fallout from the world financial crisis constricted demand and raised the specter of a recession in 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$673.5 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21 $660.3 billion (2007 est.)
$637.4 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$877 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 161 3.6% (2007 est.)
3.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,500 (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 20 $39,900 (2007 est.)
$38,700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 25.5%
services: 72.9% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
7.715 million (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 57
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 18%
services: 80% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 48 4.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.9 (2007) country comparison to the world: 108 32.6 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.5% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 103
Budget:
revenues: $405.9 billion
expenditures: $397.3 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
58.2% of GDP (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 26 1.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 106 5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.37% (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 96 8.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.824 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 10 $1.684 trillion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$456.2 billion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 18 $956.5 billion (31 December 2007)
$779.6 billion (31 December 2006)
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:
2.9% (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity - production:
97.19 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - consumption:
110.2 billion kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 28
Electricity - exports:
9.28 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
25.01 billion kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
72,090 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 56
Oil - consumption:
962,900 bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 19
Oil - exports:
1.647 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 14
Oil - imports:
2.678 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 7
Oil - proved reserves:
100 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 68
Natural gas - production:
84.69 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8
Natural gas - consumption:
48.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 17
Natural gas - exports:
61.72 billion cu m (2008) country comparison to the world: 4
Natural gas - imports:
25.34 billion cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 12
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.416 trillion cu m (1 January 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Current account balance:
$41.93 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $59.51 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$531.7 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $461 billion (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners:
Germany 25.5%, Belgium 13.8%, France 8.9%, UK 8.8%, Italy 5.2% (2008)
Imports:
$474.8 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 9 $406.2 billion (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners:
Germany 16.6%, China 10.1%, Belgium 8.7%, US 7.5%, UK 5.8%, Russia 5.4%, France 4.4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$28.51 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 45 $26.98 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$2.461 trillion (31 December 2008) country comparison to the world: 5 $2.59 trillion (31 December 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$644.6 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 8 $724.1 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$843.7 billion (31 December 2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5 $876.9 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6827 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Communications ::Netherlands
Telephones - main lines in use:
7.324 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 25
Telephones - mobile cellular:
19.927 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 39
Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; large cellular telephone system with 5 major operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technology; one in five households now use Voice over the Internet Protocol (VoIP) services
international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 567, shortwave 1 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
342 (2008)
Internet country code:
.nl
Internet hosts:
12.388 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 9
Internet users:
14.273 million (2008) country comparison to the world: 26
Transportation ::Netherlands
Airports:
27 (2009) country comparison to the world: 124
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: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2009)
Heliports:
1 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 3,816 km; oil 365 km; refined products 716 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 2,811 km country comparison to the world: 57 standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2008)
Roadways:
total: 135,470 km (includes 2,582 km of expressways) (2007) country comparison to the world: 35
Waterways:
6,215 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2007) country comparison to the world: 22
Merchant marine:
total: 622 country comparison to the world: 18 by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 381, carrier 19, chemical tanker 44, container 76, liquefied gas 15, passenger 16, passenger/cargo 15, petroleum tanker 11, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 23, specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: 203 (Belgium 2, Cyprus 8, Denmark 29, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 75, Ireland 10, Italy 1, South Korea 1, Norway 12, Sweden 28, Turkey 1, UAE 5, UK 2, US 14)
registered in other countries: 178 (Antigua and Barbuda 20, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 9, Cambodia 1, Canada 1, Cyprus 22, Germany 1, Gibraltar 21, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 6, Luxembourg 2, Marshall Islands 8, Netherlands Antilles 38, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 23, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, US 1, unknown 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Amsterdam, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen
Military ::Netherlands
Military branches:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval AirService and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (KoninklijkeLuchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,950,825
females age 16-49: 3,850,800 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 3,224,790
females age 16-49: 3,143,096 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 105,194
female: 100,341 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 101
Transnational Issues ::Netherlands
Disputes - international:
none
Illicit drugs:
major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy
page last updated on November 11, 2009
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@Netherlands Antilles (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction ::Netherlands Antilles
Background:
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.
Geography ::Netherlands Antilles
Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of fiveislands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, andSint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie east of the US VirginIslands
Geographic coordinates:
Bonaire: 12 12 N, 68 15 W
Curacao: 12 10 N, 69 00 W
Saba: 17 38 N, 63 14 W
Sint Eustatius: 17 30 N, 62 58 W
Sint Maarten: 18 04 N, 63 04 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 800 sq km country comparison to the world: 187 land: 800 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
total: 15 km
border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
Coastline:
364 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain:
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources:
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2005)
Irrigated land:
Natural hazards:
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened
Environment - current issues:
Geography - note:
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
People ::Netherlands Antilles
Population:
227,049 (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 182
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22.7% (male 26,429/female 25,162)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 74,183/female 79,434)
65 years and over: 9.6% (male 8,875/female 12,966) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 33.7 years
male: 31.9 years
female: 35.5 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.732% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 144
Birth rate:
14.19 births/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 149
Death rate:
6.48 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 148
Net migration rate:
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 105