Nation and population

official name (short form): Nederland

country code ISO: NL //; - FIPS: NL

location: Western Europe

time zone: +1 UT* [*= applying daylight saving time]

surface (land) area: 37200 sq.km = 12648 sq.mi //; - area incl. inland waters: 40844 sq.km = 15770 sq.mi

geographical position in extreme co-ordinates: North: 54° N / South: 51° N / East: 7° E / West: 3° E

borders (land): Germany, Belgium

borders (coastline): North Sea (part of Atlantic Ocean)

climate: moderate cool maritime

Government

independent since: 1581-07-26; 1648-06-05 ; 1814-03-30

type of government: constitutional monarchy

capital: Amsterdam (official, seat of coronation) / 's-Gravenhage ( The Hague, seat of parliament)

administrative division: province (12)

Population

population according to the latest census (1971): 13045,785

total population according to the estimate of midyear 2000: 15919,000 / -; 2001-04: 16000,000 ; midyear 16044,000

population density: 430 per sq.km = 1114 per sq.mi

population growth: 0,7% //; - doubling time: not applicable, exceeds 100 years

birth rate: 13 per 1000

death rate: 8,5 per 1000

fertility rate: 1 child per female

maternal mortality: 5 per 100,000

infant mortality (1-4 years): 8 per 1000

life expectancy: 78 years (male: 76; female: 81)

age breakdown: 0-14 years: 18% //; - 15-59 years: 65% //; - 60+ years: 17%

urbanisation: 89% //; - urbanisation growth: 0,6%

percentage of urban population in the greatest city: 9%

Ethnic composition, language, religion

ethnic groups: Dutch 96%; Morrocan 1%; Turkish 1%; other 2%

languages: Dutch (official); Frisian

religious affiliation: Roman Catholic 32%; Protestant 23%; Muslim 4%; non religious 38%; other 3%

Health

daily food intake: 3282 calories per capita

population with access to safe water: 100%

people per physician: 412

people per hospital bed: 194

Education, literacy

school enrolment: primary education 6-11 years: 100%

school enrolment: secondary education: 93%

school enrolment: tertiary education 20-24 years: 28%

adult literacy: 99% (male: %; female: %)

Economy and trade

currency: Euro = 100 cents [until 2002: Gulden (florin) = 100 cent]

annual inflation rate: 2%

population below poverty line: 8%

Gross Domestic Product: USD 22000 per capita

GNI USD 24970 per capita //; - [ppp: 25850]

GDP growth: 2%

income: USD 17330 per capita

import: USD 160896 per capita //; - export: USD 177369 per capita

trade: USD per capita //; - or 13% of GDP

trade partners: DE BE FR GB US IT JP

human development index: 0,931 //; - position of the country in the world no.: 8

female labour force: 40%

unemployment: 3%

tourism: 10 million

Economic activities in agriculture, fisheries, industry, mining, services, energy

land use: arable land: 27% //; - grass land: 32% //; - wooded area: 9% //; - arid land and desert: %

agriculture: labour force: 4% //; - part of agriculture in GDP: 4%

agricultural products: cereals, fruits, vegetables, sugar beets, livestock, fish, potatoes

livestock (million): cattle: 4 / goats: 0,15 / horses: 0,07 / pigs: 13 / poultry: 93 / sheep: 1,3

fish catch: 514000 - 550000 metric tonnes

industry: labour force: 25% //; - part of industry in GDP: 26%

industrial products: food processing, chemicals, textiles, metals, machinery, microelectronics

mining products: natural gas & oil, salt

CO2 emission per capita: 10,4

services: labour force: 71% //; - part of services in GDP: 70%

energy use (kg per capita): 4686

electricity use (per capita): 5993

annual water use (per capita): 993

Traffic, communication

road network: 111891, or 124530 km //; - of which paved: 91% //; - of which are motorways: 2235 km

vehicles: 371 per 1000

railways: 2828 km //; - railways passenger/km: 13977

navigable inland waterways: 5046, or 6340 km

ownership telephone: 525 - 607 per 1000

ownership radio receivers: 775 - 980 per 1000

ownership tv-sets: 495 - 600 per 1000

newspaper circulation: 299 - 306 per 1000

persons per post office: 7690

personal computers: 394 per 1000

Some physical landmarks

mountains: Vaalserberg 323 m, Vrouwenheide 214, Schweiberg 206

lowest point: 6 m below sea level (Zuidplaspolder)

lakes (natural): IJsselmeer, Oosterschelde, Grevelingen, Tjeukemeer, Slotermeer, Fluessen, Westeinderplassen

lakes (artificial reservoirs): none

lakes (deepest): unknown

rivers: Rijn (Rhine), Lek, Waal, Maas (Meuse), IJssel, Vecht, Linge, Hollandsche IJssel, Oude Rijn

canals: Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal, Zuid-Willemsvaart, Julianakanaal, Twentekanaal, Van Harinxmakanaal, Eemskanaal >

waterfalls: none // > some more canals: Noordhollands kanaal, Drentse Hoofdvaart

caves: longest system: Sint Pietersberg / deepest:

islands: Wadden Islands: Texel, Vlieland, Terschelling, Ameland, Schiermonnikoog, Rottum

deserts: none

other natural features:

other important features:

apart from physical landmarks most of the above figures are changeable, in most cases they date from the 1990's

primary sources used for the general information:

BB CA EV PW WA WB WR, and some national statistical yearbooks

particulars concerning population data:

no official census have been taken since 1971