1994 Edition

Administrative divisions

12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland

none (part of the Dutch realm)

Agriculture

accounts for 4.6% of GDP; animal production predominates; crops - grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; shortages of grain, fats, and oils

hampered by poor soils and scarcity of water; chief products - aloes, sorghum, peanuts, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit; not self-sufficient in food

Airports

total: 28 usable: 28 with permanent-surface runways: 19 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 10 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 7

total: 5 usable: 4 with permanent-surface runways: 4 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 3

Area

total area: 37,330 sq km land area: 33,920 sq km comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

total area: 960 sq km land area: 960 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Birth rate

12.62 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

16.62 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Bonaire

Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS; Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), Franklin CRESTIAN

Branches

Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary

Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force

Budget

revenues: $109.9 billion expenditures: $122.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)

revenues: $209 million expenditures: $232 million, including capital expenditures of $8 million (1992 est.)

Capital

Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government

Willemstad

Climate

temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

451 km

364 km

Constitution

17 February 1983

29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Curacao

Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), Miguel POURIER; National People's Party (PNP), Maria LIBERIA-PETERS; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Don MARTINA; Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson (Papa) GODETT; Socialist Independent (SI), George HUECK and Nelson MONTE; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Augustin DIAZ; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA

Currency

1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents

1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents

Death rate

8.5 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

5.5 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $6.8 billion, 2.3% of GDP (1993)

Dependent areas

Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Digraph

NL

NA

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Adriaan Pieter Roetert JACOBOVITS DE SZEGED chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 244-5300

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Economic aid

donor: ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $19.4 billion

recipient: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $513 million

Electricity

capacity: 22,216,000 kW production: 63.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,200 kWh (1992)

capacity: 125,000 kW production: 365 million kWh consumption per capita: 1,980 kWh (1992)

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 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, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Law of the Sea

current issues: NA natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October international agreements: party to - Whaling

Ethnic divisions

Dutch 96%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)

mixed African 85%, Carib Indian, European, Latin, Oriental

Exchange rates

Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1 - 1.9508 (January 1994), 1.8573 (1993), 1.7585 (1992), 1.8697 (1991), 1.8209 (1990), 2.1207 (1989)

Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1 - 1.79 (fixed rate since 1989; 1.80 fixed rate 1971-88)

Executive branch

chief 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 RUDOLPHUS (Ruud) F. M. LUBBERS (since 4 November 1982); Vice Prime Minister Willem (Wim) KOK (since 2 November 1989) - resigned after 3 May 1994 parliamentary elections; no new government has been formed to date cabinet: Ministry of General Affairs; appointed by the prime minister

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 25 February 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the unicameral legislature

Exports

$139 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: metal products, chemicals, processed food and tobacco, agricultural products partners: EC 77% (Germany 27%, Belgium-Luxembourg 15%, UK 10%), US 4% (1991)

$240 million (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum products 98% partners: US 39%, Brazil 9%, Colombia 6%

External debt

$0

$701 million (December 1987)

FAX

(202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila (Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands), New York

[31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

[599] (9) 616489

First Chamber (Eerste Kamer)

elections last held on 9 June l991 (next to be held 9 June 1995); results - elected by the country's 12 provincial councils; seats - (75 total) percent of seats by party NA

Fiscal year

calendar year

calendar year

Flag

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten

Highways

total: 104,590 km paved: 92,525 km (including 2,185 km of expressway) unpaved: gravel, crushed stone 12,065 km (1990)

total: 950 km paved: 300 km unpaved: gravel, earth 650 km

Illicit drugs

gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs

money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe

Imports

$130.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products partners: EC 64% (Germany 26%, Belgium-Luxembourg 14%, UK 8%), US 8% (1991)

$1.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures partners: Venezuela 26%, US 18%, Colombia 6%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5%

Independence

1579 (from Spain)

none (part of the Dutch realm)

Industrial production

growth rate -1.5% (1993 est.); accounts for 25% of GDP

growth rate NA%

Industries

agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing, construction, microelectronics

tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Infant mortality rate

6.1 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

9.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.5% (1992 est.)

2% (1993 est.)

Inland waterways

6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger

International disputes

none

none

Irrigated land

5,500 sq km (1989 est.)

NA sq km

Judicial branch

Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad)

Joint High Court of Justice

Labor force

6.7 million (1991) by occupation: services 50.1%, manufacturing and construction 28.2%, government 15.9%, agriculture 5.8% (1986)

89,000 by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)

Land boundaries

total 1,027 km, Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

0 km

Land use

arable land: 26% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 32% forest and woodland: 9% other: 32%

arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 92%

Languages

Dutch

Dutch (official), Papiamento a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish

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

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Legislative branch

bicameral legislature (Staten Generaal)

unicameral

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 77.75 years male: 74.69 years female: 80.97 years (1994 est.)

total population: 76.32 years male: 74.1 years female: 78.66 years (1994 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%

age 15 and over can read and write (1981) total population: 94% male: 94% female: 93%

Location

Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Caribbean, two island groups - Curacao and Bonaire in the southern Caribbean Sea are about 70 km north of Venezuela near Aruba and the rest of the country is about 800 km to the northeast about one-third of the way between Antigua and Barbuda and Puerto Rico

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 4,180,745; fit for military service 3,667,212; reach military age (20) annually 98,479 (1994 est.)

males age 15-49 48,866; fit for military service 27,421; reach military age (20) annually 1,595 (1994 est.)

Map references

Europe, Standard Time Zones of the World

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

continental shelf: not specified exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm

Member of

AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNOMUR, UNPROFOR, UNTAC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

CARICOM (observer), ECLAC (associate), ICFTU, INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WTO (associate)

Merchant marine

324 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,507,112 GRT/3,208,838 DWT, bulk 3, cargo 180, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 3, container 32, liquefied gas 12, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 4, oil tanker 27, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 note: many Dutch-owned ships are also registered on the captive Netherlands Antilles register

113 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 966,797 GRT/1,251,871 DWT, bulk 1, cargo 43, chemical tanker 7, combination ore/oil 1, container 3, liquefied gas 5, multifunction large-load carrier 18, oil tanker 1, passenger 4, refrigerated cargo 23, roll-on/roll-off cargo 7 note: all but a few are foreign owned, mostly in the Netherlands

Names

conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk de Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen

National holiday

Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)

Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $262.8 billion (1993)

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.8 billion (1993 est.)

National product per capita

$17,200 (1993)

$9,700 (1993 est.)

National product real growth rate

-0.2% (1993)

2% (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch

noun: Netherlands Antillean(s) adjective: Netherlands Antillean

Natural resources

natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil

phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Net migration rate

1.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

-6.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)

Note

located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, Schelde)

defense is responsibility of the Netherlands

Other political or pressure groups

large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and Interchurch Peace Council (IKV)

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 affecting 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 mechanized agricultural sector employs only 5% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. Rising 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.

Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the economy. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Unlike many Latin American countries, the Netherlands Antilles has avoided large international debt. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela and the US being the major suppliers.

Pipelines

crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km

Political parties and leaders

Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Elco BRINKMAN; Labor (PvdA), Wim KOK; Liberal (VVD), Frits BOLKESTEIN; Democrats '66 (D'66), Hans van MIERLO; a host of minor parties

political parties are indigenous to each island

Population

15,367,928 (July 1994 est.)

185,790 (July 1994 est.)

Population growth rate

0.58% (1994 est.)

0.47% (1994 est.)

Ports

coastal - Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Den Helder, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Terneuzen, Vlissingen; inland - 29 ports

Willemstad, Philipsburg, Kralendijk

Railroads

2,828 km 1.435-meter standard gauge operated by Netherlands Railways (NS) (includes 1,957 km electrified and 1,800 km double track)

Religions

Roman Catholic 34%, Protestant 25%, Muslim 3%, other 2%, unaffiliated 36% (1991)

Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Saba

Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Will JOHNSON; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Vernon HASSELL; Saba Unity Party, Carmen SIMMONDS

Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer)

elections last held on 3 May 1994 (next to be held in May 1999); 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

Sint Eustatius

Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St.E), K. Van PUTTEN; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM); St. Eustatius Alliance (SEA), Ralph BERKEL

Sint Maarten

Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St.M), Claude WATHEY; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPA), Vance JAMES

Staten

elections last held on 25 February 1994 (next to be held March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (23 total) PAR 8, PNP 3, SPA 2, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, DP 1, WIPM 1, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, Nos Patria 1 note: the government of Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

18 years of age; universal

Telecommunications

highly developed, well maintained, and integrated; extensive redundant system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by microwave radio relay microwave links; 9,418,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 3 (3 relays) AM, 12 (39 repeaters) FM, 8 (7 repeaters) TV; 5 submarine cables; 1 communication satellite earth station operating in INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean antenna) and EUTELSAT systems; nationwide mobile phone system

generally adequate facilities; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 2 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations

Terrain

mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Total fertility rate

1.58 children born/woman (1994 est.)

1.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Type

constitutional monarchy

part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954

Unemployment rate

9.1% (March 1994)

16.4% (1991 est.)

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Kirk Terry DORNBUSH embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, the Hague; APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209

chief of mission: Consul General Bernard J. WOERZ consulate general: Saint Anna Boulevard 19, Willemstad, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 613066