Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
91,195,675
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
56.560 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Amsterdam
Largest city
Addis Ababa (population: 2,757,730)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.389
0.958
GDP per capita
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
42.7%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
2.6
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
21.4%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
federal republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
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)
Religions
Christian 60.8% (Orthodox 50.6%, Protestant 10.2%), Muslim 32.8%, traditional 4.6%, other 1.8% (1994 census)
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Amarigna 32.7%, Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrigna 6.1%, Somaligna 6%, Guaragigna 3.5%, Sidamigna 3.5%, Hadiyigna 1.7%, other 14.8%, English (major foreign language taught in schools) (1994 census)
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
euros (EUR) per US dollar - 0.6734 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
7
16
Location
Eastern Africa, west of Somalia
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
1,104,300 km sq
41,543 km sq
Coastline
0 km
451 km
Climate
tropical monsoon with wide topographic-induced variation