Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
10,767,827
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
80.050 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Athens
Amsterdam
Largest city
Athens (population: 729,137)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.947
0.958
GDP per capita
$26,600 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
96%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
4.7
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
14.7%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Spiro Latsis & family ($3.8bn US)
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
17.300%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
1829 (from the Ottoman Empire)
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
Greek Orthodox 98%, Muslim 1.3%, other 0.7%
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Greek 99% (official), other 1% (includes English and French)
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
food and beverages, manufactured goods, petroleum products, chemicals, textiles
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$583,300,000,000 $
$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)
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
4.300%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
16
Location
Southern Europe, bordering the Aegean Sea, Ionian Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea, between Albania and Turkey
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
