Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
7,590,758
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
81.070 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Jerusalem
Amsterdam
Largest city
Jerusalem (population: 714,000)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.93
0.958
GDP per capita
$31,400 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
97.1%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
6
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
14.2%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Sammy Ofer & family ($4.0bn US)
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
5.600%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished except for special circumstances
Abolished
Political System
parliamentary democracy
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
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
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$102,300,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
new Israeli shekels (ILS) per US dollar - 3.56 (2008 est.), 4.14 (2007), 4.4565 (2006), 4.4877 (2005), 4.482 (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
7.300%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
16
Location
Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
20,770 km sq
41,543 km sq
Coastline
273 km
451 km
Climate
temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
