Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
President: Francois Hollande Prime minister: Jean-Marc Ayrault
Population
16,730,632
65,630,692
Life Expectancy
80.910 years
81.460 years
Capital City
Amsterdam
Paris
Largest city
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Paris (population: 2,138,550)
Human Development Index
0.958
0.955
GDP per capita
$42,700 US
$35,600 US
Literacy Rate
99%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
8.9
6.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
37.8%
19.6%
Wealthiest Citizens
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Bernard Arnault ($16.5bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.400%
9.300%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
constitutional monarchy
republic
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)
486 (Frankish tribes unified); 843 (Western Francia established from the division of the Carolingian Empire)
Religions
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Roman Catholic 83%-88%, Protestant 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 5%-10%, unaffiliated 4% overseas departments: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, pagan
Languages
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish) overseas departments: French, Creole patois
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
machinery and transportation equipment, aircraft, plastics, chemicals, pharmaceutical products, iron and steel, beverages
External Debt
$2,655,000,000,000 $
$5,633,000,000,000 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 - 0.6799 (2008 est.), 0.7345 (2007), 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.600%
2.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
16
40
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Western Europe, bordering the Bay of Biscay and English Channel, between Belgium and Spain, southeast of the UK; bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Italy and Spain
