Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor
Population
16,805,037
109,590
Life Expectancy
81.010 years
73.550 years
Capital City
Amsterdam
Largest city
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Saint George's (population: 7,500)
Human Development Index
0.958
0.774
GDP per capita
$42,300 US
Literacy Rate
99%
96%
Corruption Perception Index
8.9
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
37.8%
21.4%
Wealthiest Citizens
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
6.800%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished in practice
Political System
constitutional monarchy
parliamentary democracy
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
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Roman Catholic 53%, Anglican 13.8%, other Protestant 33.2%
Languages
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
English (official), French patois
Exports
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$2,655,000,000,000 $
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
16
0
Location
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Caribbean, island between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago
