Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
5,485,998
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
56.550 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Amsterdam
Largest city
Freetown (population: 802,639)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.329
0.958
GDP per capita
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
35.1%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
1.9
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
13.2%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
4.400%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
constitutional democracy
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
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
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
0
16
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
71,740 km sq
41,543 km sq
Coastline
402 km
451 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
