Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
10,732,900
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
75.240 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Tunis
Amsterdam
Largest city
Tunis (population: 693,210)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.762
0.958
GDP per capita
$9,600 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
74.3%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
4.4
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
19.9%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
NA
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
18.000%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished in practice
Abolished
Political System
republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
20 March 1956 (from France)
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 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
clothing, semi-finished goods and textiles, agricultural products, mechanical goods, phosphates and chemicals, hydrocarbons, electrical equipment
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$23,210,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Tunisian dinars (TND) per US dollar - 1.211 (2008 est.), 1.2776 (2007), 1.331 (2006), 1.2974 (2005), 1.2455 (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
1.400%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
16
Location
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Algeria and Libya
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Area
163,610 km sq
41,543 km sq
Coastline
1,148 km
451 km
Climate
temperate in north with mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers; desert in south
