Head of state: Queen Beatrix Prime minister: Mark Rutte
Population
28,047,938
16,730,632
Life Expectancy
74.080 years
80.910 years
Capital City
Caracas
Amsterdam
Largest city
Maracaibo (population: 2,225,000)
Amsterdam (population: 741,636)
Human Development Index
0.826
0.958
GDP per capita
$12,700 US
$42,700 US
Literacy Rate
93%
99%
Corruption Perception Index
1.9
8.9
Percentage of Women in Parliament
18.6%
37.8%
Wealthiest Citizens
Gustavo Cisneros & family ($3.8bn US)
Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken ($4.6bn US)
Unemployment Rate
8.200%
4.400%
Death Penalty
Abolished
Abolished
Political System
federal republic
constitutional monarchy
Independence date
5 July 1811 (from Spain)
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
nominally Roman Catholic 96%, Protestant 2%, other 2%
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages
Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Exports
petroleum, bauxite and aluminum, steel, chemicals, agricultural products, basic manufactures
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
External Debt
$89,600,000,000 $
$2,655,000,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
bolivars (VEB) per US dollar - 2.147 (2008 est.), 2,147 (2007), 2,147 (2006), 2,089.8 (2005), 1,891.3 (2004) note: On 1 January 2008 Venezuela revalued its currency with 1000 old bolivares equal to 1 new bolivar
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
1.200%
1.600%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
16
Location
Northern South America, bordering the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, between Colombia and Guyana
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
