Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
netherlands Almanac
Official Name:
Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (Kingdom of the
Netherlands), or simply Nederland.
Population:
16.5 million people (1,023 people per square mile;
15 times the population density of the US). About 80 percent
are Dutch, 5 percent hail from other EU countries, and the rest
are Indonesian, Turkish, Surinamese, and Moroccan. About a
third are Catholic, 20 percent are Protestant, and 6 percent
are Muslim. About 40 percent have no religious affiliation.
Latitude and Longitude:
52
°
N and 5
°
E. The latitude is similar
to Alberta, Canada.
Area:
16,000 square miles—about twice the size of New
Jersey.
Geography:
The Netherlands is located at the mouths of three
major European rivers: the Rhine, the Waal, and the Meuse. It
shares borders with Belgium, Germany, and the North Sea,
which the Dutch have been beating back for centuries, form-
ing
polders—
lat, low-lying lands reclaimed from the sea. The
Netherlands has a mild marine climate.
Biggest Cities:
Amsterdam is the largest city, with about
750,000 people, followed by Rotterdam (580,000) and The
Hague (480,000).
economy:
The Netherlands is prosperous, with the planet's
16th-largest economy ($645 billion), a per capita GDP in the
world's top 10 ($39,000), and one of Europe's lowest unem-
ployment rates. Its port at Rotterdam is Europe's largest, and
the country relies heavily on foreign trade. The nation's highly
mechanized farms produce huge quantities of flowers, bulbs,
and produce for export. The economy has also benefited from
its large natural gas field—one of the world's biggest—located
in the north.
Government:
The Netherlands is a parliamentary democ-
racy, with its seat of government at The Hague, although the
country's official capital is Amsterdam. The ceremonial head
of state is Queen Beatrix, whose ascension to the throne on
April 30, 1980 (also the birthday of her mother, Juliana) is cel-
ebrated each spring on Queen's Day. The Dutch parliament
consists of two houses: the 150-member, directly elected
Second Chamber (or Lower House), and the 75-member First
Chamber (or Upper House), elected by provincial assemblies.
The government is led by a prime minister.
Flag:
The Netherlands' flag is composed of three horizontal
bands of red (top), white, and blue.
The Dutch:
They're among the world's tallest people—the
average height for a man is 6'1" and for a woman, 5'6". The aver-
age age for both men and women is around 40 years old, and
they'll live to be 79. They ride their bikes about 1.5 miles a day
and smoke half as much marijuana as their American friends.
