Land area: 13,104 sq mi (33,939 sq km); total area: 16,033 sq mi (41,526 sq km)

Population (2008 est.): 16,645,313 (growth rate: 0.4%); birth rate: 10.5/1000; infant mortality rate: 4.8/1000; life expectancy: 79.2; density per sq km: 491

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Amsterdam (official), 737,900; The Hague (administrative capital), 465,900

Other large cities: Rotterdam, 600,700; Utrecht, 263,900; Eindhoven, 206,900

Monetary unit: Euro (formerly guilder)

National name: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden

 

Current government officials

Languages: Dutch, Frisian (both official)

Ethnicity/race: Dutch 83%, other 17% (9% of non-Western origin, mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)

Religions: Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Islam 6%, none 41% (2002)

Literacy rate: 99% (2003 est.)

 

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2007 est.): $639.5 billion; per capita $38,500. Real growth rate: 3.5%. Inflation: 1.6%. Unemployment: 3.2%. Arable land: 22%. Agriculture: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock. Labor force: 7.5 million; agriculture 2.2%, industry 24%, services 73.8% (2007 est.). Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing. Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land. Exports: $465.3 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs. Imports: $402.4 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.): machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing. Major trading partners: Germany, Belgium, UK, France, Italy, U.S., Russia, China (2006).