Adjacent Words

Netherlands definitions

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Flag of the Netherlands

CIA World Factbook, 2008

Background
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.

Location
total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative
total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources
arable land: 21.96% permanent crops: 0.77% other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land
Total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%) Per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)

Natural hazards
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

Geography - note
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 1,505,931/female 1,436,532) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,683,877/female 5,557,745) 65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,015,731/female 1,370,797) (2007 est.)

Median age
total: 39.7 years male: 38.9 years female: 40.5 years (2007 est.)

Population growth rate
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.741 male(s)/female total population: 0.981 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Infant mortality rate
total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
total population: 79.11 years male: 76.52 years female: 81.82 years (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (2003 est.)

Country name
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden local short form: Nederland

Government type
name: Amsterdam geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October note: The Hague (seat of government)

Administrative divisions
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch
elections: First Chamber - last held 29 May 2007 (next to be held in May 2011); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 21, PvdA 14, VVD 14, Socialist Party 11, Christian Union 4, Green Left Party 4, D66 2, other 5; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch
chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KROENER chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300, [1] 877-388-2443 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description
agriculture: 2.2% industry: 24% services: 73.8% (2007 est.)

Labor force
agriculture: 3% industry: 21% services: 76% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate
lowest 10%: 2.5% highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index
revenues: $302.8 billion expenditures: $352.3 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Exchange rates
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with 5 major network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) international: country code - 31; submarine cables provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations
total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2007)

Heliports
total: 2,811 km standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)

Roadways
total: 134,000 km (includes 3,270 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways
total: 566 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,210,664 GRT/5,217,874 DWT by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 346, carrier 19, chemical tanker 39, container 63, liquefied gas 13, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 16, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 172 (Belgium 2, Denmark 19, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 70, Ireland 9, South Korea 1, Norway 9, Sweden 27, UK 7, US 13) registered in other countries: 220 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cyprus 23, Gibraltar 11, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 28, Luxembourg 1, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 5, Netherlands Antilles 53, Norway 1, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 22, Portugal 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 5, UK 2, US 1, unknown 1) (2007)

Ports and terminals
males age 20-49: 3,557,918 females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service
males age 20-49: 2,856,691 females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually
males age 18-49: 99,934 females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP
1.6% (2005 est.)

Disputes - international
none

Illicit drugs
major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a constitutional monarchy in western Europe on the North Sea; half the country lies below sea level [syn: Netherlands, The Netherlands, Kingdom of The Netherlands, Nederland, Holland]

Merriam Webster's

geographical name 1. Low Countries — a historical usage 2. (or the Netherlands) (or Holland) (or Dutch Nederland) country NW Europe on North Sea; a kingdom, official capital Amsterdam, de facto capital The Hague area 16,033 square miles (41,525 square kilometers), population 15,009,000 • Netherland adjective • Netherlander noun • Netherlandic adjective • Netherlandish adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 (usu. prec. by the) Holland. 2 hist. the Low Countries. Etymology: Du. Nederland (as NETHER, LAND)