world with almost one-third of its population living below the
poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing
a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for
about one-third of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the
processing of agricultural products, including pulses, jute,
sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Bumper crops, better security,
improved transportation, and increased tourism pushed growth past 5%
in 2008, after growth had hovered around 3% - barely above the rate
of population growth - for the previous three years. The
deteriorating world economy in 2009 will challenge tourism and
remittance growth, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has
considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and
tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for
foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,
however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological
backwardness, its remoteness and landlocked geographic location, its
civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural
disaster.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$31.39 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
$29.81 billion (2007 est.)
$28.86 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$12.28 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
5.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 81
3.3% (2007 est.)
3.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 210
$1,100 (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 32.5%
industry: 16.6%
services: 50.9% (FY07 est.)
Labor force:
14.6 million
country comparison to the world: 39
note: severe lack of skilled labor (2008 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18% (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate:
46% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 191
42% (2004 est.)
Population below poverty line:
30.9% (2004)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.7%
highest 10%: 40.6% (2006)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
47.2 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 35
36.7 (1996)
Budget:
revenues: $1.7 billion
expenditures: $2.3 billion (FY08)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.7% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
6.4% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
6.5% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 72
6.25% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
NA% (31 December 2008)
Stock of money:
$2.106 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 69
$2.184 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$4.885 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 70
$4.745 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$5.556 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 80
$5.636 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$5.5 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 88
$4.909 billion (31 December 2007)
$1.805 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
pulses, rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, jute, root crops; milk, water
buffalo meat
Industries:
tourism, carpets, textiles; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production
Industrial production growth rate:
1.8% (FY08)
country comparison to the world: 110
Electricity - production:
2.781 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129
Electricity - consumption:
2.243 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
Electricity - exports:
140 million kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports:
213 million kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
Oil - consumption:
18,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
Oil - exports:
0 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 148
Oil - imports:
16,920 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 120
Oil - proved reserves:
0 bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 149
Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
Natural gas - exports:
0 cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 142
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
Natural gas - proved reserves:
0 cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
Current account balance:
$241 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 53
$58 million (2007)
Exports:
$868 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 153
$830 million (2006)
Exports - commodities:
clothing, carpets, leather goods, jute goods, pulses, grain
Exports - partners:
India 59.2%, US 8.7%, Bangladesh 8.3%, Germany 4.3% (2008)
Imports:
$3.229 billion (2008)
country comparison to the world: 135
$2.398 billion (2006)
Imports - commodities:
petroleum products, machinery and equipment, electrical goods
Imports - partners:
India 55.4%, China 13.3%, Singapore 2% (2008)
Debt - external:
$3.285 billion (2008)
country comparison to the world: 118
$3.07 billion (March 2006)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$NA
Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees (NPR) per US dollar - 65.21 (2008), 70.35 (2007),
72.446 (2006), 72.16 (2005), 73.674 (2004)
Communications ::Nepal
Telephones - main lines in use:
805,100 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 87
Telephones - mobile cellular:
4.2 million (2008)
country comparison to the world: 94
Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile-cellular telephone
network
domestic: combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular telephone service
subscribership base only about 15 per 100 persons
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean) (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 80, shortwave 4 (2008)
Television broadcast stations:
9 (plus 9 repeaters) (2008)
Internet country code:
.np
Internet hosts:
43,411 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 87
Internet users:
499,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 108
Transportation ::Nepal
Airports:
47 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 93
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 30 (2009)
Railways:
total: 59 km
country comparison to the world: 130
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 17,282 km
country comparison to the world: 120
paved: 10,142 km
unpaved: 7,140 km (2007)
Military ::Nepal
Military branches:
Nepal Army (2009)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service; 15 years of age for
military training; no conscription (2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 7,322,965
females age 16-49: 6,859,064 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 4,886,103
females age 16-49: 5,525,764 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 365,567
female: 352,643 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
1.6% of GDP (2006)
country comparison to the world: 104
Transnational Issues ::Nepal
Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of
boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over
the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
cross-border activities; approximately 106,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas
(Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal
since 1990
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 107,803 (Bhutan); 20,153 (Tibet/China)
IDPs: 50,000-70,000 (remaining from ten-year Maoist insurgency that
officially ended in 2006; displacement spread across the country)
(2007)
Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
Asia to the West
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Netherlands (Europe)
Introduction ::Netherlands
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.
Geography ::Netherlands
Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references:
Europe
Area:
total: 41,543 sq km
country comparison to the world: 134
land: 33,893 sq km
water: 7,650 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Coastline:
451 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land
Land use:
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)
Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
89.7 cu km (2005)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 8.86 cu km/yr (6%/60%/34%)
per capita: 544 cu m/yr (2001)
Natural hazards:
flooding
Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
Environment - international agreements:
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
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)
People ::Netherlands
Population:
16,715,999 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
Age structure:
0-14 years: 17.4% (male 1,485,873/female 1,416,999)
15-64 years: 67.7% (male 5,720,387/female 5,604,014)
65 years and over: 14.9% (male 1,070,496/female 1,418,230) (2009
est.)
Median age:
total: 40.4 years
male: 39.6 years
female: 41.2 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
0.412% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
Birth rate:
10.4 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Death rate:
8.74 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
Net migration rate:
2.46 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.73 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 198
male: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 79.4 years
country comparison to the world: 30
male: 76.8 years
female: 82.14 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
18,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
fewer than 200 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122
Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch
Ethnic groups:
Dutch 80.7%, EU 5%, Indonesian 2.4%, Turkish 2.2%, Surinamese 2%,
Moroccan 2%, Netherlands Antilles & Aruba 0.8%, other 4.8% (2008
est.)
Religions:
Roman Catholic 30%, Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other
Protestant 3%, Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)
Languages:
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 16 years
male: 17 years
female: 16 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.3% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 58
Government ::Netherlands
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:
constitutional monarchy
Capital:
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 is the seat of government; time descriptions apply
to the continental Netherlands only, not to the Caribbean components
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,
Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant
(North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht,
Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:
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)
National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the
throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Constitution:
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Legal system:
based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory;
constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States
General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
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: 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:
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the
Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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:
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Pieter VAN GEEL]; Christian
Union Party [Arie SLOB]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD];
Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Mariette
HAMER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the
Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and
Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of
SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Agnes KANT]; plus a few
minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV [Rene PAAS]; Confederation
of Netherlands Industry and Employers or VNO-NCW [Bernard WIENTJES];
Federation for Small and Medium-sized businesses or MKB [Loek
HERMANS]; Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV [Agnes
JONGERIUS]; Social Economic Council or SER [Alexander RINNOOY KAN];
Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP [Ad
VERHOEVEN]
International organization participation:
ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council
(observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE,
CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF,
IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM
(guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris
Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WFTU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Regina "Renee" JONES-BOS
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
consulate(s): Boston
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Michael
GALLAGHER
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:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
the colors were those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the
Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the
16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because it
tended to fade to red over time, the red shade was eventually made
the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in
continuous use
Economy ::Netherlands
Economy - overview:
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends
heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 3% of the labor
force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
has been one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign
direct investment and is one of the four largest investors in the
US. The pace of job growth reached 10-year highs in 2007, but
economic growth fell sharply in 2008 as fallout from the world
financial crisis constricted demand and raised the specter of a
recession in 2009.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$673.5 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 21
$660.3 billion (2007 est.)
$637.4 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$877 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161
3.6% (2007 est.)
3.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$40,500 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20
$39,900 (2007 est.)
$38,700 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.7%
industry: 25.5%
services: 72.9% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
7.715 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 18%
services: 80% (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 48
4.6% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.5% (2005)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.9 (2007)
country comparison to the world: 108
32.6 (1994)
Investment (gross fixed):
20.5% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
Budget:
revenues: $405.9 billion
expenditures: $397.3 billion (2008 est.)
Public debt:
58.2% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
55.8% of GDP (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
1.6% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
3% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 106
5% (31 December 2007)
note: this is the European Central Bank's rate on the marginal
lending facility, which offers overnight credit to banks in the euro
area
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
10.37% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 96
8.72% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA
note: see entry for the European Union for money supply in the euro
area; the European Central Bank (ECB) controls monetary policy for
the 16 members of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU); individual
members of the EMU do not control the quantity of money and quasi
money circulating within their own borders
Stock of quasi money:
$NA
Stock of domestic credit:
$1.824 trillion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 10
$1.684 trillion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$456.2 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 18
$956.5 billion (31 December 2007)
$779.6 billion (31 December 2006)
Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery
and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics,
fishing
Industrial production growth rate:
2.9% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
Electricity - production:
97.19 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
Electricity - consumption: