Chapter 74
Industrial production growth rate: 14.7% (FY94/95 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 280,000 kW production: 920 million kWh consumption per capita: 41 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for heroin from Southeast Asia to the West
Exports: $430 million (f.o.b., 1995 est.) but does not include unrecorded border trade with India commodities: carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain partners: India, US, Germany, UK
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.) commodities: petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10% partners: India, Singapore, Japan, Germany
External debt: $2.3 billion (FY94/95 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $310 million (1993) note: western and Japanese bilateral aid $215 million; multilateral aid $43 million (1994-95)
Currency: 1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa
Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1 - 56.636 (January 1996), 51.890 (1995), 49.398 (1994), 48.607 (1993), 42.718 (1992), 37.255 (1991)
Fiscal year: 16 July - 15 July
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 101 km; note - all in Terai close to Indian border narrow gauge: 101 km 0.762-m gauge
Highways: total: 9,933 km paved: 3,421 km unpaved: 6,512 km (1995 est.)
Ports: none
Airports: total: 43 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 3 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 with paved runways under 914 m: 27 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 82,774 (1995 est.)
Telephone system: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service domestic: NA international: radiotelephone communications; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 88, FM 0, shortwave 0
Radios: 690,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1988 est.)
Televisions: 45,000 (1992 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 5,329,345 males fit for military service: 2,768,887 males reach military age (17) annually: 254,590 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $36 million, 1.2% of GDP (FY92/93)
======================================================================
@Netherlands -----------
Map ---
Location: 52 30 N, 5 45 E -- Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
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
Geography ---------
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Geographic coordinates: 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 37,330 sq km land area: 33,920 sq km comparative area: 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: exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast lowest point: Prins Alexanderpolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 321 m
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, fertile soil
Land use: arable land: 26% permanent crops: 1% meadows and pastures: 32% forest and woodland: 9% other: 32%
Irrigated land: 5,500 sq km (1989 est.)
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 natural hazards: the extensive system of dikes and dams, protects nearly one-half of the total area from being flooded international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Biodiversity, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Tropical Timber 94
Geographic note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
People ------
Population: 15,568,034 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 18% (male 1,457,694; female 1,393,402) 15-64 years: 68% (male 5,412,402; female 5,228,579) 65 years and over: 14% (male 836,934; female 1,239,023) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.56% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 12.08 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 8.7 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female all ages: 0.98 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.73 years male: 74.91 years female: 80.68 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.51 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch
Ethnic divisions: Dutch 96%, Moroccans, Turks, and other 4% (1988)
Religions: Roman Catholic 34%, Protestant 25%, Muslim 3%, other 2%, unaffiliated 36% (1991)
Languages: Dutch
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1979 est.) total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands conventional short form: Netherlands local long form: Koninkrijk de Nederlanden local short form: Nederland
Data code: NL
Type of government: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland
Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence: 1579 (from Spain)
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Constitution: 17 February 1983
Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; judicial review in the Supreme Court of legislation of lower order rather than Acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980) is a constitutional monarch; Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), Prince of Orange, son of Queen BEATRIX head of government: Prime Minister Willem (Wim) KOK (since 22 August 1994) and Vice Prime Ministers Hans DIJKSTAL (since 22 August 1994) and Hans VAN MIERLO (since 22 August 1994) were appointed by the queen cabinet: Cabinet was appointed by the prime minister
Legislative branch: bicameral legislature (Staten Generaal) First Chamber (Eerste Kamer): members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms; election last held 9 June 1995 (next to be held 9 June 1999); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (75 total) number of seats by party NA Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer): members directly elected for four-year terms; elections last held 3 May 1994 (next to be held in 1998); results - PvdA 24.3%, CDA 22.3%, VVD 20.4%, D'66 16.5%, other 16.5%; seats - (150 total) PvdA 37, CDA 34, VVD 31, D'66 24, other 24
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad), justices are nominated for life by the crown from a list compiled by the Second Chamber of the Staten Generaal
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Hans HELGERS; Labor (PvdA), Felix ROTTENBERG; Liberal (VVD), Frits BOLKESTEIN; Democrats '66 (D66), Hans VAN MIERLO; a host of minor parties
Other political or pressure groups: large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and Interchurch Peace Council (IKV)
International organization participation: AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCRO, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIH, UNPREDEP, UNPROFOR, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Adriaan JACOBOVITS DE SZEGED chancery: (temporary) 4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016 telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300 FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Kirk Terry DORNBUSH embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ The Hague mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715 telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209 FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688 consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer
Economy -------
Economic overview: This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise. The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations, permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic activity. The trade and financial services sector contributes over 50% of GDP. Industrial activity provides about 25% of GDP and is led by the food-processing, oil-refining, and metalworking industries. The highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 4% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. Indeed, the Netherlands ranks third worldwide in value of agricultural exports, behind the US and France. High unemployment and a sizable budget deficit are currently the most serious economic problems. Many of the economic issues of the 1990s will reflect the course of European economic integration.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $301.9 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.5% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $19,500 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 3.4% industry: 26.9% services: 69.7% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.25% (1995)
Labor force: 6.4 million (1993) by occupation: services 73%, manufacturing and construction 23%, agriculture 4% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 7.1% (fourth quarter 1995)
Budget: revenues: $109.9 billion expenditures: $122.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing, construction, microelectronics
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1995 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 17,520,000 kW production: 72.4 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,100 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Illicit drugs: important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; European producer of illicit amphetamines and other synthetic drugs
Exports: $146 billion (f.o.b., 1995) commodities: metal products, chemicals, processed food and tobacco, agricultural products partners: EU 73% (Germany 28%, Belgium-Luxembourg 13%, UK 9%), Central and Eastern Europe 2%, US 5% (1994)
Imports: $133 billion (c.i.f., 1995) commodities: raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products partners: EU 56% (Germany 21%, Belgium-Luxembourg 11%, UK 8.5%), US 8.6% (1994)
External debt: 0
Economic aid: donor: ODA, $2.525 billion (1993)
Currency: 1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1 - 1.6365 (January 1996), 1.6057 (1995), 1.8200 (1994), 1.8573 (1993), 1.7585 (1992), 1.8697 (1991)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 2,891 km standard gauge: 2,891 km 1.435-m gauge; 2857 km are in common carrier service (1,991 km electrified) and 34 km serve tourists
Highways: total: 104,831 km paved: 92,251 km (including 2,118 km of expressways) unpaved: 12,580 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger
Pipelines: crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km
Ports: Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht
Merchant marine: total: 352 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,681,133 GRT/3,379,762 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 206, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 3, container 34, liquefied gas tanker 13, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 2, oil tanker 38, railcar carrier 1, refrigerated cargo 16, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, short-sea passenger 3, specialized tanker 2 note: many Dutch-owned ships are operating under the registry of Netherlands Antilles (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 28 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 8 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 6 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 with paved runways under 914 m: 7 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 3 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 8.272 million (1983 est.)
Telephone system: highly developed and well maintained; extensive redundant system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by microwave radio relay domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; microwave radio relay international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean Regions)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 3 (relays 3), FM 12 (repeaters 39), shortwave 0
Radios: 13.755 million (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 8 (repeaters 7)
Televisions: 7.4 million (1992 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 4,191,998 males fit for military service: 3,670,253 males reach military age (20) annually: 94,013 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $8.2 billion, 2.1% of GDP (1995)
======================================================================
@Netherlands Antilles --------------------
(part of the Dutch realm)
Map ---
Location: 12 15 N, 68 45 W -- Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Flag ----
Description: white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
Geography ---------
Location: Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total area: 960 sq km land area: 960 sq km comparative area: more than five times the size of Washington, DC note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 92%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October international agreements: party to - Whaling (extended from Netherlands)
People ------
Population: 208,968 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: NA 15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA
Population growth rate: 1.03% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 15.98 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.29 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.06 years male: 74.78 years female: 79.46 years (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Netherlands Antillean(s) adjective: Netherlands Antillean
Ethnic divisions: mixed African 85%, Carib Indian, European, Latin, Oriental
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1981 est.) total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
Data code: NT
Type of government: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Capital: Willemstad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Dutch realm)
Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm)
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (of the Netherlands since 30 April 1980) is a constitutional monarch, represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989), who was appointed for a six-year term by the queen head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 25 February 1994) was appointed by the Staten cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the Staten
Legislative branch: unicameral Staten: elections last held 25 February 1994 (next to be held NA March 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (23 total) PAR 8, PNP 3, SPA 2, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, DP 1, WIPM 1, DP-St.E 1, DP-St.M 1, Nos Patria 1 note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to each island Bonaire: Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS; Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), Broertje JANJA Curacao: Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), Miguel POURIER; National People's Party (PNP), Maria LIBERIA-PETERS; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Don MARTINA; Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson (Papa) GODETT; Socialist Independent (SI), George HUECK and Nelson MONTE; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Augustin DIAZ; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA Saba: Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Ray HASSELL; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Steve HASSELL; Saba Unity Party, Carmen SIMMONDS Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St.E), Julian WOODLEY; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM); St. Eustatius Alliance (SEA), Ingrid WHITFIELD Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St.M), Sarah WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPA), Vance JAMES; Serious Alternative People's Party (SAPP) Julian ROLLOCKS
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS consulate general(s): J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 61-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 61-6489
Flag: white with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a vertical red band also centered; five white five-pointed stars are arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
Economy -------
Economic overview: Tourism and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela and the US being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.92 billion (1994 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita: $10,400 (1994 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 89,000 by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)
Unemployment rate: 13.4% (1993 est.)
Budget: revenues: $209 million expenditures: $232 million, including capital expenditures of $8 million (1992 est.)
Industries: tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity: capacity: 200,000 kW production: 810 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,054 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American cocaine and marijuana bound for the US and Europe
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: petroleum products 98% partners: US 39%, Brazil 9%, Colombia 6%
Imports: $1.8 billion (f.o.b., 1993) commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures partners: Venezuela 26%, US 18%, Colombia 6%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5%