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Netherlands
Population: 16 877 351
GDP: 722 300 000 000.00 $
Companies & Organizations: 78
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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. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Population: 16,877,351 (2014).
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%, Caribbean 0.8%, other 4.8%.
Languages: Dutch (official). Frisian, Low Saxon, and Limburgish are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
Religions: Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant 19% (includes Dutch Reformed 9%, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, 7%, Calvinist 3%), other 11% (includes about 5% Muslim and lesser numbers of Hindu, Buddhist, Jehovah's Witness, and Orthodox), none 42%.
GDP: $ 722 300 000 000.00 (2013).
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police.
Refugees (country of origin): 18,799 (Somalia); 15,533 (Iraq); 6,269 (Afghanistan) (2013).
Netherlands is 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.
Capital: Amsterdam. Hague is the seat of government.
Location: Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany. Located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde).
Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E
Area:
total: 41,543 sq km
land: 33,893 sq km
water: 7,650 sq km
Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km.
Coastline: 451 km.
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land.
