Netherlands

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Netherlands's Information


Capital	Amsterdam
Languages	Dutch (official)
Ethnic Groups	Dutch 78.6%, EU 5.8%, Turkish 2.4%, Indonesian 2.2%, Moroccan 2.2%, Surinamese 2.1%, Bonairian, Saba Islander, Sint Eustatian 0.8%, other 5.9% (2014 est.)
Religion	Roman Catholic 28%, Protestant 19% (includes Dutch Reformed 9%, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, 7%, Calvinist 3%), other 11% (includes about 5% Muslim and fewer numbers of Hindu, Buddhist, Jehovah's Witness, and Orthodox), none 42% (2009 est.)
Government	Parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Independance	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)
Area	41,543.00 km²
Water Area	7,650.00 km²
Land Area	33,893.00 km²
Population	17,016,967.00 An area known as the Randstad, anchored by the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht, is the most densely populated region; the north tends to be less dense, though sizeable communities can be found throughout the entire country
Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
No. Bordering Countries	2
Bordering Countries	Belgium 478 km, Germany 575 km
GDP(PPP)	$871,000,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$50,800.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, mineral fuels, food and livestock.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are Germany, China, and Belgium.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, and foodstuffs.
Climate	Temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain	Mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast

Where is Netherlands?

Located in Western Europe, Netherlands has a 1,053.00 km border with Belgium (478 km) and Germany (575 km). It has a 451.00 km coastline.

Amsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands. River Amstel runs through the city of Amsterdam. The city’s name was derived from the river’s name. It is the most populous municipality in the country. The city is a major tourist destination, not only in the Netherlands but also within the entire European continent. The city has a lot of museums, galleries, parks and other sites that keep the flow of tourists into the city consistent. Amsterdam experiences an oceanic climate. The winter and summer are usually mild. There are no extreme temperatures. The city receives an average annual precipitation of 838 milliliters. Most of the precipitation falls as brief light showers and drizzles. The skies are usually very cloudy during the cold months.

Geography

Netherlands has a mean elevation of 30 m above sea level. The highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m.

It has a temperate, marine climate with cool summers and mild winters. Its terrain mostly consists of coastal lowlands with some hills in the southeast.

Population

Netherlands has a population of 17,016,967 making it the 66th largest in the world. The majority of the population can be found in an area called Randstad, which encompasses the cities of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, the Hague, and Utrecht.

Dutch is the official language. The majority ethnic group is Dutch. The majority of the country identifies as Roman Catholic, Christian, or non-religious.

Dutch is the official language of Netherlands. It is an Indo-European language which belongs to the West Germanic family of languages. It is the third most widely spoken Germanic language after English and German. It has 16 letters in its alphabet and uses the Latin Script in its writing. Almost everybody living in the Netherlands can speak Dutch. The language has a great similarity to the German language. Some of the aspects German that are similar to Dutch are verb morphology, Syntax, and word order in a sentence. 20% of the Dutch Vocabularies are loan words. The language has been borrowing heavily from German, English, and Latin. English can be spoken by approximately 90% of Dutch natives living in Netherlands. In fact, in some municipalities, English has been recognized as the official language or as the co-official language after Dutch. Other minority languages spoken in Netherlands are West Frisian which is an official language in Frisian province, German, Spanish, and Papiamento.

Government

Netherlands is an independent country. It was established in 1579. Its constitution was last ratified in 1815.

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary representative democratic state. The prime minister is the head of government whereas the king or the queen is the head of state. The prime minister is appointed by the monarch. The parliament is bicameral, with the House of Representatives as the lower house and the Senate as the upper house. The official residence of the prime minister is the Catshuis whereas the official residence of the monarch is the Noordeinde Palace, all of which are located in the Hague. Elections are held after about four years to elected representatives to the municipals, senates, House of Representatives and to the European Union.

Economy

Factoring in Purchasing Power Parity, Netherlands's GDP is $871,000,000,000.00 (USD) with $50,800.00 (USD) per capita. This makes it the 27th largest economy and its citizens the 22nd richest in the world. The currency of Netherlands is the Euro (EUR).

Its major export partners are Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. Its main exports are machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, mineral fuels, food and livestock. Its major import partners are Germany, China, and Belgium. Its major imports include machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, and foodstuffs.

Flag

The flag of the Netherlands is one of the oldest flags in the world. It was designed in the 16th century. The flag is known for being the first flag with three colors. Netherlands independence was acknowledged by Spain after eighty years of war in 1648. With respect to Prince William, an orange pennant is hoisted on top of the national flag on special occasions in the Royal House. Being one of the first revolutionary flags in the world, the flag of the kingdom of Netherlands is said to have inspired the South African Flag, Luxembourg, New York city, Albany and Russian flag. The current official flag of the kingdom of Netherlands is a horizontal tricolor of red, blue and white bands which are of equal length and width. It was officially recognized in 1937 following the royal decree.