Country Background
Full country name: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Area: 41,864 sq km
Total population (2007): 16,2 million
Capital city: Amsterdam (official), The Hague (administrative capital)
Demographics:
languages – Dutch, Frisian (both official);
ethnical structure (2005) – Dutch 80,9%, Indonesian 2,4%, German 2,4%, Turkish 2,2%, Surinamese 2%, Moroccan 1,9%, Antillean and Aruban 0,8% and other 6%
Religion(2002): Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Islam 6%, none 41%
Form of government: constitutional monarchy
Head of State: Queen Beatrix (1980)
Country Background
Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics and fishing
Natural resources: natural gas, petroleum, arable land
Borders: Germany and Belgium, and sea border
Largest rivers: Rhine, Maas (Meuse), and Schelde - have their sources outside the country
Largest cities and their population (2005):
Amsterdam - 744,740
Rotterdam - 581,615
The Hague - 474,245
Utrecht - 290,529
Eindhoven - 209,601
Keywords
Flowers, tulips
Wooden shoes
Mills
Drugs (weed)
Gouda cheese
Amsterdam festival
Gays & lesbians…
