Official Name: Known officially as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, or commonly as the Netherlands, or Holland.
Capital city: Amsterdam, the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the West of the country.
Location: Holland is located in Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium to the South and Germany to the East.
Size: The total land area of the Netherlands is 41,543 square kilometers and this ranks 141st globally. The country is slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey in the USA.
Climate: Climate in the Netherlands is temperate with cool summers and mild winters.
Population: The Netherlands has an estimated population of 16.7 million people and ranks 60th globally. There is a population growth rate of 0.412%.
Life expectancy at birth: The average life expectancy at birth for citizens of the Netherlands is 79.4 years, ranking at 30th globally. Females have a longer average life span at 82.14 years, while Males average at 76.8 years from birth.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the Netherlands is about 0.2%, placing 107th globally. This means that around 18,000 people are living with the disease in the country.
Major Illnesses: Potential health risks in Holland include Tetanus, Swine Flu (H1N1) and Influenza A.
Ethnic Groups: The Netherlands is mainly comprised of Dutch ethnics at 80.7% of the population. Other ethnic groups include EU at 5%, Indonesian at 2.4%, Turkish at 2.2%, Surinamese at 2%, Moroccan at 2%, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba at 0.8% and other at 4.8%.
Languages: There are two official languages in the Netherlands, namely Dutch at 90% and Frisian at 2.2% of the population. Other languages include Turkish at 0.6%, Arabic at 0.6% and about 6.6% of the population speak German and/or French. English is spoken by almost everyone in Holland.
Religion: The major religion in the Netherlands is Roman Catholic accounting for 30% of the population and other religions include Dutch Reformed at 11%, Calvinist at 6%, other Protestant at 3%, Islam at 5.8%, other at 2.2% and unspecified at 42%.
Government: Holland is a parliamentary democracy and constitutional monarchy.
The Government of the Netherlands consists of the Queen and the cabinet ministers. The Queen's role is limited to the formation of the Government and she does not actively interfere in daily decision-making. The ministers together form the Council of Ministers. This executive council initiates laws and policy.
Head of State: The Head of State in the Netherlands is Queen Beatrix. The Queen has a role in the formation of Government and in the legislative process, she has to co-sign every law to make it valid.
Head of Government: The Head of Government in the Netherlands is the Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who is appointed by the Queen. His role involves coordinating the policy of the Government.
Military: The Federal Armed Forces of the Netherlands consists of four branches namely the Royal Netherlands Army, the Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), the Royal Netherlands Air Force and the Royal Military Police. The suitable age for all-volunteer force is 20 years of age.
Economy: The Netherlands has a very strong economy, it has been playing a special role in the European economy for many centuries. The country is heavily industrialised, main industries include food processing, petroleum refining, manufacture of chemicals, electrical machinery, metal products and electronics. Coal, natural gas and petroleum are a few natural resources that exist in Holland.
Financial and transportation services contribute a big portion to the country’s wealth every year. Amsterdam is one of the world's major financial centers, and Rotterdam is one of the world's busiest ports. The Netherlands has a large foreign trade, main exports are machinery, chemicals, natural gas, processed foods and horticultural products. Imports include machinery, transportation equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, and clothing. The main trading partners are Germany, Belgium, France and Great Britain.
GDP: The Netherlands has a purchasing power parity of US$ 672 billion, ranking at 21st in the world. The country has a growth rate of about 2%, which ranks 160th globally.
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