Netherlands

Geography

The Netherlands are a country on the North Sea coast west of Germany. The land has a total area of 41,543 km² (16,040 mi²) and a total coastline of 451 km (280.2 mi). This land area is approximately 165% of the area of Maryland. The Netherlands are thus the 22nd smallest country in Europe and ranked 135th in the world. An exceptionally high proportion of residents (93%) belongs to the urban population.

With an average elevation of only 30 m above sea level, the Netherlands are one of the lowest-lying countries in the world. The highest elevation in the country (Vaalserberg) is 322 meters. The country has about 40 islands. There are direct national borders with the two neighboring countries Belgium and Germany. The distance between New York City and the Capital Amsterdam is about 5,870 km (3,647 mi).

The climate in the Netherlands

The Netherlands borders the North Sea in the west and north, which also has a decisive influence on the climate. Overall, there is a temperate maritime climate with continental influences. Summers are usually warm, but not too hot. Winters are also comparatively mild with average temperatures around freezing point. The cold air from the North Sea reaches the coastal areas by the middle of the year, resulting in lower temperatures than inland. Away from the coast, the Atlantic influence decreases. In autumn and winter, storms, some of them violent, occur throughout the country, with larger amounts of precipitation.

• Detailed climate data for the Netherlands and 10 individual provinces

Languages

Mother tongue	Distribution
Dutch	95.6 %
Fries	3.7 %
Arabic	0.9 %
Turkish	0.8 %

Religions

Religion	Distribution
Reformed Christs	9.0%
Calvinists	3.0%
Roman Catholics	28.0%
other Protestants	7.0%
Muslims	5.0%
Jews	0.2%
nondenominational	42.0%
other	5.8%

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Economy

GDP:	1,012.85 bn $
Exportations:	850.26 bn $
Importations:	738.18 bn $
Budget surplus:	93 M $
› Tourism receipts:	10.93 bn $
› Debt rate:	52.33 %
› Unemployment rate:	3.5 %
› Inflation rate:	10.00 %
› Corruption index:	80 (good)
› Energy consumption:	109.8 bn kWh

With a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.941, the Netherlands counts as one of the high developed economies by UN definition. The IMF also shares this classification.

Considering the purchasing power parity, the Netherlands are among the 20 richest countries in the world and, with an average annual income of 55,200 USD are one of the high-income countries.

The Netherlands are also called a tax haven by some institutions.

Land use

31% Urban areas:	12,803 km²
55% Agricultural areas:	22,653 km²
11% Forest:	4,557 km²
19% Water areas:	7,853 km²
4% Others:	1,529 km²

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Transport

Roadways:	139,124 km
Railways:	3,058 km
Waterways:	6,237 km
Commercial harbors:	1,199
› Airports:	5