factbook.json/europe/nl.json

{
  "Introduction": {
    "Background": {
      "text": "<p>The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1581; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After 18 years of French domination, the Netherlands regained its independence in 1813. In 1830, Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I but suffered German invasion and occupation 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 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.</p> <p>In 2018, the Sint Eustatius island council (governing body) was dissolved and replaced by a government commissioner to restore the integrity of public administration. According to the Dutch Government, the intervention will be as \"short as possible and as long as needed.\"</p>"
    }
  },
  "Geography": {
    "Location": {
      "text": "Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany"
    },
    "Geographic coordinates": {
      "text": "52 31 N, 5 46 E"
    },
    "Map references": {
      "text": "Europe"
    },
    "Area": {
      "total ": {
        "text": "41,543 sq km"
      },
      "land": {
        "text": "33,893 sq km"
      },
      "water": {
        "text": "7,650 sq km"
      }
    },
    "Area - comparative": {
      "text": "slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey"
    },
    "Land boundaries": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,053 km"
      },
      "border countries": {
        "text": "Belgium 478 km; Germany 575 km"
      }
    },
    "Coastline": {
      "text": "451 km"
    },
    "Maritime claims": {
      "territorial sea": {
        "text": "12 nm"
      },
      "contiguous zone": {
        "text": "24 nm"
      },
      "exclusive fishing zone": {
        "text": "200 nm"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters"
    },
    "Terrain": {
      "text": "mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast"
    },
    "Elevation": {
      "highest point": {
        "text": "Mount Scenery (on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, now considered an integral part of the Netherlands following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles) 862 m"
      },
      "lowest point": {
        "text": "Zuidplaspolder -7 m"
      },
      "mean elevation": {
        "text": "30 m"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> the highest point on continental Netherlands is Vaalserberg at 322 m"
    },
    "Natural resources": {
      "text": "natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "55.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "10.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "34.1% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Irrigated land": {
      "text": "2,969 sq km (2019)"
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "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"
    },
    "Natural hazards": {
      "text": "<p>flooding</p> <p><strong>volcanism:</strong> Mount Scenery (887 m), located on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, last erupted in 1640; Round Hill (601 m), a dormant volcano also known as The Quill, is located on the island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean; these islands are at the northern end of the volcanic island arc of the Lesser Antilles that extends south to Grenada</p>"
    },
    "Geography - note": {
      "text": "located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine (Rijn), Meuse (Maas), and Scheldt (Schelde)); about a quarter of the country lies below sea level and only about half of the land exceeds one meter above sea level"
    }
  },
  "People and Society": {
    "Population": {
      "total": {
        "text": "17,772,378"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "8,844,100"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "8,928,278 (2024 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Nationality": {
      "noun": {
        "text": "Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)"
      },
      "adjective": {
        "text": "Dutch"
      }
    },
    "Ethnic groups": {
      "text": "Dutch 75.4%, EU (excluding Dutch) 6.4%, Turkish 2.4%, Moroccan 2.4%, Surinamese 2.1%, Indonesian 2%, other 9.3% (2021 est.)"
    },
    "Languages": {
      "Languages": {
        "text": "Dutch (official), Frisian (official in Fryslan province)"
      },
      "major-language sample(s)": {
        "text": "Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information."
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire"
    },
    "Religions": {
      "text": "Roman Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.8% (includes Dutch Reformed, Protestant Church of The Netherlands, Calvinist), Muslim 5%, other 5.9% (includes Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish), none 54.1% (2019 est.)"
    },
    "Age structure": {
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "15.2% (male 1,384,142/female 1,312,455)"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "64.1% (male 5,750,034/female 5,640,691)"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "20.7% (2024 est.) (male 1,709,924/female 1,975,132)"
      }
    },
    "Dependency ratios": {
      "total dependency ratio": {
        "text": "54.9"
      },
      "youth dependency ratio": {
        "text": "24"
      },
      "elderly dependency ratio": {
        "text": "30.9"
      },
      "potential support ratio": {
        "text": "3.2 (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Median age": {
      "total": {
        "text": "42.2 years (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "40.9 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "43.5 years"
      }
    },
    "Population growth rate": {
      "text": "0.39% (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Birth rate": {
      "text": "10.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Death rate": {
      "text": "9.7 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Net migration rate": {
      "text": "3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Population distribution": {
      "text": "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"
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "93.2% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major urban areas - population": {
      "text": "1.174 million AMSTERDAM (capital), 1.018 million Rotterdam (2023)"
    },
    "Sex ratio": {
      "at birth": {
        "text": "1.05 male(s)/female"
      },
      "0-14 years": {
        "text": "1.05 male(s)/female"
      },
      "15-64 years": {
        "text": "1.02 male(s)/female"
      },
      "65 years and over": {
        "text": "0.87 male(s)/female"
      },
      "total population": {
        "text": "0.99 male(s)/female (2024 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Mother's mean age at first birth": {
      "text": "30.2 years (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Maternal mortality ratio": {
      "text": "4 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Infant mortality rate": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "3.9 deaths/1,000 live births"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "3.3 deaths/1,000 live births"
      }
    },
    "Life expectancy at birth": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "81.9 years (2024 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "80.3 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "83.5 years"
      }
    },
    "Total fertility rate": {
      "text": "1.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Gross reproduction rate": {
      "text": "0.78 (2024 est.)"
    },
    "Contraceptive prevalence rate": {
      "text": "73% (2013)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> percent of women aged 18-45"
    },
    "Drinking water source": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 100% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 0% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Current health expenditure": {
      "text": "11.1% of GDP (2020)"
    },
    "Physician density": {
      "text": "4.08 physicians/1,000 population (2020)"
    },
    "Hospital bed density": {
      "text": "3.2 beds/1,000 population (2018)"
    },
    "Sanitation facility access": {
      "improved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 100% of population"
      },
      "improved: total": {
        "text": "total: 100% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: urban": {
        "text": "urban: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: rural": {
        "text": "rural: 0% of population"
      },
      "unimproved: total": {
        "text": "total: 0% of population (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Obesity - adult prevalence rate": {
      "text": "20.4% (2016)"
    },
    "Alcohol consumption per capita": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.23 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "beer": {
        "text": "3.95 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "wine": {
        "text": "2.92 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "spirits": {
        "text": "1.36 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      },
      "other alcohols": {
        "text": "0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Tobacco use": {
      "total": {
        "text": "22.2% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "24.4% (2020 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "19.9% (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Children under the age of 5 years underweight": {
      "text": "NA"
    },
    "Currently married women (ages 15-49)": {
      "text": "53.7% (2023 est.)"
    },
    "Education expenditures": {
      "text": "5.3% of GDP (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Literacy": {
      "total population": {
        "text": "NA"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "NA"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "NA"
      }
    },
    "School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "19 years"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "18 years"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "19 years (2020)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Environment": {
    "Environment - current issues": {
      "text": "water and air pollution are significant environmental problems; pollution of the country's rivers from industrial and agricultural chemicals, including heavy metals, organic compounds, nitrates, and phosphates; air pollution from vehicles and refining activities"
    },
    "Environment - international agreements": {
      "party to": {
        "text": "Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Heavy Metals, Air Pollution-Multi-effect Protocol, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protection, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands, Whaling"
      },
      "signed, but not ratified": {
        "text": "none of the selected agreements"
      }
    },
    "Climate": {
      "text": "temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters"
    },
    "Land use": {
      "agricultural land": {
        "text": "55.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: arable land": {
        "text": "arable land: 29.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent crops": {
        "text": "permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural land: permanent pasture": {
        "text": "permanent pasture: 24.2% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "forest": {
        "text": "10.8% (2018 est.)"
      },
      "other": {
        "text": "34.1% (2018 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Urbanization": {
      "urban population": {
        "text": "93.2% of total population (2023)"
      },
      "rate of urbanization": {
        "text": "0.59% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Revenue from forest resources": {
      "text": "0.01% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Revenue from coal": {
      "text": "0% of GDP (2018 est.)"
    },
    "Air pollutants": {
      "particulate matter emissions": {
        "text": "10.74 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)"
      },
      "carbon dioxide emissions": {
        "text": "170.78 megatons (2016 est.)"
      },
      "methane emissions": {
        "text": "17.79 megatons (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Waste and recycling": {
      "municipal solid waste generated annually": {
        "text": "8.855 million tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "municipal solid waste recycled annually": {
        "text": "2,179,216 tons (2015 est.)"
      },
      "percent of municipal solid waste recycled": {
        "text": "24.6% (2015 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Major rivers (by length in km)": {
      "text": "Rijn (Rhine) river mouth (shared with Switzerland [s], Germany, and France) - 1,233 km<br><strong>note</strong> – [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth"
    },
    "Major watersheds (area sq km)": {
      "text": "Atlantic Ocean drainage: Rhine-Maas (198,735 sq km)"
    },
    "Total water withdrawal": {
      "municipal": {
        "text": "2.05 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "industrial": {
        "text": "5.94 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      },
      "agricultural": {
        "text": "31 million cubic meters (2020 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Total renewable water resources": {
      "text": "91 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)"
    },
    "Geoparks": {
      "total global geoparks and regional networks": {
        "text": "2 (2024)"
      },
      "global geoparks and regional networks": {
        "text": "De Hondsrug; Schelde Delta (includes Belgium) (2024)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Government": {
    "Country name": {
      "conventional long form": {
        "text": "Kingdom of the Netherlands"
      },
      "conventional short form": {
        "text": "Netherlands"
      },
      "local long form": {
        "text": "Koninkrijk der Nederlanden"
      },
      "local short form": {
        "text": "Nederland"
      },
      "abbreviation": {
        "text": "NL"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the country name literally means \"the lowlands\" and refers to the geographic features of the land being both flat and down river from higher areas (i.e., at the estuaries of the Scheldt, Meuse, and Rhine Rivers; only about half of the Netherlands is more than 1 meter above sea level)"
      }
    },
    "Government type": {
      "text": "parliamentary constitutional monarchy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands"
    },
    "Capital": {
      "name": {
        "text": "Amsterdam; note - The Hague is the seat of government"
      },
      "geographic coordinates": {
        "text": "52 21 N, 4 55 E"
      },
      "time difference": {
        "text": "UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)"
      },
      "daylight saving time": {
        "text": "+1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October"
      },
      "time zone note": {
        "text": "time descriptions apply to the continental Netherlands only, for the constituent countries in the Caribbean, the time difference is UTC-4"
      },
      "etymology": {
        "text": "the original Dutch name, Amstellerdam, meaning \"a dam on the Amstel River,\" dates to the 13th century; over time the name simplified to Amsterdam"
      }
    },
    "Administrative divisions": {
      "text": "12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie), 3 public entities* (openbare lichamen, singular - openbaar lichaam (Dutch); entidatnan publiko, singular - entidat publiko (Papiamento)); Bonaire*, Drenthe, Flevoland, Fryslan (Friesland), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Saba*, Sint Eustatius*, Utrecht, Zeeland (Zealand), Zuid-Holland (South Holland)",
      "note": "<strong>note 1:</strong> the Netherlands is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three, Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten, are all islands in the Caribbean; while all four parts are considered equal partners, in practice, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands, which makes up about 98% of the Kingdom's total land area and population <br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> although Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are officially incorporated into the country of the Netherlands under the broad designation of \"public entities,\" Dutch Government sources regularly apply to them the more descriptive term of \"special municipalities\"; Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are collectively referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands"
    },
    "Independence": {
      "text": "26 July 1581 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries 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)"
    },
    "National holiday": {
      "text": "King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day is observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; currently celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday"
    },
    "Legal system": {
      "text": "civil law system based on the French system; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General"
    },
    "Constitution": {
      "history": {
        "text": "many previous to adoption of the \"Basic Law of the Kingdom of the Netherlands\" on 24 August 1815; revised 8 times, the latest in 1983"
      },
      "amendments": {
        "text": "proposed as an Act of Parliament by or on behalf of the king or by the Second Chamber of the States General; the Second Chamber is dissolved after its first reading of the Act; passage requires a second reading by both the First Chamber and the newly elected Second Chamber, followed by at least two-thirds majority vote of both chambers, and ratification by the king; amended many times, last in 2023"
      }
    },
    "International law organization participation": {
      "text": "accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction"
    },
    "Citizenship": {
      "citizenship by birth": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "citizenship by descent only": {
        "text": "at least one parent must be a citizen of the Netherlands"
      },
      "dual citizenship recognized": {
        "text": "no"
      },
      "residency requirement for naturalization": {
        "text": "5 years"
      }
    },
    "Suffrage": {
      "text": "18 years of age; universal"
    },
    "Executive branch": {
      "chief of state": {
        "text": "King WILLEM-ALEXANDER (since 30 April 2013)"
      },
      "head of government": {
        "text": "Prime Minister Dick SCHOOF (since 2 July 2024)"
      },
      "cabinet": {
        "text": "Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch"
      },
      "elections/appointments": {
        "text": "the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers are appointed by the monarch"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch": {
      "legislature name": {
        "text": "States General (Staten-Generaal)"
      },
      "legislative structure": {
        "text": "bicameral"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch - lower chamber": {
      "chamber name": {
        "text": "House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal)"
      },
      "number of seats": {
        "text": "150 (all directly elected)"
      },
      "electoral system": {
        "text": "proportional representation"
      },
      "scope of elections": {
        "text": "full renewal"
      },
      "term in office": {
        "text": "4 years"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "11/22/2023"
      },
      "parties elected and seats per party": {
        "text": "Party for Freedom (PVV) (37); Labour Party (PvdA) (25); People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) (24); New Social Contract (NSC) (20); Democrats 66 (D66) (9); Other (35)"
      },
      "percentage of women in chamber": {
        "text": "39.3%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "November 2027"
      }
    },
    "Legislative branch - upper chamber": {
      "chamber name": {
        "text": "Senate (Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal)"
      },
      "number of seats": {
        "text": "75 (all indirectly elected)"
      },
      "scope of elections": {
        "text": "full renewal"
      },
      "term in office": {
        "text": "4 years"
      },
      "most recent election date": {
        "text": "5/30/2023"
      },
      "percentage of women in chamber": {
        "text": "40%"
      },
      "expected date of next election": {
        "text": "May 2027"
      }
    },
    "Judicial branch": {
      "highest court(s)": {
        "text": "Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (consists of 41 judges: the president, 6 vice presidents, 31 justices or raadsheren, and 3 justices in exceptional service, referred to as buitengewone dienst); the court is divided into criminal, civil, tax, and ombuds chambers"
      },
      "judge selection and term of office": {
        "text": "justices appointed by the monarch from a list provided by the House of Representatives of the States General; justices appointed for life or until mandatory retirement at age 70"
      },
      "subordinate courts": {
        "text": "courts of appeal; district courts, each with up to 5 subdistrict courts; Netherlands Commercial Court"
      }
    },
    "Political parties": {
      "text": "Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA <br>Christian Union or CU<br>Correct Answer 2021 or JA21<br>Democrats 66 or D66 <br>Denk <br>Farmer-Citizen Movement or BBB <br>50Plus <br>Forum for Democracy or FvD <br>Green Left (GroenLinks) or GL <br>Labor Party or PvdA <br>New Social Contract or NSC <br>Party for Freedom or PVV <br>Party for the Animals or PvdD <br>People's Party for Freedom and Democracy or VVD <br>Reformed Political Party or SGP <br>Socialist Party or SP <br>Together or BIJ1 <br>Volt Netherlands or Volt "
    },
    "International organization participation": {
      "text": "ADB (nonregional member), AfDB (nonregional member), Arctic Council (observer), Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CD, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECB, EIB, EITI (implementing country), EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, FATF, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD (partners), IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Pacific Alliance (observer), Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SELEC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNHRC, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UN Security Council (temporary), UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, Wassenaar Arrangement, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC"
    },
    "Diplomatic representation in the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador Birgitta TAZELAAR (since 15 September 2023)"
      },
      "chancery": {
        "text": "4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 244-5300"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[1] (202) 362-3430"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>was@minbuza.nl<br><br>https://www.netherlandsworldwide.nl/countries/united-states/about-us/embassy-in-washington-dc"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "Atlanta, Chicago, Miami, New York, San Francisco"
      }
    },
    "Diplomatic representation from the US": {
      "chief of mission": {
        "text": "Ambassador&nbsp;(vacant); Charg&eacute; d&rsquo;Affaires Marcus MICHELI (since January 2025)"
      },
      "embassy": {
        "text": "John Adams Park 1, 2244 BZ Wassenaar"
      },
      "mailing address": {
        "text": "5780 Amsterdam Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-5780"
      },
      "telephone": {
        "text": "[31] (70) 310-2209"
      },
      "FAX": {
        "text": "[31] (70) 310-2207"
      },
      "email address and website": {
        "text": "<br>AmsterdamUSC@state.gov<br><br>https://nl.usembassy.gov/"
      },
      "consulate(s) general": {
        "text": "Amsterdam"
      }
    },
    "Flag description": {
      "text": "three equal horizontal bands of red (bright vermilion; top), white, and blue (cobalt); similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; the colors were derived from those of WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, who led the Dutch Revolt against Spanish sovereignty in the latter half of the 16th century; originally the upper band was orange, but because its dye tended to turn red over time, the red shade was eventually made the permanent color; the banner is perhaps the oldest tricolor in continuous use"
    },
    "National symbol(s)": {
      "text": "lion, tulip; national color: orange"
    },
    "National anthem": {
      "name": {
        "text": "\"Het Wilhelmus\" (The William)"
      },
      "lyrics/music": {
        "text": "Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> adopted 1932, in use since the 17th century, making it the oldest national anthem in the world; also known as \"Wilhelmus van Nassouwe\" (William of Nassau), it is in the form of an acrostic, where the first letter of each stanza spells the name of the leader of the Dutch Revolt"
    },
    "National heritage": {
      "total World Heritage Sites": {
        "text": "13 (12 cultural, 1 natural); note - includes one site in Curacao"
      },
      "selected World Heritage Site locales": {
        "text": "Schokland and Surroundings (c); Dutch Water Defense Lines (c); Van Nellefabriek (c); Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout (c); Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) (c); Rietveld Schröderhuis (Rietveld Schröder House) (c); Wadden Sea (n); Seventeenth Century Canal Ring Area of Amsterdam inside the Singelgracht (c); Colonies of Benevolence (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Lower German Limes (c)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Economy": {
    "Economic overview": {
      "text": "high-income, core EU- and eurozone-member economy; trade-oriented with strong services, logistics, and high tech sectors; exiting mild recession triggered by inflation and weak export demand; tight labor market; low deficits and manageable public debt; strong ratings for innovation, competitiveness, and business climate"
    },
    "Real GDP (purchasing power parity)": {
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023": {
        "text": "$1.277 trillion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022": {
        "text": "$1.276 trillion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021": {
        "text": "$1.215 trillion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars"
    },
    "Real GDP growth rate": {
      "Real GDP growth rate 2023": {
        "text": "0.07% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2022": {
        "text": "5.01% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP growth rate 2021": {
        "text": "6.19% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency"
    },
    "Real GDP per capita": {
      "Real GDP per capita 2023": {
        "text": "$71,400 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2022": {
        "text": "$72,100 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Real GDP per capita 2021": {
        "text": "$69,300 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars"
    },
    "GDP (official exchange rate)": {
      "text": "$1.154 trillion (2023 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate"
    },
    "Inflation rate (consumer prices)": {
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023": {
        "text": "3.84% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022": {
        "text": "10% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021": {
        "text": "2.68% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices"
    },
    "Credit ratings": {
      "Fitch rating": {
        "text": "AAA (1994)"
      },
      "Moody's rating": {
        "text": "Aaa (1986)"
      },
      "Standard & Poors rating": {
        "text": "AAA (2015)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained."
    },
    "GDP - composition, by sector of origin": {
      "agriculture": {
        "text": "1.7% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "industry": {
        "text": "18.7% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "services": {
        "text": "69.6% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data"
    },
    "GDP - composition, by end use": {
      "household consumption": {
        "text": "42.1% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "government consumption": {
        "text": "24.5% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "investment in fixed capital": {
        "text": "20.1% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "investment in inventories": {
        "text": "-0.1% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "exports of goods and services": {
        "text": "88.5% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "imports of goods and services": {
        "text": "-77.4% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection"
    },
    "Agricultural products": {
      "text": "milk, sugar beets, potatoes, pork, onions, wheat, chicken, tomatoes, carrots/turnips, goat milk (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage"
    },
    "Industries": {
      "text": "agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing"
    },
    "Industrial production growth rate": {
      "text": "-2.64% (2023 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency"
    },
    "Labor force": {
      "text": "10.017 million (2023 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work"
    },
    "Unemployment rate": {
      "Unemployment rate 2023": {
        "text": "3.56% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2022": {
        "text": "3.52% (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Unemployment rate 2021": {
        "text": "4.21% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment"
    },
    "Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)": {
      "total": {
        "text": "8.9% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "male": {
        "text": "9.4% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "female": {
        "text": "8.5% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment"
    },
    "Population below poverty line": {
      "text": "14.5% (2021 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % of population with income below national poverty line"
    },
    "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income": {
      "Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2021": {
        "text": "25.7 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality"
    },
    "Average household expenditures": {
      "on food": {
        "text": "11.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)"
      },
      "on alcohol and tobacco": {
        "text": "3% of household expenditures (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Household income or consumption by percentage share": {
      "lowest 10%": {
        "text": "3.6% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "highest 10%": {
        "text": "21.4% (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population"
    },
    "Remittances": {
      "Remittances 2023": {
        "text": "0.35% of GDP (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Remittances 2022": {
        "text": "0.36% of GDP (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Remittances 2021": {
        "text": "0.38% of GDP (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities"
    },
    "Budget": {
      "revenues": {
        "text": "$399.616 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "expenditures": {
        "text": "$398.696 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated"
    },
    "Public debt": {
      "Public debt 2017": {
        "text": "56.5% of GDP (2017 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> data cover general government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment, debt instruments for the social funds are not sold at public auctions"
    },
    "Taxes and other revenues": {
      "text": "23.26% (of GDP) (2022 est.)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> central government tax revenue as a % of GDP"
    },
    "Current account balance": {
      "Current account balance 2023": {
        "text": "$113.676 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2022": {
        "text": "$69.676 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Current account balance 2021": {
        "text": "$105.942 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars"
    },
    "Exports": {
      "Exports 2023": {
        "text": "$1.022 trillion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2022": {
        "text": "$1.007 trillion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Exports 2021": {
        "text": "$910.795 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars"
    },
    "Exports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 19%, Belgium 14%, France 9%, UK 6%, Italy 5% (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports"
    },
    "Exports - commodities": {
      "text": "refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, machinery, packaged medicine, crude petroleum (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Imports": {
      "Imports 2023": {
        "text": "$893.132 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Imports 2022": {
        "text": "$915.294 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Imports 2021": {
        "text": "$808.111 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars"
    },
    "Imports - partners": {
      "text": "Germany 14%, China 12%, US 9%, Belgium 9%, UK 5% (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports"
    },
    "Imports - commodities": {
      "text": "crude petroleum, refined petroleum, natural gas, broadcasting equipment, computers (2022)",
      "note": "<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars"
    },
    "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold": {
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023": {
        "text": "$69.83 billion (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022": {
        "text": "$63.353 billion (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021": {
        "text": "$64.469 billion (2021 est.)"
      },
      "note": "<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars"
    },
    "Exchange rates": {
      "Currency": {
        "text": "euros (EUR) per US dollar -"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2023": {
        "text": "0.925 (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2022": {
        "text": "0.95 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2021": {
        "text": "0.845 (2021 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2020": {
        "text": "0.876 (2020 est.)"
      },
      "Exchange rates 2019": {
        "text": "0.893 (2019 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Energy": {
    "Electricity access": {
      "electrification - total population": {
        "text": "100% (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity": {
      "installed generating capacity": {
        "text": "57.194 million kW (2022 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "111.757 billion kWh (2022 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "22.811 billion kWh (2022 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "18.544 billion kWh (2022 est.)"
      },
      "transmission/distribution losses": {
        "text": "4.817 billion kWh (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Electricity generation sources": {
      "fossil fuels": {
        "text": "55.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      },
      "nuclear": {
        "text": "3.3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      },
      "solar": {
        "text": "14.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      },
      "wind": {
        "text": "17.6% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      },
      "biomass and waste": {
        "text": "9.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Nuclear energy": {
      "Number of operational nuclear reactors": {
        "text": "1 (2023)"
      },
      "Net capacity of operational nuclear reactors": {
        "text": "0.48GW (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Percent of total electricity production": {
        "text": "3.4% (2023 est.)"
      },
      "Number of nuclear reactors permanently shut down": {
        "text": "1 (2023)"
      }
    },
    "Coal": {
      "production": {
        "text": "1.825 million metric tons (2022 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "10.61 million metric tons (2022 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "16.123 million metric tons (2022 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "24.908 million metric tons (2022 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "3.247 billion metric tons (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Petroleum": {
      "total petroleum production": {
        "text": "70,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)"
      },
      "refined petroleum consumption": {
        "text": "872,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)"
      },
      "crude oil estimated reserves": {
        "text": "137.747 million barrels (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Natural gas": {
      "production": {
        "text": "17.774 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "consumption": {
        "text": "33.243 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "exports": {
        "text": "43.026 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "imports": {
        "text": "65.807 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)"
      },
      "proven reserves": {
        "text": "132.608 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Carbon dioxide emissions": {
      "total emissions": {
        "text": "186.092 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "from coal and metallurgical coke": {
        "text": "20.014 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "from petroleum and other liquids": {
        "text": "110.348 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      },
      "from consumed natural gas": {
        "text": "55.73 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Energy consumption per capita": {
      "Total energy consumption per capita 2022": {
        "text": "186.89 million Btu/person (2022 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Communications": {
    "Telephones - fixed lines": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "4.262 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "24 (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telephones - mobile cellular": {
      "total subscriptions": {
        "text": "21.2 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "118 (2022 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Telecommunication systems": {
      "general assessment": {
        "text": "telecom infrastructure in the Netherlands continues to be upgraded as modernization schemes undertaken by telcos make steady progress; other fiber providers have been supported by regulatory measures which have encouraged municipal governments to intervene with telcos&rsquo; fiber builds, facilitating open access networks in a bid to make rollouts cheaper, and completed sooner; while the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are also closing down their Global System for Mobile Communication (MSM) and 3G networks and repurposing their spectrum and physical assets for LTE and 5G, the regulator has also encouraged GSM/3G roaming in the interim, thus safeguarding services such as machine to machine and other low data-use applications while individual MNOs disable their own GSM/3G networks; the country has one of the highest fixed broadband penetration rates in the world, with effective cross-platform competition between Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Hybrid Fiber Coazial (HFC), and fiber networks; in the third quarter of 2020 the number of cable broadband connections fell for the first time, while the DSL segment has long been eclipsed by fiber; by the end of 2021, over a quarter of fixed broadband connections were on fiber infrastructure, while DSL accounted for only about 29%; almost 49% of fixed connections provided data above 100Mb/s, while an additional 43.7% provided data of at least 30Mb/s (2022)"
      },
      "domestic": {
        "text": "fixed-line is 29 per 100 and mobile-cellular at 125 per 100 persons (2021)"
      },
      "international": {
        "text": "country code - 31; landing points for Farland North, TAT-14, Circe North, Concerto, Ulysses 2, AC-1, UK-Netherlands 14, and COBRAcable submarine cables which provide links to the US and Europe; satellite earth stations - 5 (3 Intelsat - 1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean, 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat) (2019)"
      }
    },
    "Broadcast media": {
      "text": "more than 90% of households are connected to cable or satellite TV systems that provide a wide range of domestic and foreign channels; public service broadcast system includes multiple broadcasters, 3 with a national reach and the remainder operating in regional and local markets; 2 major nationwide commercial television companies, each with 3 or more stations, and many commercial TV stations in regional and local markets; nearly 600 radio stations with a mix of public and private stations providing national or regional coverage"
    },
    "Internet country code": {
      "text": ".nl"
    },
    "Internet users": {
      "percent of population": {
        "text": "97% (2023 est.)"
      }
    },
    "Broadband - fixed subscriptions": {
      "total": {
        "text": "7.83 million (2023 est.)"
      },
      "subscriptions per 100 inhabitants": {
        "text": "43 (2023 est.)"
      }
    }
  },
  "Transportation": {
    "National air transport system": {
      "number of registered air carriers": {
        "text": "8 (2020)"
      },
      "inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers": {
        "text": "238"
      },
      "annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "43,996,044 (2018)"
      },
      "annual freight traffic on registered air carriers": {
        "text": "5,886,510,000 (2018) mt-km"
      }
    },
    "Civil aircraft registration country code prefix": {
      "text": "PH"
    },
    "Airports": {
      "text": "45 (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> Includes 3 airports in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba"
    },
    "Heliports": {
      "text": "184 (2024)"
    },
    "Pipelines": {
      "text": "14,000 km gas, 2,500 km oil and refined products, 3,000 km chemicals (2017)"
    },
    "Railways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "3,055 km (2020) 2,310 km electrified"
      }
    },
    "Roadways": {
      "total": {
        "text": "139,027 km (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Waterways": {
      "text": "6,237 km (2012) (navigable by ships up to 50 tons)"
    },
    "Merchant marine": {
      "total": {
        "text": "1,187 (2023)"
      },
      "by type": {
        "text": "bulk carrier 11, container ship 36, general cargo 521, oil tanker 27, other 592"
      }
    },
    "Ports": {
      "total ports": {
        "text": "18 (2024)"
      },
      "large": {
        "text": "2"
      },
      "medium": {
        "text": "4"
      },
      "small": {
        "text": "5"
      },
      "very small": {
        "text": "7"
      },
      "ports with oil terminals": {
        "text": "12"
      },
      "key ports": {
        "text": "Amsterdam, Dordrecht, Europoort, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen"
      }
    }
  },
  "Military and Security": {
    "Military and security forces": {
      "text": "Netherlands (Dutch) Armed Forces (Nederlandse Krijgsmacht): Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Constabulary) (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note 1:</strong> the Netherlands Coast Guard and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard are civilian in nature but managed by the Royal Netherlands Navy<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong>the core missions of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee are border security, security and surveillance, and international and military police tasks; it has 21 brigades based in eight Dutch provinces, plus Curaçao in the Caribbean, a special missions security brigade, and separate security platoons to guard and protect domestic sites that are most likely to be the targets of attacks, such as government buildings<br><br><strong>note 3:</strong> the national police maintain internal security in the Netherlands and report to the Ministry of Justice and Security, which oversees law enforcement organizations, as do the justice ministries in Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten"
    },
    "Military expenditures": {
      "Military Expenditures 2024": {
        "text": "2.1% of GDP (2024 est.)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2023": {
        "text": "1.6% of GDP (2023)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2022": {
        "text": "1.5% of GDP (2022)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2021": {
        "text": "1.4% of GDP (2021)"
      },
      "Military Expenditures 2020": {
        "text": "1.4% of GDP (2020)"
      }
    },
    "Military and security service personnel strengths": {
      "text": "approximately 45,000 active-duty personnel (19,000 Army; 8,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force; 6,000 Constabulary; 4,000 other) (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> the total figures include about 6,000 reservists on active duty; the Navy figures include about 2,300 marines"
    },
    "Military equipment inventories and acquisitions": {
      "text": "the military's inventory consists of a mix of domestically produced and modern European- and US-sourced equipment; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of weapons systems; the Netherlands has an advanced domestic defense industry that focuses on armored vehicles, naval ships, and air defense systems; it also participates with the US and other European countries on joint development and production of advanced weapons systems (2024)"
    },
    "Military service age and obligation": {
      "text": "17 years of age for voluntary service for men and women; the military is an all-volunteer force; conscription remains in place, but the requirement to show up for compulsory military service was suspended in 1997; must be a citizen of the Netherlands (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note: </strong>in 2023, women made up about 14% of the military's full-time personnel"
    },
    "Military deployments": {
      "text": "350 Lithuania (NATO); 200 Romania (NATO) (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> as of 2024, the Dutch military had close to 1,000 total military personnel deployed abroad"
    },
    "Military - note": {
      "text": "the Dutch military is charged with the three core tasks of defending the country’s national territory and that of its allies, enforcing the national and international rule of law, and providing assistance during disasters and other crises; it also has some domestic security duties, including in the Dutch Caribbean territories; the military operates globally but rarely carries out military operations independently and focuses on cooperating with the armed forces of other countries, particularly with Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and the UK <br><br>the Netherlands has been a member of NATO since its founding in 1949, and the Dutch military is heavily involved in NATO missions and operations with air, ground, and naval forces, including air policing missions over the Benelux countries and Eastern Europe, NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence initiative in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, and several NATO naval flotillas, as well as standby units for NATO’s rapid response force; the military has previously deployed forces to NATO-led operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kosovo and also regularly contributes to EU- and UN-led missions; Royal Netherlands Marechaussee detachments have been included in international police units deployed by NATO<br><br>the Dutch Army has especially close ties with the German Army, including having its air mobile and mechanized brigades assigned to German divisional headquarters; in addition, the Army shares with the Germans command of a NATO high-readiness corps-level headquarters, which can be ready for deployment inside or outside NATO territory within 20 days; in 2020, Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands formed a joint composite special operations component command<br><br>founded in the late 1400s, the Royal Netherlands Navy is one of the oldest naval forces in the World and conducts a variety of missions worldwide; in addition to its close ties with NATO, the Navy cooperates closely with the Belgian Navy, including a joint staff known as the Admiralty Benelux; it has a command responsible for the activities of Dutch naval units in the Caribbean, which includes combating drug trafficking, environmental crime, and illegal fishing, as well as providing search and rescue and disaster relief capabilities; the Netherlands has naval bases on Curaçao and Aruba; since 1973, the Dutch Marine Corps has worked closely with the British Royal Marines, including jointly in the UK-Netherlands amphibious landing force<br><br>the Dutch military is also part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a defense framework of 10 Northern European nations designed to provide security to the High North, North Atlantic, and the Baltic Sea Region in response to a crisis (2024)"
    }
  },
  "Space": {
    "Space agency/agencies": {
      "text": "Netherlands Space Office (NSO; established 2009); Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON; advises NSO on scientific space research; established 1983) (2024)"
    },
    "Space program overview": {
      "text": "has an active space program focused on the added value of space on science, the economy, and society, as well as the development of cutting edge space technologies and services based on satellite data; builds and operates satellites; researches and develops technologies related to astrophysics, telecommunications, remote sensing (RS), propulsion systems, atmospheric measuring instruments (such as spectrometers), planetary/exoplanetary research, and robotics; active member of the European Space Agency (ESA) and participates in the construction of ESA satellite launch vehicles (Arienne and VEGA) and in the ESA astronaut training program; participates in international space programs and with other foreign space agencies and industries, including those of Japan, the US, and members of the EU; has a robust commercial space sector tied in to the larger European space economy (2024)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in the Space Programs reference guide"
    }
  },
  "Terrorism": {
    "Terrorist group(s)": {
      "text": "Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)",
      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in the Terrorism reference guide"
    }
  },
  "Transnational Issues": {
    "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
      "refugees (country of origin)": {
        "text": "53,496 (Syria), 19,204 (Eritrea), 7,106 (Turkey), 5,593 (Iran), 5,152 (Iraq) (mid-year 2022); 117,950 (Ukraine) (as of 21 February 2024)"
      },
      "stateless persons": {
        "text": "4,570 (2022)"
      }
    },
    "Illicit drugs": {
      "text": "<p>a major transit hub for illicit substances, especially cocaine from South and Central America and methamphetamine from Mexico; homegrown synthetic drug makers and illegal chemical precursor manufacturers selling dangerous drugs, including synthetic opioids, via the internet to customers in the United States and worldwide</p> <p> </p>"
    }
  }
}