89 (next to be held by September 1993); results -
CDA 35.3%, PvdA 31. 9%, VVD 14.6%, D'66 7.9%, other 10.3%; seats - (150
total) CDA 54, PvdA 49, VVD 22, D'66 12, other 13
Communists:
about 6,000

:Netherlands Government

Other political or pressure groups:
large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement
(comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade
union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the
nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and IKV -
Interchurch Peace Council
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN,
COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMS, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, G-10, GATT,
IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NATO,
NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Johan Hendrick MEESMAN; Chancery at 4200 Linnean Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-5300; there are Dutch Consulates
General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco
US:
Ambassador C. Howard WILKINS, Jr.; Embassy at Lange Voorhout 102, The Hague
(mailing address PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715); telephone [31] (70)
310-9209; FAX [31] (70) 361-4688; there is a US Consulate General in
Amsterdam
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the
flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer

:Netherlands Economy

Overview:
This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise.
The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations,
permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic
activity. The trade and financial services sector contributes over 50% of
GDP. Industrial activity provides about 25% of GDP and is led by the
food-processing, oil-refining, and metalworking industries. The highly
mechanized agricultural sector employs only 5% of the labor force, but
provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing
industry. An unemployment rate of 6.2% and a sizable budget deficit are
currently the most serious ec