January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001),
1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
10.004 million (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
12.5 million (2003)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nl

Internet hosts:
4,518,226 (2004)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
52 (2000)

Internet users:
8.5 million (2003)

Transportation Netherlands

Railways:
total: 2,808 km
standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2003)

Highways:
total: 116,500 km
paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)
unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)

Waterways:
5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)

Pipelines:
condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716
km (2004)

Ports and harbors:
Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem,
IJmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen

Merchant marine:
total: 635 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT
foreign-owned: Belgium 2, Denmark 4, Finland 9, Germany 54, Ireland
14, Norway 9, Singapore 1, Sweden 19, Thailand 1, United Kingdom 31,
United States 16
registered in other countries: 241 (2004 est.)
by type: bulk 1, cargo 375, chemical tanker 59, combination bulk 1,
container 71, liquefied gas 13, multi-functional large load carrier