esence 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 6.8% and a sizable budget deficit are
currently the most serious economic problems.

_#_GDP: $218.0 billion, per capita $14,600; real growth rate 3.1%
(1990)

_#_Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.2% (1990 est.)

_#_Unemployment rate: 6.8% (1990 est.)

_#_Budget: revenues $68 billion; expenditures $76 billion, including
capital expenditures of $7 billion (1990)

_#_Exports: $107.8 billion (f.o.b., 1989);

commodities--agricultural products, processed foods and tobacco,
natural gas, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing;

partners--EC 74.9% (FRG 28.3%, Belgium-Luxembourg
14.2%, France 10.7%, UK 10.2%), US 4.7% (1988)

_#_Imports: $104.2 billion (c.i.f., 1989);

commodities--raw materials and semifinished products, consumer
goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products;

partners--EC 63.8% (FRG 26.5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 23.1%,
UK 8.1%), US 7.9% (1988)

_#_External debt: none

_#_Industrial production: growth rate 4.8% (1990 est.); accounts
for 25% of GDP

_#_Electricity: 22,216,000 kW capacity; 63,570 million kWh
produced, 4,300 kWh per capita (1989)

_#_Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products,
electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing,
construction, microelectronics

_#_Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; animal production
predominates; crops--grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables;
shortages of grain, fats, and oils

_#_Economic aid: donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-89), $19.4
billion

_#_Currency: Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (plural--guilders,
gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) =
100 cents

_#_Exchange rates: Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per
US$1--1.7018 (January 1991), 1.8209 (1990), 2.1207 (1989), 1.9766 (1988),
2.0257 (1987), 2.4500 (1986), 3.3214 (1985)

_#_Fiscal year: calendar year

_*_Communications
_#_Railroad