ized 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.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:
451 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling

Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)
65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723