by Germany 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 EC, and participated in
the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) 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 water: 7,643 sq km land: 33,883 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: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 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, arable land

Land use: arable land: 27% permanent crops: 1% other: 72% (1998 est.)

Irrigated land: 5,650 sq km (1998 est.)

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-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile
Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine
Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous
Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear
Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83,
Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol

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

People Netherlands

Population: 16,067,754 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 18.3% (male 1,502,687; female 1,437,141)
15-64 years: 67.9% (male 5,548,188; female 5,362,412) 65 years and over:
13.8% (male 913,020; female 1,304,306) (2002 est.)

Populatio