Human development index (HDI), an index based on life expectancy, education and GDP (max. 1)
0.922
World rank in HDI
5
Key economic sectors (% of GDP in 2002)
Services (76); industry (22); agriculture (2) (2012)
Leading Companies
Royal Dutch Shell (Dutch/British), an oil and gas company (US$192·1bn.); Unilever (Dutch/British), a consumer goods firm (US$118·9bn.); and ING, a banking and insurance company (US$56·5bn.)
Unemployment in 2014
6.7%
Main religious denominations (% of over 12s)
Roman Catholic (27%); Protestant (9%); Calvinist (3%); other (10%); religiously unaffiliated (44%)
Political system
A constitutional monarchy, in which the central legislative power is vested in the two chambers of Parliament. The First Chamber of these is elected by the members of the provincial states; the Second Chamber is directly elected.
Electoral system
Proportional representation for the Second Chamber. Members are elected for four-year terms.
Current leaders
Prime Minister: Mark Rutte (b. 1967), since October 2010
Previous leaders:
Prime Ministers: Jan Peter Balkenende (2002-2010); Willem Kok (1994-2002); Rudolphus Lubbers (1982-1994)
Joined the EU/EC
1957 (founder member)
Commissioner from country in Barroso II College of Commissioners, and portfolio
Neelie Kroes (Digital Agenda)
Number of MEPs
26
Turnout in 2014 EP elections (%)
37.3% (36.8% in 2009)
Member of eurozone
Yes
Except where a specific reference is inserted, the sources for this profile are either Neill Nugent’s book itself, or Barry Turner (ed.), The Statesman’s Yearbook Online, Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave Macmillan. If your library subscribes, you can gain access at http://www.statesmansyearbook.com
