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Compare Botswana (2001) - Netherlands (2007)

Compare Botswana (2001) z Netherlands (2007)

 Botswana (2001)Netherlands (2007)
 BotswanaNetherlands
Administrative divisions 10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Pikwe*, South-East, Southern 12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland), Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland)
Age structure 0-14 years:
40.3% (male 321,164; female 318,007)

15-64 years:
55.56% (male 423,954; female 457,227)

65 years and over:
4.14% (male 26,691; female 39,076) (2001 est.)
0-14 years: 17.8% (male 1,505,931/female 1,436,532)


15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,683,877/female 5,557,745)


65 years and over: 14.4% (male 1,015,731/female 1,370,797) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products sorghum, corn, millet, pulses, groundnuts (peanuts), beans, cowpeas, sunflower seed; livestock grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Airports 92 (2000 est.) 27 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total:
11

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
8

914 to 1,523 m:
1 (2000 est.)
total: 20


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 9


1,524 to 2,437 m: 3


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways total:
81

1,524 to 2,437 m:
3

914 to 1,523 m:
56

under 914 m:
22 (2000 est.)
total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 3


under 914 m: 4 (2007)
Area total:
600,370 sq km

land:
585,370 sq km

water:
15,000 sq km
total: 41,526 sq km


land: 33,883 sq km


water: 7,643 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Background Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. The economy, one of the most robust on the continent, is dominated by diamond mining. The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and occupation 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 EEC (now the EU), and participated in the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Birth rate 28.85 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 10.7 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues:
$1.6 billion

expenditures:
$1.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $560 million (FY96)
revenues: $317.1 billion


expenditures: $313.1 billion (2006 est.)
Capital Gaborone name: Amsterdam


geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E


time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October


note: The Hague (seat of government)
Climate semiarid; warm winters and hot summers temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 451 km
Constitution March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002
Country name conventional long form:
Republic of Botswana

conventional short form:
Botswana

former:
Bechuanaland
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands


conventional short form: Netherlands


local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden


local short form: Nederland
Currency pula (BWP) -
Death rate 24.18 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $455 million (2000) $1.899 trillion (30 June 2006)
Dependent areas - Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador John E. LANGE

embassy:
address NA, Gaborone

mailing address:
P. O. Box 90, Gaborone

telephone:
[267] 353982

FAX:
[267] 356947
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL


embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague


mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715


telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209


FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688


consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Kgosi SEEPAPITSO IV

chancery:
1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone:
[1] (202) 244-4990

FAX:
[1] (202) 244-4164
chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KROENER


chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300


FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430


consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York


consulate(s): Boston
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - donor - ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)
Economic aid - recipient $73 million (1995) -
Economy - overview Botswana has maintained one of the world's highest growth rates since independence in 1966. Through fiscal discipline and sound management, Botswana has transformed itself from one of the poorest countries in the world to a middle-income country with a per capita GDP of $6,600 in 2000. Diamond mining has fueled much of Botswana's economic expansion and currently accounts for more than one-third of GDP and for three-fourths of export earnings. Tourism, subsistence farming, and cattle raising are other key sectors. The government must deal with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Unemployment officially is 19%, but unofficial estimates place it closer to 40%. HIV/AIDS infection rates are the highest in the world and threaten Botswana's impressive economic gains. The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing, chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the labor force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners, began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in 2001-06, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average.
Electricity - consumption 1.517 billion kWh (1999) 108.2 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 5.398 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 950 million kWh (1999) 23.69 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 610 million kWh (1999) 94.34 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
-
Elevation extremes lowest point:
junction of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers 513 m

highest point:
Tsodilo Hills 1,489 m
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m


highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
Environment - current issues overgrazing; desertification; limited fresh water resources 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:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
none of the selected 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
Ethnic groups Tswana (or Setswana) 79%, Kalanga 11%, Basarwa 3%, other, including Kgalagadi and white 7% Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)
Exchange rates pulas per US dollar - 5.4585 (January 2001), 5.1018 (2000), 4.6244 (1999), 4.2259 (1998), 3.6508 (1997), 3.3242 (1996) euros per US dollar - 0.7964 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

cabinet:
Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president

election results:
Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3%
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch


head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22 July 2002); Deputy Prime Ministers Wouter BOS (since 22 February 2007) and Andre ROUVOET (since 22 February 2007)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch


elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch; deputy prime ministers appointed by the monarch


note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet on legislative and administrative policy
Exports $2.6 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 1.546 million bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities diamonds 72%, vehicles, copper, nickel, meat (1998) machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners EU 77%, Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 18%, Zimbabwe 3% (1998) Germany 25.5%, Belgium 14%, UK 8.9%, France 8.6%, Italy 5.1%, US 4.5% (2006)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer; one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I, Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century
GDP purchasing power parity - $10.4 billion (2000 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
4%

industry:
46% (including 36% mining)

services:
50% (1998 est.)
agriculture: 2.2%


industry: 24.1%


services: 73.7% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $6,600 (2000 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 6% (2000 est.) 3% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates 22 00 S, 24 00 E 52 30 N, 5 45 E
Geography - note landlocked; population concentrated in eastern part of the country located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)
Heliports - 1 (2007)
Highways total:
18,482 km

paved:
4,343 km

unpaved:
14,139 km (1996)
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%:
NA%

highest 10%:
NA%
lowest 10%: 2.5%


highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)
Illicit drugs - major European producer of synthetic drugs, including ecstasy, and cannabis cultivator; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering; significant consumer of ecstasy
Imports $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) 2.465 million bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities foodstuffs, machinery and transport equipment, textiles, petroleum products machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners Southern African Customs Union (SACU) 76%, Europe 10%, South Korea 5% (1998) Germany 17.1%, Belgium 9.4%, China 9.4%, US 7.8%, UK 5.9%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.5% (2006)
Independence 30 September 1966 (from UK) 23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581 they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration; however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)
Industrial production growth rate 6.2% (2000 est.) 2.3% (2006 est.)
Industries diamonds, copper, nickel, coal, salt, soda ash, potash; livestock processing agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
Infant mortality rate 63.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) total: 4.88 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 5.43 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 8.6% (2000 est.) 1.1% (2006 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, Schengen Convention, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 3 (2000) -
Irrigated land 20 sq km (1993 est.) 5,650 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district) Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)
Labor force 235,000 formal sector employees (1995) 7.49 million (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation 100,000 public sector; 135,000 private sector, including 14,300 who are employed in various mines in South Africa; most others engaged in cattle raising and subsistence agriculture (1995 est.) agriculture: 2%


industry: 19%


services: 79% (2004 est.)
Land boundaries total:
4,013 km

border countries:
Namibia 1,360 km, South Africa 1,840 km, Zimbabwe 813 km
total: 1,027 km


border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
Land use arable land:
1%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
46%

forests and woodland:
47%

other:
6% (1993 est.)
arable land: 21.96%


permanent crops: 0.77%


other: 77.27% (2005)
Languages English (official), Setswana Dutch (official), Frisian (official)
Legal system based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction based on civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)

elections:
National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - BDP 57.2%, BNF 26%, other 16.8%; seats by party - BDP 33, BNF 6, other 1
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the country's 12 provincial councils to serve four-year terms) and the Second Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held in May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be held by early 2011)


election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Left Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%, other 6.6%; seats by party - CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9, Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7
Life expectancy at birth total population:
37.13 years

male:
36.77 years

female:
37.51 years (2001 est.)
total population: 79.11 years


male: 76.52 years


female: 81.82 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
69.8%

male:
80.5%

female:
59.9% (1995 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99%


male: 99%


female: 99% (2003 est.)
Location Southern Africa, north of South Africa Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
Map references Africa Europe
Maritime claims none (landlocked) territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 566 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,210,664 GRT/5,217,874 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 9, cargo 346, carrier 19, chemical tanker 39, container 63, liquefied gas 13, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 16, petroleum tanker 12, refrigerated cargo 11, roll on/roll off 20, specialized tanker 4


foreign-owned: 172 (Belgium 2, Denmark 19, Finland 14, France 1, Germany 70, Ireland 9, South Korea 1, Norway 9, Sweden 27, UK 7, US 13)


registered in other countries: 220 (Antigua and Barbuda 19, Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cyprus 23, Gibraltar 11, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 28, Luxembourg 1, Malta 3, Marshall Islands 5, Netherlands Antilles 53, Norway 1, Panama 14, Paraguay 1, Philippines 22, Portugal 1, St Vincent and The Grenadines 5, UK 2, US 1, unknown 1) (2007)
Military branches Botswana Defense Force (includes Army and Air Wing), Botswana National Police Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2006)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $61 million (FY99) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.2% (FY99) 1.6% (2005 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
380,152 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
199,995 (2001 est.)
-
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
19,479 (2001 est.)
-
National holiday Independence Day, 30 September (1966) Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Nationality noun:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)

adjective:
Motswana (singular), Batswana (plural)
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)


adjective: Dutch
Natural hazards periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure visibility flooding
Natural resources diamonds, copper, nickel, salt, soda ash, potash, coal, iron ore, silver natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 2.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Pipelines - condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km (2006)
Political parties and leaders Botswana Democratic Party or BDP [Festus MOGAE]; Botswana National Front or BNF [Kenneth KOMA]; Botswana Congress Party or BCP [Michael DINGAKE]; Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO]

note:
main parties are: BDP, BNF, BCP; other minor parties joined forces in 1999 to form the Botswana Alliance Movement or BAM [Ephraim SETSHWAELO, chairman] but did not capture any parliamentary seats; the BAM parties are: the United Action Party [Ephraim Lepetu SETSHWAELO], the Botswana Peoples Party, the Independence Freedom Party [Motsamai MPHO], and the Botswana Progressive Union [D. K. KWELE]
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER VLIES]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises
Population 1,586,119

note:
estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2001 est.)
16,570,613 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line 47% (2000 est.) 10.5% (1999)
Population growth rate 0.47% (2001 est.) 0.464% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors none -
Radio broadcast stations AM 7, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)
Radios 237,000 (1997) -
Railways total:
888 km

narrow gauge:
888 km 1.067-m gauge (2000)
total: 2,811 km


standard gauge: 2,811 km 1.435-m gauge (2,064 km electrified) (2006)
Religions indigenous beliefs 50%, Christian 50% Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)
Sex ratio at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.93 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
0.68 male(s)/female

total population:
0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.048 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.023 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.741 male(s)/female


total population: 0.981 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment:
sparse system

domestic:
small system of open-wire lines, microwave radio relay links, and a few radiotelephone communication stations

international:
two international exchanges; digital microwave radio relay links to Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
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 5 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)
Telephones - main lines in use 86,000 (1997) 7.6 million (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 15.834 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 0 (1997) 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain predominantly flat to gently rolling tableland; Kalahari Desert in southwest mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Total fertility rate 3.7 children born/woman (2001 est.) 1.66 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 40% (2000 est.) 5.5% (2006 est.)
Waterways none 6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)
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