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Compare Netherlands (2002) - Israel (2001)

Compare Netherlands (2002) z Israel (2001)

 Netherlands (2002)Israel (2001)
 NetherlandsIsrael
Administrative divisions 12 provinces (provincien, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland 6 districts (mehozot, singular - mehoz); Central, Haifa, Jerusalem, Northern, Southern, Tel Aviv
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.)
0-14 years:
27.36% (male 831,523; female 792,982)

15-64 years:
62.73% (male 1,869,114; female 1,855,707)

65 years and over:
9.91% (male 253,105; female 335,662) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock citrus, vegetables, cotton; beef, poultry, dairy products
Airports 28 (2001) 55 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 21


over 3,047 m: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 7


1,524 to 2,437 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
total:
30

over 3,047 m:
2

2,438 to 3,047 m:
4

1,524 to 2,437 m:
7

914 to 1,523 m:
10

under 914 m:
7 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 7


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 5 (2002)
total:
25

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
4

under 914 m:
20 (2000 est.)
Area total: 41,526 sq km


land: 33,883 sq km


water: 7,643 sq km
total:
20,770 sq km

land:
20,330 sq km

water:
440 sq km
Area - comparative slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey slightly smaller than New Jersey
Background The 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 a brutal 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 EC, and participated in the introduction of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999. Following World War II, the British withdrew from their mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently, the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country profile, unless otherwise noted. In keeping with the framework established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral negotiations are being conducted between Israel and Palestinian representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip) and Israel and Syria, to achieve a permanent settlement. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty. Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. On 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon, which it had occupied since 1982.
Birth rate 11.58 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 19.12 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $134 billion


expenditures: $134 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.)
revenues:
$40 billion

expenditures:
$42.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
Capital Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government Jerusalem; note - Israel proclaimed Jerusalem as its capital in 1950, but the US, like nearly all other countries, maintains its Embassy in Tel Aviv
Climate temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters temperate; hot and dry in southern and eastern desert areas
Coastline 451 km 273 km
Constitution adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983 no formal constitution; some of the functions of a constitution are filled by the Declaration of Establishment (1948), the Basic Laws of the parliament (Knesset), and the Israeli citizenship law
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands


conventional short form: Netherlands


local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden


local short form: Nederland
conventional long form:
State of Israel

conventional short form:
Israel

local long form:
Medinat Yisra'el

local short form:
Yisra'el
Currency euro (EUR); Netherlands guilder (NLG)


note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole currency for everyday transactions within the member countries
new Israeli shekel (ILS)
Death rate 8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.22 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external - $38 billion (2000 est.)
Dependent areas Aruba, Netherlands Antilles -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL


embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague


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


telephone: [31] (70) 310-9209


FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688


consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
chief of mission:
Ambassador Martin S. INDYK

embassy:
71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv

mailing address:
PSC 98, Unit 7228, APO AE 09830

telephone:
[972] (3) 519-7575

FAX:
[972] (3) 517-3227

consulate(s) general:
Jerusalem; note - an independent US mission, established in 1928, whose members are not accredited to a foreign government
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM


chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300


FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430


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


consulate(s): Boston
chief of mission:
Ambassador David IVRY

chancery:
3514 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 364-5500

FAX:
[1] (202) 364-5607

consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco
Disputes - international none West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Golan Heights is Israeli-occupied (Lebanon claims the Shab'a Farms area of Golan Heights)
Economic aid - donor ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.) -
Economic aid - recipient - $1.1 billion from the US (1999)
Economy - overview The Netherlands is a prosperous and open economy depending heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial relations, moderate 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 4% 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 2001-02, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average. Israel has a technologically advanced market economy with substantial government participation. It depends on imports of crude oil, grains, raw materials, and military equipment. Despite limited natural resources, Israel has intensively developed its agricultural and industrial sectors over the past 20 years. Israel is largely self-sufficient in food production except for grains. Cuts diamonds, high-technology equipment, and agricultural products (fruits and vegetables) are the leading exports. Israel usually posts sizable current account deficits, which are covered by large transfer payments from abroad and by foreign loans. Roughly half of the government's external debt is owed to the US, which is its major source of economic and military aid. The influx of Jewish immigrants from the former USSR topped 750,000 during the period 1989-99, bringing the population of Israel from the former Soviet Union to 1 million, one-sixth of the total population, and adding scientific and professional expertise of substantial value for the economy's future. The influx, coupled with the opening of new markets at the end of the Cold War, energized Israel's economy, which grew rapidly in the early 1990s. But growth began moderating in 1996 when the government imposed tighter fiscal and monetary policies and the immigration bonus petered out. Growth was a strong 5.9% in 2000. But the outbreak of Palestinian unrest in late September and the collapse of the BARAK Government - coupled with a cooling off in the high-technology and tourist sectors - undercut the boom and foreshadows a slowdown to 2%-3% in 2001.
Electricity - consumption 100.71 billion kWh (2000) 31.899 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 4.031 billion kWh (2000) 1.061 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 22.946 billion kWh (2000) 4 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 87.953 billion kWh (2000) 35.437 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 90%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 4%


other: 5% (2000)
fossil fuel:
99.89%

hydro:
0.11%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m


highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m
lowest point:
Dead Sea -408 m

highest point:
Har Meron 1,208 m
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 limited arable land and natural fresh water resources pose serious constraints; desertification; air pollution from industrial and vehicle emissions; groundwater pollution from industrial and domestic waste, chemical fertilizers, and pesticides
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
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and Indonesians) (1999 est.) Jewish 80.1% (Europe/America-born 32.1%, Israel-born 20.8%, Africa-born 14.6%, Asia-born 12.6%), non-Jewish 19.9% (mostly Arab) (1996 est.)
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.1324 (January 2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Netherlands guilders per US dollar - 1.9837 (1998), 1.9513 (1997) new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.0810 (December 2000), 4.0773 (2000), 4.1397 (1999), 3.8001 (1998), 3.4494 (1997), 3.1917 (1996)
Executive branch 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) and Vice Prime Ministers Johan REMKES (since NA 2002) and Roelf DE BOER (since NA 2002)


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; vice 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 prime minister on legislative and administrative policy
chief of state:
President Moshe KATSAV (since 31 July 2000)

head of government:
Prime Minister Ariel SHARON (since 2 March 2001)

cabinet:
Cabinet selected by prime minister and approved by the Knesset

elections:
president elected by the Knesset for a five-year term; election last held 31 July 2000 (next to be held NA July 2005); prime minister elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 6 February 2001 (next to be held NA 2005); note - in March 1992, the Knesset approved legislation, effective in 1996, which allowed for the direct election of the prime minister, but in 2001 the Knesset voted to restore the previous method under which the legislators will choose the next prime minister after the next legislative elections in 2003

election results:
Moshe KATSAV elected president by the 120-member Knesset with a total of 60 votes, other candidate, Shimon PERES, received 57 votes (there were three abstentions); Ariel SHARON elected prime minister; percent of vote - Ariel SHARON 62.5%, Ehud BARAK 37.4%; note - after the next legislative elections scheduled for 2003, the prime minister will be elected by the Knesset
Exports $221.9 billion f.o.b. (2002) $31.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs machinery and equipment, software, cut diamonds, agricultural products, chemicals, textiles and apparel
Exports - partners EU 77.6% (Germany 25.6%, Benelux 11.8%, UK 11.1%, France 10.3%, Italy 6.2%) (2001) US 36%, UK 6%, Benelux 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Netherlands 4% (1999)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description 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 white with a blue hexagram (six-pointed linear star) known as the Magen David (Shield of David) centered between two equal horizontal blue bands near the top and bottom edges of the flag
GDP purchasing power parity - $434 billion (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $110.2 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 26%


services: 71% (2001 est.)
agriculture:
4%

industry:
37%

services:
59% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $26,900 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $18,900 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.3% (2002 est.) 5.9% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 52 30 N, 5 45 E 31 30 N, 34 45 E
Geography - note located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde) there are 231 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the West Bank, 42 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, 25 in the Gaza Strip, and 29 in East Jerusalem (August 2000 est.)
Heliports 1 (2002) 2 (2000 est.)
Highways total: 116,500 km


paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways)


unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)
total:
15,965 km

paved:
15,965 km (including 56 km of expressways)

unpaved:
0 km (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 25% (1994)
lowest 10%:
2.8%

highest 10%:
26.9% (1992)
Illicit drugs major European producer of illicit amphetamine and other synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial sector vulnerable to money laundering increasingly concerned about cocaine and heroin abuse; drugs arrive in country from Lebanon and increasingly Jordan
Imports $201.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) $35.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing raw materials, military equipment, investment goods, rough diamonds, fuels, consumer goods
Imports - partners EU 54.6% (Germany 18.4%, Benelux 9.2%, UK 8.9%, France 5.8%), US 9.9% (2001) US 20%, Benelux 11%, Germany 8%, UK 8%, Switzerland 6%, Italy 5% (1999)
Independence 1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally recognized their independence 14 May 1948 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 2% (2002 est.) 7% (2000)
Industries agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing high-technology projects (including aviation, communications, computer-aided design and manufactures, medical electronics), wood and paper products, potash and phosphates, food, beverages, and tobacco, caustic soda, cement, diamond cutting
Infant mortality rate 4.31 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) 7.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.4% (2002 est.) 0.1% (2000 est.)
International organization participation AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC, EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC BSEC (observer), CCC, CE (observer), CERN (observer), EBRD, ECE, FAO, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 52 (2000) 21 (2000)
Irrigated land 5,650 sq km (1998 est.) 1,800 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch) Supreme Court (justices appointed for life by the president)
Labor force 7.2 million (2000) 2.4 million (2000 est.)
Labor force - by occupation services 73%, industry 23%, agriculture 4% (1998 est.) public services 31.2%, manufacturing 20.2%, finance and business 13.1%, commerce 12.8%, construction 7.5%, personal and other services 6.4%, transport, storage, and communications 6.2%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.6% (1996)
Land boundaries total: 1,027 km


border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km
total:
1,006 km

border countries:
Egypt 255 km, Gaza Strip 51 km, Jordan 238 km, Lebanon 79 km, Syria 76 km, West Bank 307 km
Land use arable land: 26.53%


permanent crops: 1.03%


other: 72.44% (1998 est.)
arable land:
17%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
6%

other:
66% (1993 est.)
Languages Dutch Hebrew (official), Arabic used officially for Arab minority, English most commonly used foreign language
Legal system 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 mixture of English common law, British Mandate regulations, and, in personal matters, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim legal systems; in December 1985, Israel informed the UN Secretariat that it would no longer accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch 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 for 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 1999 (next to be held 15 May 2003); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be held NA January 2007)


election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 20, VVD 19, PvdA 15, D66 4, other 17; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party - CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44, PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party 8, D66 6, other 5
unicameral Knesset or parliament (120 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA November 2003)

election results:
percent of vote by party - One Israel 20.2%, Likud Party 14.1%, Shas 13%, MERETZ 7.6%, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 5.1%, Shinui 5%, Center Party 5%, National Religious Party 4.2%, United Torah Judaism 3.7%, United Arab List 3.4%, National Union 3%, Hadash 2.6%, Yisra'el Beiteinu 2.6%, Balad 1.9%, One Nation 1.9%, Democratic Movement NA (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list); seats by party - One Israel 26, Likud Party 19, Shas 17, MERETZ 10, Yisra'el Ba'Aliya 4, Shinui 6, Center Party 6, National Religious Party 5, United Torah Judaism 5, United Arab List 5, National Union 4, Hadash 3, Yisra'el Beiteinu 4, Democratic Movement 2 (party formed after election, members elected under Yisra'el Ba'Aliya list), Balad 2, One Nation 2
Life expectancy at birth total population: 78.58 years


male: 75.7 years


female: 81.59 years (2002 est.)
total population:
78.71 years

male:
76.69 years

female:
80.84 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 99% (2000 est.)


male: NA%


female: NA%
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
95%

male:
97%

female:
93% (1992 est.)
Location Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Egypt and Lebanon
Map references Europe Middle East
Maritime claims exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation

territorial sea:
12 NM
Merchant marine total: 622 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,587,662 GRT/5,251,529 DWT


ships by type: bulk 3, cargo 380, chemical tanker 46, container 64, liquefied gas 16, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large-load carrier 15, passenger 9, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 34, roll on/roll off 18, short-sea passenger 2, specialized tanker 5


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 1, Canada 1, Denmark 5, Finland 5, Germany 55, Ireland 12, Norway 12, Sweden 17, United Kingdom 33, United States 12 (2002 est.)
total:
17 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 631,582 GRT/745,011 DWT

ships by type:
container 16, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
Military branches Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (including Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force, Royal Constabulary Israel Defense Forces (includes ground, naval, and air components), Pioneer Fighting Youth (Nahal), Frontier Guard, Chen (women); note - historically there have been no separate Israeli military services
Military expenditures - dollar figure $6.5 billion (FY00/01 est.) $8.7 billion (FY99)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 1.5% (FY00/01 est.) 9.4% (FY99)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 4,077,917 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,522,003

females age 15-49:
1,482,027 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,546,030 (2002 est.) males age 15-49:
1,245,757

females age 15-49:
1,208,973 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age 20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and midshipmen) (2002 est.) 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 96,082


note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2002 est.)
males:
49,206

females:
53,379 (2001 est.)
National holiday Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April Independence Day, 14 May (1948); note - Israel declared independence on 14 May 1948, but the Jewish calendar is lunar and the holiday may occur in April or May
Nationality noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)


adjective: Dutch
noun:
Israeli(s)

adjective:
Israeli
Natural hazards flooding sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts
Natural resources natural gas, petroleum, arable land timber, potash, copper ore, natural gas, phosphate rock, magnesium bromide, clays, sand, oil
Net migration rate 2.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 2.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 418 km; petroleum products 965 km; natural gas 10,230 km crude oil 708 km; petroleum products 290 km; natural gas 89 km
Political parties and leaders Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE]; Christian Union Party [M. VAN DAALEN]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Thom DE GRAAF]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of minor parties Balad or National Democratic Alliance [Amnon LIPKIN-SHAHAK]; Center Party [Yitzhak MORDECHAI]; Democratic Movement [Roman BRONFMAN]; Gesher [David LEVI]; Hadash [Muhammad BARAKA]; Labor Party [leader vacant]; Likud Party [Ariel SHARON]; MERETZ [Yossi SARID]; National Democratic Alliance (Balad) [leader NA]; National Religious Party [Yitzhak LEVY]; National Union [Rehavam ZEEVI] (includes Herut, Tekuma, and Moledet); One Israel [leader NA] (includes Labor, Gesher, and Meimad); One Nation [Amir PERETZ]; Shas [Eliyahu YISHAI]; Shinui [Tommy LAPID]; United Arab List [Abd al-Malik DAHAMSHAH]; United Torah Judaism [Rabbi Eliezer SHACK, spiritual leader]; Yisra'el Ba'Aliya [Natan SHARANSKY]; Yisra'el Beiteinu [Avigdor LIEBERMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises Gush Emunim, Israeli nationalists advocating Jewish settlement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip; Peace Now supports territorial concessions in the West Bank and is critical of government's Lebanon policy
Population 16,067,754 (July 2002 est.) 5,938,093 (July 2001 est.)

note:
includes about 176,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank, about 20,000 in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, about 6,900 in the Gaza Strip, and about 173,000 in East Jerusalem (August 2000 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.53% (2002 est.) 1.58% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Groningen, Haarlem, Ijmuiden, Maastricht, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Utrecht, Vlissingen Ashdod, Ashqelon, Elat (Eilat), Hadera, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Yafo
Radio broadcast stations AM 4, FM 58, shortwave 3 (1998) AM 23, FM 15, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 15.3 million (1996) 3.07 million (1997)
Railways total: 2,808 km


standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2001)
total:
610 km

standard gauge:
610 km 1.435-m gauge (1996)
Religions Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant 21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40% (1998) Jewish 80.1%, Muslim 14.6% (mostly Sunni Muslim), Christian 2.1%, other 3.2% (1996 est.)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.05 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
0.99 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: highly developed and well maintained


domestic: the existing system of multi-conductor cables is gradually being replaced by fiber-optic cables; the density of cellular telephone traffic is rapidly increasing and further modernization of the system is expected in 2001, with the introduction of the third generation of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)


international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1 Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (1996)
general assessment:
most highly developed system in the Middle East although not the largest

domestic:
good system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; all systems are digital

international:
3 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (2 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 9,132,400 (1999) 2.8 million (1999)
Telephones - mobile cellular 4,081,891 (April 1999) 2.5 million (1999)
Television broadcast stations 21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995) 17 (plus 36 low-power repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast Negev desert in the south; low coastal plain; central mountains; Jordan Rift Valley
Total fertility rate 1.65 children born/woman (2002 est.) 2.57 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 3% (2002 est.) 9% (2000 est.)
Waterways 5,046 km (of which 3,745 km are canals)


note: 47% of total route length is usable by craft of 1,000-metric-ton capacity or larger
none
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