Compare Netherlands (2005) - Sao Tome and Principe (2002)

Compare Netherlands (2005) z Sao Tome and Principe (2002)

	Netherlands (2005)	Sao Tome and Principe (2002)

Administrative divisions	12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland	2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
Age structure	0-14 years: 18.1% (male 1,523,316/female 1,453,232) 15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,627,007/female 5,491,802) 65 years and over: 14.1% (male 974,037/female 1,338,097) (2005 est.)	0-14 years: 47.7% (male 41,159; female 40,125) 15-64 years: 48.3% (male 39,701; female 42,586) 65 years and over: 4% (male 3,115; female 3,686) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products	grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock	cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports	27 (2004 est.)	2 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 20 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)	total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)	-
Area	total: 41,526 sq km land: 33,883 sq km water: 7,643 sq km	total: 1,001 sq km land: 1,001 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey	more than five times the size of Washington, DC
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 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.	Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were held in 1991.
Birth rate	11.14 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)	42.3 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget	revenues: $256.9 billion expenditures: $274.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)	revenues: $58 million expenditures: $114 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million
Capital	Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government	Sao Tome
Climate	temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters	tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline	451 km	209 km
Constitution	adopted 1815; amended many times, last time 2002	approved March 1990; effective 10 September 1990
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: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Currency	-	dobra (STD)
Death rate	8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)	7.32 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external	-	$253.8 million (2000) (2000)
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	the US does not have an embassy in Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
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	Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580
Disputes - international	none	none
Economic aid - donor	ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)	-
Economic aid - recipient	-	$200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
Economy - overview	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 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 2001-04, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the EU average.	This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence 26 years ago. However, cocoa production has substantially declined because of drought and mismanagement. The resulting shortage of cocoa for export has created a persistent balance-of-payments problem. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has been unable to service its external debt and has had to depend on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program. Sao Tome's success in implementing structural reforms has been rewarded by international donors, who have pledged increased assistance in 2001. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is also optimistic that substantial petroleum discoveries are forthcoming in its territorial waters in the oil-rich waters of the Gulf of Guinea. Corruption scandals continue to weaken the economy.
Electricity - consumption	100.7 billion kWh (2002)	15.81 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports	4.5 billion kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports	20.9 billion kWh (2002)	0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production	90.61 billion kWh (2002)	17 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source	-	fossil fuel: 41% hydro: 59% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m	lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 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	deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999 est.)	mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates	euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)	dobras per US dollar - 9,009.1 (December 2001), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000), 7,119.0 (1999), 6,883.2 (1998), 4,552.5 (1997)
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 Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May 2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005) 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 cabinet on legislative and administrative policy	chief of state: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001) head of government: Prime Minister Maria das NEVES (since 7 October 2002) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held NA July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
Exports	1.418 million bbl/day (2001)	$4.1 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities	machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs	cocoa 90%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners	Germany 25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy 6%, US 4.3% (2004)	Portugal 33.3%, Netherlands 8.3%, Spain 8.3% (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	three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $189 million (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 2.4% industry: 24.5% services: 73.1% (2004 est.)	agriculture: 25% industry: 10% services: 65% (1999 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.2% (2004 est.)	4% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates	52 30 N, 5 45 E	1 00 N, 7 00 E
Geography - note	located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and Schelde)	the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Heliports	1 (2004 est.)	-
Highways	total: 116,500 km paved: 104,850 km (including 2,235 km of expressways) unpaved: 11,650 km (1999)	total: 320 km paved: 218 km unpaved: 102 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 25.1% (1994)	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, 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	-
Imports	2.284 million bbl/day (2001)	$40 million f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities	machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing	machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners	Germany 17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK 6.4%, France 4.8% (2004)	Portugal 43%, France 15.7%, UK 13.7% (1999)
Independence	23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; it was not until 1648 that Spain recognized their independence)	12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate	0.8% (2004 est.)	NA%
Industries	agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing	light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
Infant mortality rate	total: 5.04 deaths/1,000 live births male: 5.62 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)	47.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.4% (2004 est.)	7% (2001 est.)
International organization participation	AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO, ZC	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, CEMAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	-	1 (2002)
Irrigated land	5,650 sq km (1998 est.)	100 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch	Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the monarch)	Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force	7.53 million (2004 est.)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)	population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing note: shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries	total: 1,027 km border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 26.71% permanent crops: 0.97% other: 72.32% (2001)	arable land: 2% permanent crops: 41% other: 57% (1998 est.)
Languages	Dutch (official), Frisian (official)	Portuguese (official)
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	based on Portuguese legal system and customary law; has not accepted 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 2003 (next to be held May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be held May 2007) election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist Party 4, D66 3, other 6; 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 National Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held NA March 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 78.81 years male: 76.25 years female: 81.51 years (2005 est.)	total population: 65.93 years male: 64.47 years female: 67.45 years (2002 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: 79.3% male: 85% female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location	Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany	Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references	Europe	Africa
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	measured from claimed archipelagic baselines exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine	total: 558 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,796,460 GRT/5,212,557 DWT by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 361, chemical tanker 32, container 48, liquefied gas 13, passenger 11, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum tanker 14, refrigerated cargo 32, roll on/roll off 15, specialized tanker 4 foreign-owned: 139 (Bahamas 5, Belgium 2, Canada 1, Denmark 4, Finland 7, Germany 62, Ireland 13, Norway 9, Sweden 19, United Kingdom 6, United States 11) registered in other countries: 223 (2005)	total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 169,991 GRT/245,996 DWT ships by type: bulk 6, cargo 23, chemical tanker 1, container 3, livestock carrier 1, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 1, Greece 1, Kenya 1, Portugal 1, Syria 1, Turkey 1 (2002 est.)
Military branches	Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Constabulary, Defense Interservice Command (DICO) (2004)	Army, Navy, Security Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$9.408 billion (2004)	$400,000 (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	1.6% (2004)	0.8% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 35,524 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 18,727 (2002 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, 12 July (1975)
Nationality	noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women) adjective: Dutch	noun: Sao Tomean(s) adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards	flooding	NA
Natural resources	natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel, arable land	fish, hydropower
Net migration rate	2.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)	-3.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines	condensate 325 km; gas 6,998 km; oil 590 km; refined products 716 km (2004)	-
Political parties and leaders	Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66 [Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Gerard van AS]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Jozias VAN AARTSEN]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; plus a few minor parties	Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties
Political pressure groups and leaders	Netherlands Trade Union Federation (FNV) (consisting of a merger of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union Federation (CNV); Trade Union Federation of Middle and High Personnel (MHP); Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises	NA
Population	16,407,491 (July 2005 est.)	170,372 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA	NA%
Population growth rate	0.53% (2005 est.)	3.18% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors	Amsterdam, Groningen, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen, Zaanstad	Santo Antonio, Sao Tome
Radio broadcast stations	AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios	-	38,000 (1997)
Railways	total: 2,808 km standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2004)	0 km
Religions	Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%, other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)	Christian 80% (Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist)
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	18 years of age; universal
Telephone system	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 five 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)	general assessment: adequate facilities domestic: minimal system international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	10.004 million (2002)	4,600 (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular	12.5 million (2003)	6,942 (1997)
Television broadcast stations	21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)	2 (2002)
Terrain	mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast	volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate	1.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)	5.95 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate	6% (2004 est.)	NA%
Waterways	5,046 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2004)	none

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