The Guinness Encyclopedia

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ The Guinness Encyclopedia / The Guinness Encyclopedia - Wayzata Technology (3221-1B) (Disc 2) (1995).iso / countrie / countrie.s / card_35236.xml < prev next >

Wrap

Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 7KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>35236</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>THE NETHERLANDSOfficial name: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden (The Kingdom of the Netherlands)Member of: UN, EU/EC, NATO, OECD, OSCEArea: 41863 km2 (16163 sq mi)Population: 15302000 (1993 est)Capital: Amsterdam ΓÇô capital in name only ΓÇô 1080000 (city 702000), The Hague (ΓÇÖs Gravenhage) ΓÇô the seat of government and administration ΓÇô 693000 (city 445000) (1992 est)Other major cities: Rotterdam 1060000 (city 590000), Utrecht 540000 (city 233000), Eindhoven 388000 (city 1940000), Arnhem 306000 (city 133000), Heerlen-Kerkrade 269000 (Heerlen city 95000), Enschede 253000 (city 147000) (1992 est)Language: Dutch (official)Religions: Roman Catholic (36%), Netherlands Reformed and Calvinist (27%)Dependencies of the Netherlands (with areas, populations and capitals):Aruba ΓÇô 193 km2 (75 sq mi), 69000 (1991 est), OranjestadNetherlands Antilles (The Antilles of the Five) ΓÇô 800 km2 (309 sq mi), 191000 (1990 est), WillemstadGOVERNMENTThe Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy. The 75-member First Chamber of the States-General is elected for six years term by the 12 provincial councils ΓÇô with one half of the members retiring every three years. The 150-member Second Chamber is elected for four years by universal adult suffrage under a system of proportional representation. The monarch appoints a Prime Minister who commands a majority in the Second Chamber. The PM, in turn, appoints a Council of Ministers who are responsible to the Chamber.GEOGRAPHYOver one quarter of the Netherlands ΓÇô one of the worldΓÇÖs most densely populated countries ΓÇô lies below sea level. A network of canals and canalized rivers cross the west of the country where sand dunes and man-made dykes protect low-lying areas and polders (land reclaimed from the sea). The coast has been straightened by sea walls protecting Zeeland in the southwest and enclosing a freshwater lake, the IJsselmeer, in the north. The east comprises low sandy plains, rising only to 321 m (1053 ft) at Vaalserberg, the highest point. Principal rivers: Rhine (Rijn) ΓÇô which divides into branches including the Lek, Waal and Oude Rijn ΓÇô 1320 km (820 mi). Climate: The country has a maritime temperate climate, with cool summers and mild winters.ECONOMYDespite having few natural resources ΓÇô except natural gas ΓÇô the country has a high standard of living. Agriculture and horticulture are highly mechanized and concentrate on dairying and glasshouse crops, particularly flowers. Food processing is a major industry, and the country is a leading exporter of cheese. Manufacturing includes chemical, machinery, petroleum refining, metallurgical and electrical engineering industries. Raw materials are imported through Rotterdam ΓÇô the largest port in the world ΓÇô which serves much of Western Europe. Banking and finance are well developed. Currency: Gulden (known in English as the guilder).HISTORYIn medieval times a patchwork of duchies, bishoprics and cities ruled the Netherlands. In the 15th century most of the area was governed by the dukes of Burgundy and in the 16th century control of the Netherlands ΓÇô the present kingdom, plus Belgium and Luxembourg ΓÇô passed to the Spanish Habsburgs. The Spanish attempted to suppress Dutch Protestantism, and this provoked a revolt ΓÇô initially led by Prince William (ΓÇÿThe SilentΓÇÖ) of Orange (1533ΓÇô84) ΓÇô that became a long struggle for independence. In 1579 ΓÇô under the Union of Utrecht ΓÇô the provinces of the Netherlands formed the United Provinces, which in 1581 broke away from Spanish rule, but did not gain international recognition as an independent state until 1648. Princes of the Orange family were stadholders (ΓÇÿgovernorsΓÇÖ) of the nation. In the 17th century, the Dutch began to acquire colonies, and became the greatest commercial power in Europe. This brought the Dutch into conflict with England (1652ΓÇô74), but when William of Orange became king of England in 1689, the fortunes of England and the Netherlands united in war against the expansionist policies of Louis XIV of Franc. Dutch power declined in the 18th century.In 1795 the French invaded and ruled the country as the Batavian Republic (1795ΓÇô1806) and the Kingdom of Holland (1806ΓÇô10, under Louis Bonaparte). The Dutch lost important colonies to the British in the Napoleonic Wars, but kept an empire in Indonesia and the West Indies. The Congress of Vienna (1815) united all three Low Countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands under the House of Orange, but Belgium broke away in 1830 and Luxembourg in 1890. The Dutch were neutral in World War I, but suffered occupation by the Germans from 1940ΓÇô45. Following a bitter colonial war, the Dutch accepted that they could not reassert control over Indonesia after World War II. The Dutch have shown enthusiasm for European unity, and, with the other Low Countries, founded Benelux, the core of the EC. Dutch politics is characterized by a large number of small parties, some of a confessional nature, and a system of proportional representation has prevented any of these parties attaining a parliamentary majority. The formation of a new governent after each general election has been difficult and time-consuming.</text> </content> <name>Netherlands</name> <script></script> </card>