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 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.
GDP - purchasing power parity:
$529.1 billion (2006 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita:
$32,100 (2006 est.)
GDP - by sector (agriculture):
agriculture: 2.1%
GDP - by sector (industry):
industry: 23.9%
GDP - by sector (services):
services: 73.9% (2006 est.)
Export Partners:
Germany 25.5%, Belgium 14%, UK 8.9%, France 8.6%, Italy 5.1%, US 4.4% (2006)
Import Partners:
Germany 17.1%, Belgium 9.5%, China 9.4%, US 7.8%, UK 5.9%, Russia 5.1%, France 4.6% (2006)
Export Commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Import Commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs, clothing
Exports Volume:
$413.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Imports Volume:
$373.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
Labour Force:
7.6 million (2006 est.)
Unemployment Rate:
5.5% (2006 est.)
Population below poverty line:
10.5% (1999)
Inflation Rate:
1.4% (2006 est.)
Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)
Public Debt:
50.8% of GDP (2006 est.)
Agriculture Products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock
Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing
Industrial Production Growth Rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)
Electricity - production:
92.7 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - consumption:
102.4 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports:
5.2 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports:
21.4 billion kWh (2004)
Oil - production:
95,800 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - consumption:
946,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)
Oil - exports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)
Oil - imports:
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)
Natural gas - production:
85.98 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
Natural gas - exports:
Natural gas - imports:
Current Account Balance:
$50.17 billion (2006 est.)
Currency Code:
euro (EUR)