Netherlands, The
The Netherlands is a small country in the middle of Western Europe, bordering Germany, Belgium, and the North Sea. One of its best-known geographic characteristics is that one-third of the flat country lies below sea level. The Dutch waterworks are famous throughout the world, which is not surprising if one considers that the Netherlands had already started to impolder (drain) land in the 1600s. Although the Netherlands has only 16 million inhabitants, it is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. It measures approximately 300 kilometers (185 miles) north to south by 200 kilometers (125 miles) east to west. The most densely populated area in the midwest of the country, de Randstad, has approximately 1,000 inhabitants per square kilometers. This area, revolving around the capital Amsterdam, the political center at The Hague, and Rotterdam with its seaport at the Rhine delta, is also the hub of economic activity.
In socioeconomic terms the Netherlands can best be described as a social welfare state with a high standard of living. In 2002, with a gross domestic product (GDP) of approximately U.S.$26,000 per capita, it was one of the fifteen wealthiest countries in the world. Only 20 percent of the working population of 7million are employed in production and agriculture.
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