Netherlands Business Resources

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.

Agriculture
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Airlines
Airlines in Europe
Airlines Worldwide

Airports
Airports in Europe
Airports Worldwide

Country Budget
revenues: $256.9 billion
expenditures: $274.4 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2004 est.)

Currency (code)
euro (EUR)
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

Currency Exchange Rate
euros per US dollar - 0.8054 (2004), 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000)

Fiscal Year
calendar year

GDP (Gross Domestic Product)
GDP (purchasing power parity): $481.1 billion (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.2% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $29,500 (2004 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.4%
industry: 24.5%
services: 73.1% (2004 est.)

Imports / Exports
Exports: $293.1 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs
Exports - partners: Germany 25%, Belgium 12.4%, UK 10.1%, France 9.9%, Italy 6%, US 4.3% (2004)

Imports: $252.7 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs, clothing
Imports - partners: Germany 17.9%, Belgium 9.9%, US 7.9%, China 7.4%, UK 6.4%, France 4.8% (2004)

Industries
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction, microelectronics, fishing

Investing
Forex, Foreign Exchange Market: Currency Trading

Labor Force & Unemployment Rate
Labor force: 7.53 million (2004 est.) 
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 4%, industry 23%, services 73% (1998 est.)
Unemployment rate: 6% (2004 est.)