Netherlands (Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Netherlands Kingdom of the Netherlands
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	13rd best
Capital	Amsterdam (administrative) and The Hague (legislative/judical)
Land Area	33 730km21
Location	Europe
Population	16.7m (2011)2
Life Expectancy	81.71yrs (2017)3
GNI	$46 326 (2017)4
ISO3166-1 Codes	NL, NLD, 5285
Internet Domain	.nl6
Currency	Euro (EUR)7
Telephone	+318

1. Overview
2. Netherlands National and Social Development
3. Population and Demographics
4. Gender Equality
5. Religion and Beliefs
6. The Internet
7. Public Health Issues
8. Politics and Freedom
9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries
10. Links

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1. Overview

“The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the world. After a 20-year French occupation, a 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. In October 2010, the former Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and the three smallest islands - Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba - became special municipalities in the Netherlands administrative structure. The larger islands of Sint Maarten and Curacao joined the Netherlands and Aruba as constituent countries forming the Kingdom of the Netherlands.”

CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“Discover the many secrets of this gently beautiful country and its masterpieces, canal towns and windmills. Revel in the welcoming yet wry culture at a cafe, then bike past fields of tulips. Great Dutch artists Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh have spanned the centuries, and touring the Netherlands you´ll see why. Discover clichés such as tulips and windmills, or stroll canals in the midst of 17th-century splendour in beautiful small towns such as Leiden and Delft. Of course, enticing Amsterdam´s phenomenal and diverse nightlife is world-famous, from its throbbing clubs to quaint brown cafes.

The locals live on bicycles and you can too. Almost every train station has a shop to rent a bike – you´ll soon be off on the ubiquitous bike paths, wherever your mood takes you.

Finally there´s the Dutch themselves. Warm, friendly and funny, you´ll have a hard time being alone in a cafe as someone will soon strike up a conversation, and usually in English. Revel in Amsterdam, don´t miss exquisite Maastricht or pulsing Rotterdam, and pick a passel of small towns to add contrast. It´s a very big small country.”

"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

2. Netherlands National and Social Development

UN HDI (2016) Lower is better Rank11
1	Norway	1
2	Australia	2
3	Switzerland	2
4	Germany	4
5	Denmark	5
6	Singapore	5
7	Netherlands	7
8	Ireland	8
9	Iceland	9
10	Canada	10
11	USA	10
12	Hong Kong	12
	World Avg	94.3
q=188.

Social & Moral Development Index Higher is better Points12
1	Iceland	84.1
2	Sweden	80.8
3	Norway	80.0
	...
10	New Zealand	77.4
11	UK	77.1
12	Australia	76.8
13	Netherlands	76.7
14	Ireland	76.5
15	Canada	75.9
16	Hong Kong	75.8
17	Taiwan	75.4
	World Avg	54.5
q=198.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: What is the Best Country in the World? An Index of Morality, Conscience and Good Life.

3. Population and Demographics

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016) Lower is better Per 10013
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
	...
175	Austria	40.5
176	Greece	41.3
177	Spain	41.4
178	Netherlands	41.9
179	Slovenia	42.7
180	Finland	43.3
181	Hong Kong	43.7
182	Portugal	44.7
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Emigrants (2010) %14
1	Dominica	104.8
2	Palestine	68.4
3	Samoa	67.3
	...
95	Singapore	6.1
96	Guatemala	6.1
97	Brunei	6.0
98	Netherlands	6.0
99	Italy	5.8
100	Benin	5.8
101	Laos	5.7
102	Turkey	5.6
	World Avg	11.5
q=192.

Fertility Rate (2013) 2.0 is best15
1	Korea, N.	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
	...
33	Morocco	2.20
34	Brazil	1.80
35	Guyana	2.21
36	Netherlands	1.79
37	Vietnam	1.77
38	Lebanon	1.77
39	Mexico	2.25
40	Sri Lanka	2.26
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Immigrants (2010) %14
1	Qatar	86.5
2	Monaco	71.6
3	UAE	70.0
	...
49	Barbados	10.9
50	France	10.7
51	Costa Rica	10.5
52	Netherlands	10.5
53	Armenia	10.5
54	Libya	10.4
55	Greece	10.1
56	Norway	10.0
	World Avg	9.2
q=192.

Life Expectancy (2015) Higher is better Years16
1	Hong Kong	84.16
2	Japan	83.68
3	Italy	83.34
	...
15	Chile	81.96
16	Luxembourg	81.88
17	Norway	81.71
18	Netherlands	81.71
19	Austria	81.58
20	Andorra	81.46
21	Portugal	81.18
22	Germany	81.09
	World Avg	71.27
q=190.

Population (2012)17
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.3b
3	USA	315.8m
	...
58	Angola	20.2m
59	Burkina Faso	17.5m
60	Chile	17.4m
61	Netherlands	16.7m
62	Niger	16.6m
63	Kazakhstan	16.4m
64	Mali	16.3m
65	Malawi	15.9m
	World Avg	36.0m
q=195.

The Netherlands's population is predicted to rise to 17.31 million by 2030. This rise is despite a low fertility rate, meaning, that this country is helping to alleviate problems with growing population in neighbouring countries by accepting immigrants, very likely as a requirement of maintaining an active workforce. This country has a fertility rate of 1.79. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

• The Overpopulation of the Earth
• Abortion, Birth Control and Contraception: How Religion is Making Overpopulation Worse

4. Gender Equality

Gender Inequality (2015) Lower is better18
1	Switzerland	0.04
2	Denmark	0.04
3	Netherlands	0.04
4	Sweden	0.05
5	Iceland	0.05
6	Norway	0.05
7	Slovenia	0.05
8	Finland	0.06
9	Germany	0.07
10	Korea, S.	0.07
11	Singapore	0.07
12	Belgium	0.07
	World Avg	0.36
q=159.

Year Women Can Vote Lower is better Year19
1	New Zealand	1893
2	Australia	1902
3	Finland	1906
	...
12	Slovakia	1919
13	Belarus	1919
14	Germany	1919
15	Netherlands	1919
16	Ukraine	1919
17	Luxembourg	1919
18	Czech Rep.	1919
19	Poland	1919
	World Avg	1930
q=189.

Gender inequality is not a necessary part of early human development. Although a separation of roles is almost universal due to different strengths between the genders, this does not have to mean that women are subdued, and, such patriarchialism is not universal in ancient history. Those cultures and peoples who shed, or never developed, the idea that mankind ought to dominate womankind, are better cultures and peoples than those who, even today, cling violently to those mores.

Netherlands is notable for its equality between the sexes and this has been a feature of the country's culture for quite some time.

See:

• "Religion Versus Womankind" by Vexen Crabtree (2007)

5. Religion and Beliefs

#buddhism #christianity #hinduism #islam #judaism

Disbelief In God (2007) Higher is better20
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czech Rep.	61
5	Estonia	49
6	Denmark	48
7	France	44
8	Belgium	43
9	Netherlands	42
10	Germany	42
11	UK	42
12	Cuba	40
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₂₁:

Christian	50.6%
Muslim	6%
Hindu	0.5%
Buddhist	0.2%
Folk Religion	0.2%
Jew	0.2%
Unaffiliated	42.1%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states: Roman Catholic 30%, Protestant 20% (Dutch Reformed 11%, Calvinist 6%, other Protestant 3%), Muslim 5.8%, other 2.2%, none 42% (2006)₂₂.

The International Humanist and Ethical Union produced a report in 2012 entitled "Freedom of Thought" (2012), in which they document bias and prejudice at the national level that is based on religion, belief and/or lack of belief. Their entry for Netherlands states:

“The constitution and other laws and policies protect freedom of religion or belief. However, it is a crime to engage in public speech that incites religious hatred. Article 137c of the Dutch Penal Code penalizes defamation of groups "because of their race, religion or convictions, their heterosexual or homosexual orientation or physical, psychological or mental disability..."

Article 137d criminalizes inciting "hatred or discrimination against persons or violence against person or property on the grounds of their race, religion or beliefs, their gender, their heterosexual or homosexual orientation or their physical, psychological or mental disability..." Article 429bis criminalizes display of "scornful blasphemy for insulting religious feelings" along public roads. Fines are to be levied, with prison for repeat offenders.”

"Freedom of Thought" by IHEU (2012)₂₃

Links:

• A List of All Religions and Belief Systems
• Secularisation Theory: Will Modern Society Reject Religion? What is Secularism?

6. The Internet

Internet Users (2016) Higher is better24
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
6	Denmark	96%
7	Liechtenstein	96%
8	Luxembourg	95%
9	Netherlands	94%
10	Sweden	93%
11	Monaco	93%
12	UK	93%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

IPv6 Uptake (2017) Higher is better Ratio25
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
20	Trinidad & Tobago	14.5
21	Finland	14.1
22	Brazil	13.9
23	Netherlands	10.5
24	Czech Rep.	10.1
25	New Zealand	9.7
26	Romania	8.7
27	Austria	7.5
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

IT Security (2013) Lower is better26
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
	...
65	Nepal	1.45
66	Afghanistan	1.45
67	Germany	1.46
68	Netherlands	1.47
69	Rwanda	1.50
70	Tanzania	1.50
71	Maldives	1.57
72	China	1.59
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

Internet access has become an essential research tool. It facilitates an endless list of life improvements, from the ability to network and socialize without constraint, to access to a seemingly infinite repository of technical and procedural information on pretty much any task. The universal availability of data has sped up industrial development and personal learning at the national and personal level. Individuals can read any topic they wish regardless of the locality of expert teachers, and, entire nations can develop their technology and understanding of the world simply because they are now exposed to advanced societies and moral discourses online. Like every communications medium, the Internet has issues and causes a small range of problems, but these are insignificant compared to the advantages of having an online populace.

7. Public Health Issues

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015) Lower is better Per 100018
1	Korea, N.	0.5
2	Korea, S.	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
6	Singapore	3.8
7	Netherlands	4.0
8	Denmark	4.0
9	Japan	4.1
10	Cyprus	5.0
11	Sweden	5.7
12	Norway	5.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Alcohol Consumption (2010) Lower is better Per Capita27
1	Libya	0.1
2	Pakistan	0.1
3	Kuwait	0.1
	...
147	Chile	9.6
148	Rwanda	9.8
149	Uganda	9.8
150	Netherlands	9.9
151	Nigeria	10.1
152	Canada	10.2
153	Estonia	10.3
154	Kazakhstan	10.3
	World Avg	6.2
q=191.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015) Higher is better Avg %28
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
128	Costa Rica	88.5
129	Colombia	88.4
130	Kiribati	88.4
131	Netherlands	88.1
132	Paraguay	88.1
133	Bosnia & Herzegovina	88.0
134	Sierra Leone	87.7
135	Suriname	87.2
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

Smoking Rates (2014) Lower is better29
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
144	Georgia	1 378
145	Cuba	1 392
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
147	Netherlands	1 396
148	Poland	1 396
149	Italy	1 443
150	Germany	1 480
151	Bulgaria	1 505
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Suicide Rate (2013) Lower is better Per 100k30
1	Haiti	0
2	Grenada	0
3	Egypt	0.1
	...
44	Australia	16.4
45	El Salvador	16.5
46	Kyrgyzstan	17.7
47	Netherlands	18.6
48	Luxembourg	19.3
49	Portugal	19.6
50	Singapore	20.6
51	India	20.8
	World Avg	20.93
q=91.

8. Politics and Freedom

Nominal Commitment to HR (2009) Higher is better Treaties31
1	Argentina	24
2	Chile	23
3	Costa Rica	23
	...
56	Lesotho	19
57	Rwanda	19
58	Finland	19
59	Netherlands	19
60	Nicaragua	19
61	Canada	19
62	Kazakhstan	19
63	Luxembourg	19
	World Avg	15.1
q=194.

Personal, Civil & Economic Freedom (2014) Lower is better Rank32
1	Hong Kong	1
2	Switzerland	2
3	New Zealand	3
	...
7	Canada	6
8	Australia	6
9	Finland	9
10	Netherlands	10
11	Luxembourg	11
12	Austria	11
13	Norway	13
14	Germany	13
	World Avg	79.7
q=159.

Press Freedom (2013) Lower is better33
1	Finland	638
2	Netherlands	648
3	Norway	652
4	Luxembourg	668
5	Andorra	682
6	Denmark	708
7	Liechtenstein	735
8	New Zealand	838
9	Iceland	849
10	Sweden	923
11	Estonia	926
12	Austria	940
	World Avg	3249
q=178.

9. More Charts and Comparisons to Other Countries