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THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
General Review and Financial Survey of The Netherlands
(Courtesy The Chemical Bank Trust
Company, 165 Broadway, New York 15,
Economic Background
N. Y.)
Area
13,440
square
miles
or
about the combined size of the States
of Delaware and Maryland. Popula
tion9,872,000
(1948
estimate
Climatetemperate
similar to that
of the northeastern part of the United
The combination of these circum-
stances changed during the war and
post war periods. On one hand, the
Netherlands suffered war damages re-
cently estimated at $7,850 million.
On the other, the East Indian planta
tions suffered similarly and hostilities
East India Company and that of the arising from the independence move-
Dutch West India Company in the ment of native populations dried up
early 17th century, leading to ac- the main part of overseas possessions
quisition of the Dutch East and West as sources of income. Reconstruction
Indies, made Holland a very prosper- of the East Indies is still in process
ous trading nation and one of the and, due to the independence attained
The
formation
of
the
United
States. Capital
Amsterdam. Lan-
cultural centers of the Continent. A
bv
Indonesia,
it
is
considerable
questionable
guage
Dutch. Measures
metric
part
of
the
mother whether
this
source
will
yield
as
Monetary Unit
the Guilder or
Florin
U.
(Fl)
equal to about 26.32
country is below the sea level and substantial returns as it did prior to
with great engineering skill combined the outbreak of the war.
cents. Mailsordinary 10-14
days, 5c per oz; airmail 3-6 days,
15c per Yi oz.
Government
with infinite labor land was reclaim
ed from the bottom of lagoons, locks
were constructed to close out salt
water and spread canalization, which
rendered the country not only very
fertile but almost immune to crop
Constitutional Monarchy. The failure. However
Sovereign possesses
the
domestic industry
executive and agriculture were not able to sat
power,
which
is
exercised
only
isfy the ever growing requirements
through the ministers who are re- Qf the dense population. To meet
sponsible in this respect to her and
these
requirements the Netherlands
to the States General. The latter has looked to overseas colonization which
two chambers. The First Chamber
has 50 members, elected by the Pro-
was accomplished with great skill.
The Netherlands is, therefore, in a
period of transition, striving to re
place part of its overseas income by
that derived from progressive indus
trialization and from the export of
new industrial products. Whether a
complete or partial transformation
will be carried through or whether
the Netherlands will be reorganized
ultimately as a trading nation, is im
possible to determine under present
political and economic conditions.
The
raw materials
obtained irom
c
In addition, the economy is influ-
vincial Legislatures for six years (one the colonies which were utilized by enced by the rapid growth of popu-
half every third year), and the Sec- the mother country in its shipping lation, which increased about 15%
ond Chamber consists of 100 Depu
ties elected by popular vote for four
and
sources
trade
of
proved
income
to
be
constant during the last decade. The birth rate
and
inflow
of
years. Suffrage is universal. The Sov- foreign exchange,
ereign is the President of the State
Council, the members are appointed
by her, and this body is consulted on
all legislative and executive matters.
The special parliamentary election,
which was necessitated by the pro
posed constitutional changes relating
to Indonesia, resulted in the follow
ing party membership to the Second
Chamber: Catholics 32, Socialists 27,
is high and the death rate is one of
the lowest in Europe. As a result,
.V. .'.'.'.•.'.•.C..' i «I.
Anti
Revolutionary 13, Christian
Historical Union 9, Communist
Liberals
State Reformed
and
Catholic Splinter Group 1. The Sov
ereign is Queen Juliana. The Prime
Minister
is
Willem
Drees
of
the
Labor Party, heading a Catholic-
Labor coalition cabinet. Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Dr. D. U. Stikker,
Liberal Party and formerly Senior
Managing Director of the Heineken
Breweries Company.
Courtesy The Knickerbocker Magazine)
The market of Ley den, aboveis typical of the Dutch markets many of which resemble
opera settings.
