Capital:
Amsterdam; The Hague is the seat of government
Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant,
Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland
Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence:
1579 (from Spain); note - the northern provinces of the Low Country
concluded the Union of Utrecht, but it was 1648 before Spain finally
recognized their independence
National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
Constitution:
adopted 1814; amended many times, last time 17 February 1983
Legal system:
civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
2003) and Thom DE GRAAF (since 27 May 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the prime
minister on legislative and administrative policy
Legislative branch:
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held NA
May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 January 2003 (next to be
held NA January 2007)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
CDA 28.6%, PvdA 27.3%, VVD 12.9%, Socialist Party 6.3%, List Pim
Fortuyn 5.7%, Green Party 5.1%, D66 4.1%; seats by party - CDA 44,
PvdA 42, VVD 28, Socialist Party 9, List Pim Fortuyn 8, Green Party
8, D66 6, other 5