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Legend:
 Definition
 Field Listing
 Rank Order
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Background:
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The 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 EC (now the EU),
and participated in the introduction of the
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.
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Location: |
Western Europe, bordering the
North Sea, between Belgium and Germany
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Geographic
coordinates: |
52 30 N, 5 45 E |
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Map references: |
Europe
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Area: |
total: 41,526 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km
land:
33,883 sq km |
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Area - comparative: |
slightly less than twice the
size of New Jersey |
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Land boundaries: |
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km,
Germany 577 km |
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Coastline: |
451 km |
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Maritime claims: |
exclusive fishing zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate: |
temperate; marine; cool
summers and mild winters |
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Terrain: |
mostly coastal lowland and
reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast |
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Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point:
Vaalserberg 322 m |
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Natural resources: |
natural gas, petroleum, arable
land |
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Land use: |
arable land: 26.53%
other: 72.44% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 1.03% |
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Irrigated land: |
5,650 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards: |
flooding |
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Environment - current
issues: |
water pollution in the form of
heavy metals, organic compounds, and nutrients
such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution
from vehicles and refining activities; acid rain
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Environment - international
agreements: |
party to: Air
Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol,
Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic
Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change,
Desertification, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes,
Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping,
Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical
Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
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Geography - note: |
located at mouths of three
major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, and
Schelde) |
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Population: |
16,150,511 (July 2003 est.)
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Age structure: |
0-14 years: 18.2% (male
1,501,127; female 1,436,453)
15-64
years: 67.9% (male 5,576,141; female
5,389,764)
65 years and over: 13.9%
(male 929,087; female 1,317,939) (2003 est.)
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Median age: |
total: 38.6 years
male: 37.7 years
female:
39.5 years (2002) |
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Population growth
rate: |
0.5% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate: |
11.31 births/1,000 population
(2003 est.) |
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Death rate: |
8.66 deaths/1,000 population
(2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate: |
2.35 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.04
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.04
male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female
total population:
0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality
rate: |
total: 4.26
deaths/1,000 live births
female: 3.82
deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 4.68 deaths/1,000 live births
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Life expectancy at
birth: |
total population: 78.74
years
male: 75.85 years
female: 81.76 years (2003 est.)
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…Ð ^GET http://www.rccgholland.org/rccgholdth="20%">
Total fertility
rate:
1.65 children born/woman (2003
est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence
rate: |
0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with
HIV/AIDS: |
17,000 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
110 (2001 est.) |
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Nationality: |
noun: Dutchman(men),
Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch
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Ethnic groups: |
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which
9% are non-western origin mainly Turks,
Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese and
Indonesians) (1999 est.) |
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Religions: |
Roman Catholic 31%, Protestant
21%, Muslim 4.4%, other 3.6%, unaffiliated 40%
(1998) |
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Languages: |
Dutch (official language),
Frisian (official language) |
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Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and
over can read and write
total
population: 99% (2000 est.)
male:
NA%
female: NA%
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Country name: |
conventional long form:
Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional
short form: Netherlands
local long
form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland
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Government type: |
constitutional monarchy
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Capital: |
Amsterdam; The Hague is the
seat of government |
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Administrative
divisions: |
12 provinces (provincies,
singular - provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland,
Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,
Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel,
Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland |
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Dependent areas: |
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
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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
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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 |
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Constitution: |
adopted 1814; amended many
times, last time 17 February 1983 |
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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 |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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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 |
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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 |
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Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad
(justices are nominated for life by the monarch)
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Political parties and
leaders: |
Christian Democratic Appeal or
CDA [Maxime Jacques Marcel VERHAGEN]; Christian
Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66
[Boris DITTRICH]; Green Party [Femke HALSEMA];
Labor Party or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim
Fortuyn [Mat HERBEN]; People's Party for Freedom
and Democracy (Liberal) or VVD [Gerrit ZALM];
Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN]; a host of
minor parties |
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Political pressure groups and
leaders: |
Federation of Netherlands
Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and
Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade
union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant
Employers Associations; Interchurch Peace
Council or IKV; large multinational firms; the
nondenominational Federation of Netherlands
Enterprises |
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International organization
participation: |
AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group,
Benelux, BIS, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECLAC,
EIB, EMU, ESA, ESCAP, EU, FAO, G-10, IADB, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA,
IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol,
IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG,
OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE,
UNMIBH, UNTSO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
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Diplomatic representation in
the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Boudewijn J. VAN EENENNAAM
consulate(s): Boston
consulate(s) general: Chicago,
Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20008 |
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Diplomatic representation from
the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Clifford M. SOBEL
embassy:
Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000,
APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70)
310-9209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam
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Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands
of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the
flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue
and is longer; one of the oldest flags in
constant use, originating with William I, Prince
of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th
century |
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Economy - overview: |
The Netherlands is a
prosperous and open economy depending 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 2001-03, as part of the global economic
slowdown, but for the four years before that,
annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
EU average. The government is wrestling with a
deteriorating budget position, and is moving
toward the EU 3% limit. |
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GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$437.8 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth
rate: |
0.2% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$27,200 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by
sector: |
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 25.7%
services:
71.2% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty
line: |
NA% |
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Household income or consumption
by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 25.1% (1994) |
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Distribution of family income -
Gini index: |
32.6 (1994) |
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Inflation rate (consumer
prices): |
3.4% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force: |
7.2 million (2000) |
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Labor force - by
occupation: |
services 73%, industry 23%,
agriculture 4% (1998 est.) |
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Unemployment rate: |
3% (2002 est.) |
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Budget: |
%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3C/TD%3E%3C/TR%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3CTR%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3CTD%20class=FieldLabel%20vAlign=top%20width=)
Industries: |
agroindustries, metal and
engineering products, electrical machinery and
equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
microelectronics, fishing |
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Industrial production growth
rate: |
0% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity -
production: |
88.32 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity - production by
source: |
fossil fuel: 89.9%
hydro: 0.1%
other: 5.7%
(2001)
nuclear: 4.3% |
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Electricity -
consumption: |
99.42 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity -
exports: |
4.209 billion kWh (2001)
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Electricity -
imports: |
21.49 billion kWh (2001)
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Oil - production: |
46,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - consumption: |
895,300 bbl/day (2001 est.)
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Oil - exports: |
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - imports: |
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)
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Oil - proved
reserves: |
88.06 million bbl (37257)
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Natural gas -
production: |
77.75 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
consumption: |
49.72 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
exports: |
49.28 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas -
imports: |
20.78 billion cu m (2001 est.)
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Natural gas - proved
reserves: |
1.693 trillion cu m (37257)
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Agriculture -
products: |
grains, potatoes, sugar beets,
fruits, vegetables; livestock |
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Exports: |
$243.3 billion f.o.b. (2002)
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Exports -
commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs |
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Exports - partners: |
Germany 25.1%, Belgium 12.7%,
UK 10.7%, France 10.2%, Italy 6%, US 4.6% (2002)
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Imports: |
$201.1 billion f.o.b. (2001
est.) |
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Imports -
commodities: |
machinery and transport
equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs,
clothing |
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Imports - partners: |
Germany 17.8%, Belgium 9.7%,
US 9.1%, UK 6.9%, France 5.5%, China 5.1%, Japan
4% (2002) |
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Economic aid -
donor: |
ODA, $3.5 billion (2000 est.)
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Currency: |
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 |
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Currency code: |
EUR |
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Exchange rates: |
euros per US dollar - 1.06
(2002), 1.12 (2001), 1.09 (2000), 0.94 (1999)
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Fiscal year: |
calendar year
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