Fixed capital formation nearly 100 billion euro in 2001

Investment spending in the Netherlands on residential and non-residential real estate, civil engineering works, transport equipment, machines and computers amounted to nearly 96 billion euro in 2001. This is slightly more than 22 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP), and 33 billion euro more than in 1995.

One quarter of investment spending in South Holland

Investment spending was highest in the province South Holland. This province accounted for 22 percent in 1995 and 24 percent in 2001. The investment ratio in South Holland was 26 percent in 2001.

The growth province Flevoland scored exceptionally well with an investment ratio of 51 percent. In the other provinces the ratio was around 24 percent, with the exception of Groningen where it was 19 percent.

Fixed capital formation

Homes and cars in Flevoland

Investment spending increased in all provinces. Nationwide investment growth was 7 percent per year on average (1995–2001). In Flevoland it was noticeably higher at nearly 12 percent.

House construction accounted for 40 percent of investment in Flevoland. Spending on transport equipment also shot up (just over 21 percent, 1995–2001). The explanation for this lies in the fact that a number of car leasing companies are located in this province.

Investment in non-residential buildings rose by most in the region of Driebergen in the middle of the country (22 percent), Heerenveen in the north (21 percent) and Tiel in the southeast of the Netherlands (20 percent).

Investment growth

Infrastructure in Gelderland and South Holland

Investment spending on roads and other civil engineering projects increased substantially in Tiel and south-eastern South Holland, by 33 percent and 32 percent respectively. In the Haarlemmermeer region (near Schiphol Airport), too, 2001 a lot was spent on infrastructure in 2001 (an increase of 28 percent in 1995–2001).

Investment in the construction of the A50 and A5 motorways, the high speed rail link and the Betuwe rail link pushed up investment growth considerably in these regions.

Computers in South Holland and Utrecht

Investment in computers rose strongly in the city of Groningen and surrounding area (16 percent, 1995–2001), eastern South Holland (with Gouda and Bodegraven, 13 percent), Zoetermeer (12 percent) and Utrecht agglomeration (11 percent). Many software companies are located in eastern South Holland and Utrecht in particular.

Machines in South Holland and Zeeland

Spending on machines (including telecommunications equipment) rose relatively strongly in the provinces of South Holland and Zeeland. Investment in this category was highest in the agglomeration of The Hague (25 percent). Outside these two provinces, the IJmond region had the highest growth rate (16 percent).

Paul Mangoenkarso