Netherlands Antilles

§1. Netherlands Antilles Introduction

Background:
  Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao was
  hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of
  neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the
  construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan
  oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is shared with France; its southern
  portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its
  northern portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

§2. Netherlands Antilles Geography

Location:
  Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five
  islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and St.
  Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
  12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
  Central_America_and_the_Caribbean

Area:
  total: 960 km²
  land: 960 km²
  water: 0 km²
  note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten
    (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:
  more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
  total: 10.2 km
  border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 10.2 km

Coastline:
  364 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
  tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
  generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:
  lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
  highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:
  phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:
  arable land: 10%
  permanent crops: 0%
  other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  NA km²

Natural hazards:
  Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely
  threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to
  hurricanes from July to October

Environment - current issues:
  NA

Geography - note:
  the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided geographically
  into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
  Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao)

§3. Netherlands Antilles People

Population:
  221,736 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)
  15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)
  65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)

Median age:
  total: 32.8 years
  male: 31.1 years
  female: 34.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
  0.79% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
  total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 76.03 years
  male: 73.76 years
  female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  NA

Nationality:
  noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
  adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
  mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
  Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day
  Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian
  4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census)

Languages:
  Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English
  15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%,
  other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
  definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  total population: 96.7%
  male: 96.7%
  female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

§4. Netherlands Antilles Government

Country name:
  conventional long form: none
  conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
  local long form: none
  local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
  former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:
  an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy
  in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for
  defense and foreign affairs

Government type:
  parliamentary

Capital:
  Willemstad; note - located on Curacao, the largest of the islands

Administrative divisions:
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
  note: each island has its own government

Independence:
  none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

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:
  29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended

Legal system:
  based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Suffrage:
  18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
  chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980),
    represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
  head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
  cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
  elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the
    monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections, the leader
    of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the Staten;
    election last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held by NA 2006)
  note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire,
    WIPM Saba, DP Statia

Legislative branch:
  unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten
  3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve
  four-year terms)
  elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
  election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PAR 4,
    PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP
  note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of several
    parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led government
    on 4 April 2004

Judicial branch:
  Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
  Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; C 93 [Stanley BROWN];
  Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Democratic Party of
  Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or
  DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M
  [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Foundation Energetic Management Anti- Narcotics
  or FAME [Eric LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol
  COVA]; National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP
  [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth
  GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UP Bonaire [Ramonsito BOOI];
  Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's
  Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS];
  Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen
  SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious
  Alternative People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause
  or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
  JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK,
  Editha WRIGHT]
  note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO
  (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey
  CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom
  of the Netherlands

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
  consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
  mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
  telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
  FAX: [599] (9) 4616489

Flag description:
  white, with a horizontal blue stripe in the center superimposed on a
  vertical red band, also centered; five white, five-pointed stars are
  arranged in an oval pattern in the center of the blue band; the five stars
  represent the five main islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius,
  and Sint Maarten

§5. Netherlands Antilles Economy

Economy - overview:
  Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this
  small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP has
  declined or grown slightly in each of the past eight years, the islands
  enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared
  with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods
  are imported, the US and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and
  inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary
  problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging
  population.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
  $2.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $16,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 1%
  industry: 15%
  services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
  83,600 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
  agriculture 1%, industry 20%, services 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  17% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA%
  highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  2.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
  revenues: $757.9 million
  expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)

Agriculture - products:
  aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:
  tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao),
  petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light
  manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
  NA%

Electricity - production:
  1.017 billion kWh (2003)

Electricity - consumption:
  945.8 million kWh (2003)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2003)

Oil - production:
  0 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption:
  72,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - exports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Natural gas - production:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  0 m³ (2003 est.)

Exports:
  $2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum products

Exports - partners:
  US 20.4%, Panama 11.2%, Guatemala 8.8%, Haiti 7.1%, Bahamas, The 5.6%,
  Honduras 4.2% (2004)

Imports:
  $4.383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
  crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
  Venezuela 51.1%, US 21.9%, Netherlands 5% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $2.68 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
  IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support
  with $40 million (2000)

Currency (code):
  Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Exchange rates:
  Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004),
  1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Netherlands Antilles Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  200,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
  general assessment: generally adequate facilities
  domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
  international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite earth
    stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
  AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Television broadcast stations:
  3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from
  various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004)

Internet country code:
  .an

Internet hosts:
  1,385 (2005)

Internet users:
  2,000 (2000)

§7. Netherlands Antilles Transportation

Airports:
  5 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 5
  over 3,047 m: 1
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1
  under 914 m: 1 (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 161 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,338,891 GRT/1,704,829 DWT
  by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 4, cargo 84, chemical tanker 2,
    container 15, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 4,
    refrigerated cargo 33, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 4
  foreign-owned: 150 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Estonia 1, Germany 52,
    Netherlands 69, Norway 2, Sweden 9, Turkey 8, UK 2, US 1)
  registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

§8. Netherlands Antilles Military

Military branches:
  no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2002)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 16-49: 54,200 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 16-49: 45,273 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 1,720 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
  defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

§9. Netherlands Antilles Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  none

Illicit drugs:
  transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe;
  money-laundering center


<Factbook 2006>
