CATEGORIES
◆ ECONOMY(28 fields)
Agriculture-products
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Budget
revenues: $277 million expenditures: $322 million, including capital expenditures of $14 million (1996 est.)
Currency
1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents
Debt-external
$1.95 billion (December 1995)
Economic aid
recipient: ODA, $NA; the Netherlands Antilles received a $97 million Dutch aid package in 1996, making it the Netherlands' second largest aid recipient behind India
Economy-overview
Tourism, petroleum transshipment, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela and the US being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
Electricity-capacity
200,000 kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
4,128 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
840 million kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1 - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Exports
total value: $NA commodities: petroleum products 98% (1993) partners: US 39%, Brazil 9%, Colombia 6% (1993)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$2.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$11,500 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
-1.3% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $1.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.) commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures (1993) partners: Venezuela 26%, US 18%, Colombia 6%, Netherlands 6%, Japan 5% (1993)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Inflation rate-consumer price index
3.6% (1997)
Labor force
total: 89,000 by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios
205,000 (1992 est.)
Telephone system
generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones
NA
Television broadcast stations
1
Televisions
64,000 (1992 est.)
Unemployment rate
12.8% (1993)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(17 fields)
Area
total: 960 sq km land: 960 sq km water: 0 sq km 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
Climate
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline
364 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Environment-current issues
NA
Environment-international agreements
party to: Whaling (extended from Netherlands) signed, but not ratified: NA
Geographic coordinates
12 15 N, 68 45 W
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Land boundaries
total: 10.2 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90% (1993 est.)
Location
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea-one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela and the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Natural resources
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Terrain
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
◆ GOVERNMENT(24 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government
Bonaire
Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), Jopi ABRAHAM; Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS
Constitution
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
Curacao
Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), Miguel POURIER; National People's Party (PNP), Suzy ROMER; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Don MARTINA; Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson GODETT, Jr.; Socialist Independent (SI), George HUECK; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Frank MAYNARD; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA; Social Action Cause (KAS), Benny DEMEI; Labor Party People's Crusade (PLKP), Errol COVA; Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics (FAME), Eric LODEWIJKS; Pro Curacao Party (PPK), Winston LOURENS; C 93, Stanley BROWN; People's Party (PAPU), Richard HODI
Data code
NT
Dependency status
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS consulate(s) general: J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989) head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 25 February 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; governor general appointed by the queen 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 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
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
Government type
parliamentary
Independence
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
International organization participation
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO (associate)
Judicial branch
Joint High Court of Justice, are appointed by the Netherlands monarch
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party-PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PKLP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St.M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties
National capital
Willemstad
National holiday
Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Saba
Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Ray HASSELL; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Steve HASSELL; Saba Unity Party, Carmen SIMMONDS
Sint Eustatius
Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St. E), Julian WOODLEY; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM); St. Eustatius Alliance (SEA), Ingrid WHITFIELD
Sint Maarten
Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St. M), Sarah WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPA), William MARLIN; Serious Alternative People's Party (SAPP) Julian ROLLOCKS note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ MILITARY(6 fields)
Military branches
Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 52,845 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-fit for military service
males: 29,664 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
20 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 1,456 (1998 est.)
Military-note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
◆ PEOPLE(15 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 26% (male 27,001; female 26,091) 15-64 years: 67% (male 64,964; female 72,329) 65 years and over: 7% (male 6,393; female 8,915) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
17.61 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
6.63 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Infant mortality rate
12.95 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Dutch (official), Papiamento, a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.05 years male: 71.99 years female: 76.2 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1981 est.)
Nationality
noun: Netherlands Antillean(s) adjective: Netherlands Antillean
Net migration rate
-0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
205,693 (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
1.06% (1998 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.11 children born/woman (1998 est.)
◆ TRANSNATIONAL ISSUES(2 fields)
Disputes-international
none
Illicit drugs
money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe NEW CALEDONIA (overseas territory of France)
◆ TRANSPORTATION(6 fields)
Airports
5 (1997 est.)
Airports-with paved runways
total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 97 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 894,479 GRT/1,230,865 DWT ships by type: bulk 4, cargo 32, chemical tanker 1, container 5, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load carrier 19, oil tanker 6, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 17, roll-on/roll-off cargo 8 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1997 est.)
Ports and harbors
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Railways
0 km