CATEGORIES
◆ COMMUNICATIONS(10 fields)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
6
Internet country code
.an
Internet users
2,000 (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
217,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
76,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular
13,977 (1996)
Television broadcast stations
3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)
Televisions
69,000 (1997)
◆ ECONOMY(32 fields)
Agriculture - products
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Budget
revenues: $710.8 million expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
Currency
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code
ANG
Debt - external
$1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid - recipient
IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million
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 slightly in each of the past five years, 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, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
Electricity - consumption
1.032 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - production
1.11 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)
Exchange rates
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Exports
$276 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities
petroleum products
Exports - partners
US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.)
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
-3.5% (2000 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners
Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998)
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 prices)
6.4% (2000 est.)
Labor force
89,000
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
14.9% (1998 est.)
◆ GEOGRAPHY(16 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
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; 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 and 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(20 fields)
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government
Capital
Willemstad
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 former: Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, 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 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 8 November 1999); Deputy Prime Minister Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER (since NA) note: Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten 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 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
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, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate)
Judicial branch
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the 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, PLKP 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; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
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
Political parties and leaders
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; 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 People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramon 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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
◆ INTRODUCTION(1 fields)
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 Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe.
◆ MILITARY(6 fields)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches
Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower - availability
males age 15-49: 54,284 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service
males age 15-49: 30,405 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age
20 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually
males: 1,610 (2001 est.)
◆ PEOPLE(18 fields)
Age structure
0-14 years: 25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169) 15-64 years: 66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.)
Birth rate
16.55 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Death rate
6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Ethnic groups
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA%
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Languages
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 74.94 years male: 72.76 years female: 77.22 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1981 est.)
Nationality
noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean
Net migration rate
-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Population
212,226 (July 2001 est.)
Population growth rate
0.97% (2001 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: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Total fertility rate
2.07 children born/woman (2001 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
◆ TRANSPORTATION(7 fields)
Airports
5 (2000 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 (2000 est.)
Highways
total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992)
Merchant marine
total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.)
Ports and harbors
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none