Edition 2005 — Netherlands

Administrative divisions

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 24.2% (male 27,302/female 26,002) 15-64 years: 67.3% (male 70,838/female 77,148) 65 years and over: 8.5% (male 7,673/female 10,995) (2005 est.)

Agriculture - products

aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Airports

5 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 2038 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) Military Netherlands Antilles

Area

land: 960 sq km
total: 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

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). Geography Netherlands Antilles

Birth rate

15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $710.8 million

Capital

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

Climate

tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Coastline

364 km

Constitution

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

Country name

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

Currency (code)

Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code

ANG

Death rate

6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$1.35 billion (1996)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
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)

Disputes - international

none

Economic aid - recipient

IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000)

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.

Electricity - consumption

934.3 million kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

1.005 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

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

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Exchange rates

Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
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
head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)

Exports

$1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Netherlands Antilles

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 Economy Netherlands Antilles

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

0.5% (2003 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.45 billion (2003 est.)

Geographic coordinates

12 15 N, 68 45 W

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) People Netherlands Antilles

Government type

parliamentary

Highways

paved: 300 km
total: 600 km
unpaved: 300 km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center This page was last updated on 20 October, 2005 ======================================================================

Imports

$2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners

Venezuela 51.1%, US 21.9%, Netherlands 5% (2004)

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Infant mortality rate

female: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
male: 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 10.03 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2003 est.)

International organization participation

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)

Internet country code

.an

Internet hosts

119 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

6

Internet users

2,000 (2000) Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Judicial branch

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

Labor force

89,000 (2000)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 10%
other: 90% (2001)
permanent crops: 0%

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)

Legal system

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

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)
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
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)

Life expectancy at birth

female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)
male: 73.58 years
total population: 75.83 years

Literacy

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

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

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.)

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm

Median age

female: 34.01 years (2005 est.)
male: 30.86 years
total: 32.46 years

Merchant marine

by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 23, cargo 72, chemical tanker 2, container 21, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 2
foreign-owned: 158 (Belgium 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Hong Kong 3, Netherlands 71, Peru 1, Sweden 9, Turkey 7, United Kingdom 2, United States 1) (2005)
total: 168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Military branches

National Guard, Police Force

Military service age and obligation

16 years of age for military recruitment; no conscription (July 2002)

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

Nationality

adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)

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)

Net migration rate

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Population

219,958 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Population growth rate

0.82% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

Radio broadcast stations

AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios

217,000 (1997)

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)

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 (2005 est.)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

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

Telephones - main lines in use

81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular