1982 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1982 (Wikisource)
Geography
Area
1,020 km2; 5% arable, 95% waste, urban, or other WATER
Coastline
364 km
Limits of territorial waters (claimed)
3 nm, fishing 200 nm
People and Society
Ethnic divisions
racial mixture with African, Caribbean Indian, European, Latin, and oriental influences; Negroid characteristics are dominant on Curaçao, Indian on Aruba
Labor force
83,000 (1977); 2% agriculture, 20% industry, 10% construction, 65% government and services, 3% other; unemployment 20% (1977)
Language
Dutch official; Papiamento, a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates; English widely spoken
Literacy
95%
Nationality
noun—Netherlands Antillean(s); adjective—Netherlands Antillean
Organized labor
60%-70% of labor force
Population
247,000 (July 1982), average annual growth rate 1.0%
Religion
predominantly Roman Catholic; sizable Protestant, smaller Jewish minorities
Government
Aruba
People's Electoral Movement (MEP), G. F. "Betico" Croes; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), L. O. Chance; Aruban People's Party (AVP), D. G. Croes Bonaire: Labor Party (POB); Democratic Party Bonaire (UPB); New Democratic Action (ADEN)
Branches
federal executive power rests nominally with Governor (appointed by the Crown), actual power exercised by eight-member Council of Ministers or cabinet presided over by Minister-President; legislative power rests with 22-member Legislative Council; independent court system under control of Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Justice (administrative functions under Minister of Justice); each island territory has island council headed by Lieutenant Governor
Capital
Willemstad, Curaçao
Communists
no Communist party
Elections
Federal elections mandatorily held every four years, last regular held 17 June 1977 (early elections were held 6 July 1979); island council elections every 4 years, last held 25 April 1979 Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to each island: Curaçao: Movement for a New Antilles (MAN), Domenico Felip Martina; Democratic Party (DP), S. G. M. Rozendal; National People's Party-United (NVP-U) Edsel Jenerun; Frente Obrero de Liberation 30 di Mayo (FOL), Wilson "Papa" Godett; Social Democratic Party (PSD), R. J. Isa
Government leaders
Prime Minister Domenico Felip MARTINA (leader of Movement for a New Antilles) won election on 6 July 1979; Governor Bernardito M. LEITO; in September 1981 Aruba s People's Electoral Party (MEP), led by Gilberto "Betico" Croes, pulled out of the governing coalition demanding independence; talks are being held with the Netherlands on the future status of the Antilles
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence; constitution adopted 1954
Member of
EC (associate), FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMCO, IMF, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Official name
Netherlands Antilles
Political subdivisions
four island territories—Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and the Windward Islands — St. Eustatius, southern part of St. Martin (northern part is French), Saba
Suffrage
universal age 18 and over
Type
territory within Kingdom of the Netherlands, enjoying complete domestic autonomy
Voting strength
(1977 federal election) 6 seats DP, 5 seats MEP, 3 seats FOL, 3 seats NVP, 3 seats PPA, 1 seat DPWI, 1 seat UPB
Windward Islands
Windward Islands Democratic Party (DPWI); United Federation of Antillean Workers (UFA); Windward Islands Political Movement (W1PM); and others
Economy
Agriculture
little production
Aid
bilateral ODA and OOF commitments (1970-79), economic—Western (non-US) countries $353 million
Budget
(1977) public sector current revenues, $278 million; public sector expenditures, $306 million
Electric power
310,000 kW capacity (1981); 1.8 billion kWh produced (1981), 7,346 kWh per capita
Exports
$2.6 billion (f.o.b., 1977); 96% petroleum products, phosphate
Fiscal year
calendar year
GNP
$652 million (1976), $2,680 per capita; real growth rate, -l%(est)
Imports
$3.1 billion (c.i.f., 1977); 64% crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Major industries
petroleum refining on Curaçao and Aruba; petroleum transshipment facilities on Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire; tourism on Curaçao, Aruba, and St. Martin; light manufacturing on Curaçao and Aruba
Major trade partners
exports—46% US, 2% Canada, 1% Netherlands; imports—35% Venezuela, 11% US, 4% Netherlands (1977)
Monetary conversion rate
1.8 Netherlands Antillean florins (NAF)=US$1, official
Communications
Airfields
7 total, all usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m, 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Civil air
10 major transport aircraft, including 3 leased in
Highways
950 km total; 300 km paved, 650 km gravel and earth
Ports
4 major (Willemstad, Oranjestad, Caracasbaai, Bullennbaai); 6 minor
Railroads
none
Telecommunications
generally adequate telecom facilities; extensive interisland radio-relay links; 53,000 telephones (21.1 per 100 popl.); 11 AM, 2 FM and 5 TV stations; 2 submarine cables; 1 Atlantic Ocean satellite station
Military and Security
Military manpower
males 15-49, 60,000; 35,000 fit for military service; about 2,600 reach military age (20) annually Defense is responsibility of the Netherlands