2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (Project Gutenberg)
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, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France.
Geography
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
Bonaire
12 12 N, 68 15 W
Climate
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline
364 km
Curacao
12 10 N, 69 00 W
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
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); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the world shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten
Irrigated land
NA
Land boundaries
total: 15 km border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
Land use
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2005)
Location
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Natural hazards
Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October; Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt and are rarely threatened
Natural resources
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Saba
17 38 N, 63 14 W
Sint Eustatius
17 30 N, 62 58 W
Sint Maarten
18 04 N, 63 04 W
Terrain
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 23.2% (male 26,749/female 25,467) 15-64 years: 67.5% (male 73,319/female 78,842) 65 years and over: 9.3% (male 8,541/female 12,451) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
14.37 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
6.43 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
NA
Ethnic groups
mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes 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
total: 9.36 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.04 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
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)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.45 years male: 74.15 years female: 78.87 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 96.7% male: 96.7% female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
Median age
total: 33.4 years male: 31.6 years female: 35.2 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean
Net migration rate
-0.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
225,369 (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
0.754% (2008 est.)
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)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years male: 14 years female: 15 years (2002)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.98 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government
Bonaire
Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]
Capital
name: Willemstad (on Curacao) geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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
Curacao
Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
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, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
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
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 Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006) 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 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2010) note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E
FAX
[599] (9) 461-6489
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), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO
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, 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 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP-St. E 1, DP-St. M 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1 note: the government is a coalition of several parties
National holiday
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Political pressure groups and leaders
Employers Association (VBC); Unions (AVBO)
Saba
Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]
Sint Eustatius
Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]
Sint Maarten
Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON] note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Budget
revenues: $757.9 million expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
Central bank discount rate
NA (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
9.21% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code
ANG
Debt - external
$2.68 billion (2004)
Economic aid - recipient
$21.32 million (2004)
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. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, the US, Italy, 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. The Netherlands provides financial aid to support the economy.
Electricity - consumption
992 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
1.195 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Exports
$3.71 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Exports - commodities
petroleum products
Exports - partners
US 18.9%, Mexico 13.3%, Panama 11.4%, Singapore 6.9%, Haiti 6.6%, Bahamas, The 5.3% (2007)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$16,000 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
1% (2004 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$NA
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.8 billion (2004 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$15.74 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners
Venezuela 59.1%, US 17.7%, Brazil 7.1% (2007)
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)
2.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force
83,600 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares
$488.6 billion (2003)
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)
Oil - consumption
67,450 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
206,900 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports
277,600 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
0 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad
$NA
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home
$NA
Stock of domestic credit
$2.927 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
$1.133 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$2.309 billion (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
17% (2002 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.an
Internet hosts
47,597 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
6
Internet users
2,000 (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003)
Radios
217,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: country code - 599; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use
81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular
200,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations
3 (there is also a cable service that supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003)
Televisions
69,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
5 (2007)
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 (2007)
Merchant marine
total: 147 by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 2, cargo 72, carrier 19, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 27, roll on/roll off 6, specialized tanker 3 foreign-owned: 123 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Cyprus 21, Denmark 2, Germany 43, Hong Kong 2, Netherlands 38, Norway 3, Sweden 1, Turkey 10, US 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals
Bopec Terminal, Willemstad
Roadways
total: 845
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 55,365 females age 16-49: 57,060 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 46,102 females age 16-49: 47,219 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 1,855 female: 1,760 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches
no regular military forces; National Guard (2008)
Military service age and obligation
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription (2004)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008