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  Geography
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In general, information available as of 1 January, 2004
was used in the preparation of The World Factbook 2004.


This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005


Map of Netherlands Antilles

Legend: DefinitionDefinition Field ListingField Listing Rank OrderRank Order
   Introduction    Netherlands Antilles
Background:
Definition Field Listing
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.
   Geography    Netherlands Antilles
Location:
Definition Field Listing
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands
Geographic coordinates:
Definition Field Listing
12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references:
Definition Field Listing
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
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:
Definition Field Listing
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
Definition Field Listing
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
Coastline:
Definition Field Listing
364 km
Maritime claims:
Definition Field Listing
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate:
Definition Field Listing
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain:
Definition Field Listing
generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes:
Definition Field Listing
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources:
Definition Field Listing
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use:
Definition Field Listing
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2001)
Irrigated land:
Definition Field Listing
NA sq km
Natural hazards:
Definition Field Listing
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
Environment - current issues:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Geography - note:
Definition Field Listing
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
Population:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
218,126 (July 2004 est.)
Age structure:
Definition Field Listing
0-14 years: 24.5% (male 27,387; female 26,094)
15-64 years: 67.2% (male 70,024; female 76,552)
65 years and over: 8.3% (male 7,443; female 10,626) (2004 est.)
Median age:
Definition Field Listing
total: 32.1 years
male: 30.6 years
female: 33.6 years (2004 est.)
Population growth rate:
Definition Field Listing
0.86% (2004 est.)
Birth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Death rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Net migration rate:
Definition Field Listing
-0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Sex ratio:
Definition Field Listing
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 (2004 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 10.37 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total population: 75.6 years
male: 73.37 years
female: 77.95 years (2004 est.)
Total fertility rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.02 children born/woman (2004 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Nationality:
Definition Field Listing
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean
Ethnic groups:
Definition Field Listing
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Religions:
Definition Field Listing
Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages:
Definition Field Listing
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish
Literacy:
Definition Field Listing
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
   Government    Netherlands Antilles
Country name:
Definition Field Listing
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
former: Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status:
Definition Field Listing
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Government type:
Definition Field Listing
parliamentary
Capital:
Definition Field Listing
Willemstad
Administrative divisions:
Definition Field Listing
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government
Independence:
Definition Field Listing
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday:
Definition Field Listing
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
Constitution:
Definition Field Listing
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system:
Definition Field Listing
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Suffrage:
Definition Field Listing
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 Etienne YS (since 3 June 2004)
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 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
Legislative branch:
Definition Field Listing
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 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)
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
Judicial branch:
Definition Field Listing
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Definition Field Listing
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 UPB [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:
Definition Field Listing
NA
International organization participation:
Definition Field Listing
Caricom (observer), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Definition Field Listing
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
Definition Field Listing
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Flag description:
Definition Field Listing
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
Economy - overview:
Definition Field Listing
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 seven 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.
GDP:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $2.45 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line:
Definition Field Listing
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Definition Field Listing
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2.1% (2003 est.)
Labor force:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
89,000 (2000)
Labor force - by occupation:
Definition Field Listing
agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.)
Unemployment rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
15.6% (2002 est.)
Budget:
Definition Field Listing
revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997 est.)
Agriculture - products:
Definition Field Listing
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Industries:
Definition Field Listing
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA
Electricity - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
1.061 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
986.8 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports:
Definition Field Listing
0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
0 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
72,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Oil - imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
NA (2001)
Exports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.579 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Exports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
petroleum products
Exports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
US 21.3%, Venezuela 16%, Bahamas, The 7.6%, Singapore 5.2%, Honduras 4.9%, Guatemala 4.4% (2003)
Imports:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$2.233 billion f.o.b. (2002)
Imports - commodities:
Definition Field Listing
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners:
Definition Field Listing
Venezuela 64.8%, US 13.6%, Netherlands 7.8% (2003)
Debt - external:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
$1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid - recipient:
Definition Field Listing
IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000)
Currency:
Definition Field Listing
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code:
Definition Field Listing
ANG
Exchange rates:
Definition Field Listing
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)
Fiscal year:
Definition Field Listing
calendar year
   Communications    Netherlands Antilles
Telephones - main lines in use:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
81,000 (2001)
Telephone system:
Definition Field Listing
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)
Television broadcast stations:
Definition Field Listing
3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004)
Internet country code:
Definition Field Listing
.an
Internet hosts:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
119 (2001)
Internet users:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
2,000 (2000)
   Transportation    Netherlands Antilles
Highways:
Definition Field Listing Rank Order
total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km
Ports and harbors:
Definition Field Listing
Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine:
Definition Field Listing
total: 162 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT
by type: bulk 4, cargo 59, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 28, liquefied gas 6, multi-functional large load carrier 22, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: Belgium 3, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Monaco 4, Netherlands 70, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 5, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 6
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
Airports:
Definition Field Listing
5 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
Definition Field Listing
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
Military branches:
Definition Field Listing
National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower - military age and obligation:
Definition Field Listing
16 years of age for military recruitment; no conscription (July 2002)
Military manpower - availability:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 55,536 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Definition Field Listing
males age 15-49: 31,025 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Definition Field Listing
males: 1,660 (2004 est.)
Military - note:
Definition Field Listing
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
   Transnational Issues    Netherlands Antilles
Disputes - international:
Definition Field Listing
none
Illicit drugs:
Definition Field Listing
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 27 January, 2005


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