Wordnet 3.0
NOUN (1)
1.
a group of islands in the Lesser Antilles just to the north of Venezuela that are administered by The Netherlands;
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Netherlands Antilles
n 1: a group of islands in the Lesser Antilles just to the north
of Venezuela that are administered by The Netherlands
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Netherlands Antilles
Introduction Netherlands Antilles
---------------------------------
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 northern portion is
named Saint-Martin and is part of
Guadeloupe, and its southern portion
is named Sint Maarten and is part of
the Netherlands Antilles.
Geography Netherlands Antilles
------------------------------
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
Geographic coordinates: 12 15 N, 68 45 W
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Area: total: 960 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao,
Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
Maarten (Dutch part of the island of
Saint Martin)
water: 0 sq km
land: 960 sq km
Area - comparative: more than five times the size of
Washington, DC
Land boundaries: total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint
Martin) 10.2 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast
trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt
(Bonaire only)
Land use: arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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
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)
People Netherlands Antilles
---------------------------
Population: 214,258 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 27,351; female
26,135)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 68,431;
female 75,312)
65 years and over: 7.9% (male 7,049;
female 9,980) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.93% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 16.16 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 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 (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.15 years
female: 77.46 years (2002 est.)
male: 72.96 years
Total fertility rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean
Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian,
white, East Asian
Religions: Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish,
Seventh-Day Adventist
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a
Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English
dialect) predominates, English
widely spoken, Spanish
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1981 est.)
Government Netherlands Antilles
-------------------------------
Country name: conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands
Antilles
local long form: none
former: Curacao and Dependencies
local short form: Nederlandse
Antillen
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
Government type: parliamentary
Capital: Willemstad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)
note: each island has its own
government
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)
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
Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the
Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system,
with some English common law
influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
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)
cabinet: Council of Ministers
elected by the Staten
note: government coalition - PDB,
DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
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: Miguel POURIER became prime
minister following the resignation
of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER
Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22
seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year
terms)
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
elections: last held 18 January 2002
(next to be held NA 2006)
election results: percent of vote by
party - NA%; seats by party - FOL 5,
PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB
2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1, WIPM 1
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges
appointed by the monarch)
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 NA
leaders:
International organization Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC
participation: (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO
(associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of
the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Consul General
US: Deborah A. BOLTON
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: 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: 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 in each of
the past five 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.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.4
billion (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -3.5% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,400
(2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 5.8% (2000 est.)
Labor force: 89,000
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 1%, industry 13%,
services 86% (1994 est.)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million,
including capital expenditures of
$NA (1997 est.)
Industries: tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and
Bonaire), petroleum refining
(Curacao), petroleum transshipment
facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
light manufacturing (Curacao)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity - production: 1.175 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 1.093 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables,
tropical fruit
Exports: $276 million (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities: petroleum products
Exports - partners: US 35.9%, Guatemala 9.4%, Venezuela
8.7%, France 5.4%, Singapore 2.8%
(2000)
Imports: $1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners: US 25.8%, Mexico 20.7%, Gabon 6.6%,
Italy 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5% (2000)
Debt - external: $1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid - recipient: IMF provided $61 million in 2000,
and the Netherlands continued its
support with $40 million
Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Currency code: ANG
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders per
US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since
1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Netherlands Antilles
-----------------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 76,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 13,977 (1996)
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios: 217,000 (1997)
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)
Internet country code: .an
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 6
Internet users: 2,000 (2000)
Transportation Netherlands Antilles
-----------------------------------
Railways: 0 km (2002)
Highways: total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km (1992)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine: total: 123 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 1,056,362 GRT/1,341,735 DWT
ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 39,
chemical tanker 2, combination ore/
oil 4, container 24, liquefied gas
5, multi-functional large-load
carrier 15, passenger 1,
refrigerated cargo 24, roll on/roll
off 7
note: includes foreign-owned ships
registered here as a flag of
convenience: Belgium 3, Denmark 2,
Germany 43, Monaco 8, Netherlands
52, New Zealand 1, Norway 3, Peru 1,
Spain 1, Sweden 3, United Kingdom 5
(2002 est.)
Airports: 5 (2001)
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 (2001)
Military Netherlands Antilles
-----------------------------
Military branches: no regular indigenous military
forces; Royal Netherlands Navy,
Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air
Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 54,752 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 30,642 (2002 est.)
service:
Military manpower - reaching males: 1,610 (2002 est.)
military age annually:
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles
-----------------------------------------
Disputes - international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center;
transshipment point for South
American drugs bound for the US and
Europe