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1. WordNet® 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

2. 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
  
                                       



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