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Bargain Plates
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 1990-1992
Passenger Car
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Background:
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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 Sint Maarten is shared with France; its northern portion
is named Saint Martin and is part of Guadeloupe. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, two island groups
in the Caribbean Sea - one includes Curacao and Bonaire north of
Venezuela; the other is east of the Virgin Islands
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 15 N, 68 45 W
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Map references:
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Central America and the
Caribbean
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Area:
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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) |
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Area - comparative:
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more than five times the
size of Washington, DC
|
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Land boundaries:
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total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive fishing zone:
12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
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Climate:
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tropical; ameliorated by
northeast trade winds
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Terrain:
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generally hilly, volcanic
interiors
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
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Natural resources:
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phosphates (Curacao only),
salt (Bonaire only)
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Land use:
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arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 90% (1993 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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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
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Environment - current
issues:
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NA
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Population:
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212,226 (July 2001 est.)
|
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Age structure:
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0-14 years:
25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169)
15-64 years: 66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599)
65 years and over: 7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001
est.)
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Population growth rate:
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0.97% (2001 est.)
|
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Birth rate:
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16.55 births/1,000
population (2001 est.)
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Death rate:
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6.41 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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-0.42 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.)
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.05
male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 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 (2001 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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11.4 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population:
74.94 years
male: 72.76 years
female: 77.22 years (2001 est.)
|
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Total fertility rate:
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2.07 children born/woman
(2001 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult
prevalence rate:
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NA
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HIV/AIDS - people living
with HIV/AIDS:
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NA
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Nationality:
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noun: Dutch
Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean
|
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed black 85%, Carib
Amerindian, white, East Asian
|
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic, Protestant,
Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist |
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Languages:
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Dutch (official), Papiamento
(a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English
widely spoken, Spanish
|
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Literacy:
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definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1981 est.) |
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Country name:
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conventional long form:
none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
former: Curacao and Dependencies
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Government type:
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parliamentary
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Dependency status:
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part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch
Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
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Administrative divisions:
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none (part of the Kingdom of
the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government |
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National holiday:
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Queen's Day (Birthday of
Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession to the throne of her oldest
daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
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Constitution:
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29 December 1954, Statute of
the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
|
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Legal system:
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based on Dutch civil law system, with some
English common law influence
|
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal
|
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Executive branch:
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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)
note: Miguel POURIER assumed prime ministership following
the resignation of Susanne CAMELIA-ROMER
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
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 30 January 1998 (next to be
held by NA 2002)
note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral States or Staten
(22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA
2002)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by
party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1,
DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government
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 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Joint High Court of Justice
(judges appointed by the monarch) |
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Political parties and
leaders:
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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
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Political pressure groups
and leaders:
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NA
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International
organization participation:
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Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO
(associate) |
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Diplomatic representation
in the US:
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none (represented by the
Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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Diplomatic representation
from the US:
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chief of mission:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON
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
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 slightly in
each of the past five years, the islands enjoy a high per capita income
and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in
the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with
Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and
inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity -
$2.4 billion (2000 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-3.5% (2000 est.)
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity -
$11,400 (2000 est.) |
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GDP - composition by
sector:
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agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (1996 est.)
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Population below poverty
line:
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NA%
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Household income or
consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
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Inflation rate (consumer
prices):
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6.4% (2000 est.)
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Labor force - by
occupation:
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agriculture 1%, industry
13%, services 86% (1994 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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14.9% (1998 est.)
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Budget:
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revenues:
$710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital
expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
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Industries:
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tourism (Curacao, Sint
Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum
transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing
(Curacao)
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Industrial production
growth rate:
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NA%
|
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Electricity - production:
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1.11 billion kWh (1999)
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Electricity - production
by source:
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fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
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Electricity -
consumption:
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1.032 billion kWh (1999)
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (1999)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (1999)
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Agriculture - products:
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aloes, sorghum, peanuts,
vegetables, tropical fruit
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Exports:
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$276 million (f.o.b., 2000)
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Exports - commodities:
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petroleum products
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Exports - partners:
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US 17.5%, Guatemala 8%,
Costa Rica 6.5%, The Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998)
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Imports:
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$1.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
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Imports - commodities:
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crude petroleum, food,
manufactures
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Imports - partners:
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Venezuela 35.3%, US 21%,
Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998)
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Debt - external:
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$1.35 billion (1996)
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Economic aid - recipient:
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IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the
Netherlands continued its support with $40 million
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Currency:
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Netherlands Antillean
guilder (ANG)
|
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Exchange rates:
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Netherlands Antillean
guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
|
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines
in use:
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76,000 (1995)
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Telephones - mobile
cellular:
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13,977 (1996)
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Telephone system:
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general assessment:
generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: submarine cables - 2; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0
(1998)
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Television broadcast
stations:
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3 (there is also a cable
service which supplies programs received from various US satellite
networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997)
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Televisions:
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69,000 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.an
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Internet Service
Providers (ISPs):
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6
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Internet users:
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2,000 (2000) |
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Highways:
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total: 600 km
paved: 300 km
unpaved: 300 km (1992)
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Ports and harbors:
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Kralendijk, Philipsburg,
Willemstad
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Merchant marine:
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total: 123 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,113,774 GRT/1,397,841 DWT
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 35, chemical tanker 2,
combination ore/oil 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, multi-functional
large-load carrier 19, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 4, refrigerated
cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: Belgium 8, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.) |
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Airports - with paved
runways:
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total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)
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Military branches:
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Royal Netherlands Navy,
Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police Force
|
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Military manpower -
military age:
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20 years of age
|
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Military manpower -
availability:
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males age 15-49:
54,284 (2001 est.)
|
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Military manpower - fit
for military service:
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males age 15-49:
30,405 (2001 est.)
|
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Military manpower -
reaching military age annually:
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males: 1,610
(2001 est.)
|
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands
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Disputes - international:
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none
|
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Illicit drugs:
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money-laundering center;
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe |
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Designed By
Jack
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