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NAVIGATION
Netherlands Antilles
Nederlandse Antillen
GOVERNMENT
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none former: Curacao and Dependencies local short form: Nederlandse Antillen |
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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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Government type:
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parliamentary |
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Capital:
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Willemstad |
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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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Independence:
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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
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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 Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1 July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Etienne YS (since 3 June 2002) 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 - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten |
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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)
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 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) |
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Judicial branch:
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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), CCC, 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 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 |
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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 |
ECONOMY
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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 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. |
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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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5.8% (2000 est.) |
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Labor force:
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89,000 |
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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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15% (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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1.175 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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1.093 billion kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2000) |
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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 35.9%, Guatemala 9.4%, Venezuela 8.7%, France 5.4%, Singapore 2.8% (2000) |
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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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US 25.8%, Mexico 20.7%, Gabon 6.6%, Italy 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5% (2000) |
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Debt - external:
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$1.35 billion (1996) (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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Currency code:
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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 |