| Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs October 2004 Background Note: Netherlands Antilles Flag of Netherlands Antilles is 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. PROFILE OFFICIAL NAME: Netherlands Antilles Geography Area: 960 sq. km. (597 sq. mi.); more than five times the size of Washington, DC; five islands divided geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern) group (Bonaire and Curacao). Cities: CapitalWillemstad (metropolitan pop. 140,000, 1992). Islands: Curacao (pop. 125,600, 2002) Sint Maarten (40,000), Bonaire (10,000), Sint Eustatius (1,500), Saba (1,000). Terrain: Generally hilly, volcanic interiors. Climate: Tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds. People Nationality: Noun and adjectiveDutch Antillean(s). Population (2002): 125,599. Annual growth rate (2002): -0.01%. 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 is widely spoken, Spanish. Education: Literacy96.4% Curacao; 96.3% Netherlands Antilles (2001). Health (1999 est.): Infant mortality rate (2002 est.)7.38 deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancyfemale, 77.46 yrs. (2001); male, 72.96 yrs. Work force (56,549, 2002): Agriculture1%; industry8%; services91%. Government Type: Parliamentary. Independence: Part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Constitution: December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended. Branches: Executivemonarch represented by a governor (chief of state), prime minister (head of government), Cabinet. Legislativeunicameral parliament. JudicialJoint High Court of Justice appointed by the monarch. Subdivisions are by island: Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Curacao. Political parties: Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), C 93, Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St. E), Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St. M), Labor Party People's Crusade (PLKP), National People's Party (PNP), New Antilles Movement (MAN), Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), National Progressive Party (NPP), Saba United Democratic Party, Saba Labor Party, St. Eustatius Alliance (SEA), Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM), Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Democratic Party Statia, St. Eustatius Action Movement, Progressive Labor Party Statia, ORDU, People's Progressive Alliance (PPA), and others. Suffrage: Universal at 18. Economy (2002) GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.0 billion. Real growth rate: 0.7%. GDP per capita: $15,959. Natural resources: Beaches. Tourism/services (84% of GDP): Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire. Industry (15% of GDP): Typespetroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao). Agriculture (1% of GDP): Productsaloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit. Trade: Exports ($355 million, 2002)petroleum products. Major marketsU.S. 24%, Venezuela 15%, Guatemala 10%, Singapore 6%. Imports ($2.82 billion f.o.b. 2001)machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil (for refining and re-export), chemicals, foodstuffs. Major suppliersVenezuela 59.8%, U.S. 12.55%. Exchange rate (2003): U.S.$1=1.78 ANG. PEOPLE AND HISTORY Curaçao The Arawaks are recognized as the first human civilization to inhabit the Netherlands Antilles. A Spanish expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda discovered the island of Curaçao for Spain in 1499, and it remained under the Spanish until the Dutch took control in 1634. Curaçao was a strategically important point for military advances against the Spanish and as the center of Caribbean slave trade. Curaçao became the host of the Netherlands Antilles Government in 1954. Bonaire With origins similar to Curaçao, Bonaire was captured by the Dutch in 1634, and it became a granary for the Dutch East Indian Company until 1791, when the government reclaimed control. Sint Eustatius The first settlement in Sint Eustatius was established in 1636 and changed hands between the Dutch, French, and Spanish 22 times in its history. In the 18th century the island became a duty-free port for overburdened colonizers shipping back to the homeland, which propelled it into a major port with rapid population growth that lost momentum after the American-British peace treaty in 1783. Saba Columbus was the first to sight Saba, but it was the Dutch who colonized the island in 1640 with a party from Sint Eustacia. Because of its difficult terrain, the island's growth progressed slowly, and it remains the least populated island in the Dutch Kingdom. Sint Maarten The Dutch were the first to colonize Sint Maarten in 1631, but within 2 years the Spanish invaded and evacuated the settlers. The Dutch made a failing attempt to regain the island in 1644, but 4 years later the Spanish abandoned the island of their own accord. In 1648 the island was divided between the Dutch and the French; however, complete control of the island was seized numerous times in a series of conflicts. The British became involved as well, taking power for a 6-year and 10-year stint. Finally, in 1817, the current partition line between Dutch and French was established. The island flourished under a slave-based plantation economy and the exportation of salt until abolition of slavery in 1863. Unification In 1845 the Dutch Leeward islands united with Curaçao, Bonaire, and Aruba in a political unit. The abolition of slavery hurt the islands' economy until the 20th century, when oil was discovered off the shores of Venezuela and a refinery was established on Curaçao. Also during that period an offshore financial sector was created to serve Dutch businesses. Since 1945, the federation of the Netherlands AntillesCuracao, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maartenhave been autonomous in internal affairs. Aruba also was a part of this federation until January 1, 1986, when it gained status apart within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. About 85% of Curacao's population is of African derivation. The remaining 15% is made up of various races and nationalities, including Dutch, Portuguese, North Americans, natives from other Caribbean islands, Latin Americans, Sephardic Jews, Lebanese, and Asians. Roman Catholicism predominates, but several other churches are represented, which include Anglican, Jewish, Muslim, Protestant, Mormon, and Baptist. The Jewish community is the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, dating back to 1634. The recent faltering in the economy has increased migration to the Netherlands, especially young adults. Since 1998 about 5% of the population has left the islands each year for the Netherlands. GOVERNMENT The Netherlands Antilles is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which also includes Aruba, which separated from the Antilles January 1, 1986. The Netherlands Antilles enjoys self-determination on all internal matters and defers to the Netherlands in matters of defense, foreign policy, and some judicial functions. The Antilles is governed by a popularly elected unicameral "Staten" (parliament) of 22 members. It chooses a prime minister (called minister president) and a Council of Ministers consisting of six to eight other ministers. A governor, who serves a 6-year term, represents the monarch of the Netherlands. Local government is assigned authority independently on each island. Under the direction of a kingdom-appointed island governor, these local governments have a "Bestuurscollege" (administrative body) made up of commissioners who head the separate government departments. Principal Government Officials GovernorFrits Goedgedrag Prime Minister Etienne Ys Deputy Prime Minister Errol Cova Minister of Education, Culture, Youth, and SportsMaritza Silberie Minister of FinanceErsilia de Lannooy Minister of Foreign Affairs Etienne Ys Minister of Health and Social AffairsJoan Theodora-Brewster Minister of JusticeNorberto Ribiero Minister of Transportation and Telecommunication Omayra Leeflang Minister Plenipotentiary to The HaguePaul Comenencia Director, Bank of the Netherlands Antilles Emsley Tromp POLITICAL CONDITIONS In the parliamentary elections of January 18, 2002, the Frente Obrero Liberashon (FOL) gained 5 of the 14 seats available in Curaçao, expelling the 2001 coalition on a campaign for social spending and poverty alleviation. This was in contrast to the previous government, which emphasized its commitment to International Monetary Fund (IMF) reform recommendations. A coalition government was formed in mid-May of 2002 which did not include the FOL because of disagreements with the other two largest Curaçao-based parties. However, island-level elections in May 2003 provoked a reshuffling of the national government, leading to a new coalition led once again by the FOL in July 2003. A series of corruption scandals involving the FOL leadership led several parties in the governing coalition to withdraw support in April 2004, provoking yet another reshuffle of the government, and the emergence of a new governing coalition lead by the Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR) in May. Drug smuggling by means of swallowing narcotics packets and boarding flights is a major issue for the Netherlands Antilles. This has caused tension with the Netherlands, to which most smugglers are bound, although recent efforts at combating this problem have been successful. In 1993 a referendum confirmed the place of all islands within the union, despite earlier talks debating the constitutional status of the islands in the early 1990s. In 2000, the issue again arose, and in June 2000, Sint Maarten held a nonbinding referendum in which 69% of the population voted for status apartindependence from the federation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch Government does not support such a movebased on fears that Sint Maarten cannot support its own central bank, police force, or larger governmentand wishes to be involved in all discussions. This is now a dominant political issue for Sint Maarten and the other islands, and official talks have begun once again. ECONOMY Tourism and the offshore financial sector have been the mainstays of the Netherlands Antillean's economy since the 1970s. The late 1980s and early 1990s brought growth, but hurricanes, pressure on the offshore sector, tighter monetary policy, and debt accumulation have caused contraction since 1996. High debt led the Government of the Netherlands Antilles to seek assistance from the IMF and the Dutch Government, through the IMF's Structural Adjustment Program. The current administration seeks to lessen dependency on the IMF, which has damaged the economy. The unemployment rate remains high, at around 14%, but the Bank van de Nederlandse Antillen is predicting modest recovery of demand and perhaps even growth in the near future. The economy remains dependent on tourism, which has suffered from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and lacks major agriculture or manufacturing, with the primary source of exports coming from the oil refining industry. Overall, these islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. FOREIGN RELATIONS The Netherlands Antilles conducts foreign affairs primarily through the Dutch Government. However, the Netherlands Antilles recently has strengthened its relations with other Caribbean governments. It has been granted observer status at the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and in December 1998 it signed an agreement with the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) that made the Netherlands Antilles an associate member. U.S.-NETHERLANDS ANTILLES RELATIONS The United States maintains positive relations with the Netherlands Antilles and works cooperatively to combat narcotrafficking. Principal U.S. Consulate Officials Consul GeneralRobert E. Sorenson Vice ConsulJean Akers The U.S. Consulate for Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles is located at J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao; tel. 599-9-461-3066, fax: 599-9-461-6489; Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-5:00 pm. Email: cgcuracao@attglobal.net Other Contact Information U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Trade Information Center 14th and Constitution, NW Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 1-800-USA-TRADE TRAVEL AND BUSINESS INFORMATION The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program provides Consular Information Sheets, Travel Warnings, and Public Announcements. Consular Information Sheets exist for all countries and include information on entry requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, areas of instability, crime and security, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. posts in the country. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country. Public Announcements are issued as a means to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas which pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Free copies of this information are available by calling the Bureau of Consular Affairs at 202-647-5225 or via the fax-on-demand system: 202-647-3000. Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings also are available on the Consular Affairs Internet home page: http://travel.state.gov. Consular Affairs Tips for Travelers publication series, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad are on the internet and hard copies can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. GovernmentPrinting Office, telephone: 202-512-1800; fax 202-512-2250. Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained from the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225. For after-hours emergencies, Sundays and holidays, call 202-647-4000. The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778). Customer service representatives and operators for TDD/TTY are available Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays. Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 877-FYI-TRIP (877-394-8747) and a web site at http://www.cdc.gov/travel/index.htm give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. A booklet entitled Health Information for International Travel (HHS publication number CDC-95-8280) is available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, tel. (202) 512-1800. Information on travel conditions, visa requirements, currency and customs regulations, legal holidays, and other items of interest to travelers also may be obtained before your departure from a country's embassy and/or consulates in the U.S. (for this country, see "Principal Government Officials" listing in this publication). U.S. citizens who are long-term visitors or traveling in dangerous areas are encouraged to register at the Consular section of the U.S. embassy upon arrival in a country by filling out a short form and sending in a copy of their passports. This may help family members contact you in case of an emergency. Further Electronic Information Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http:// www.state.gov, the Department of State web site provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of Foreign Service posts and more. Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more. STAT-USA/Internet, a service of the U.S. Department of Commerce, provides authoritative economic, business, and international trade information from the Federal government. The site includes current and historical trade-related releases, international market research, trade opportunities, and country analysis and provides access to the National Trade Data Bank. *********************************************************** See http://www.state.gov/r/pa/bgn/ for all Background notes ************************************************************ To change your subscription, go to http://www.state.gov/www/listservs_cms.html | |
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