Netherlands Antilles (2002) | Guadeloupe (2004) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government |
none (overseas department of France) |
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.) |
0-14 years: 24.4% (male 55,386; female 52,977)
15-64 years: 66.6% (male 146,772; female 149,314) 65 years and over: 9% (male 16,730; female 23,336) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit | bananas, sugarcane, tropical fruits and vegetables; cattle, pigs, goats |
Airports | 5 (2001) | 9 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | 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) |
total: 1,780 sq km
land: 1,706 sq km water: 74 sq km note: Guadeloupe is an archipelago of nine inhabited islands, including Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Desirade, Iles des Saintes (2), Saint-Barthelemy, Iles de la Petite Terre, and Saint-Martin (French part of the island of Saint Martin) |
Area - comparative | more than five times the size of Washington, DC | 10 times the size of Washington, DC |
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. | Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe |
Birth rate | 16.16 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 15.79 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $710.8 million
expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.) |
revenues: $225 million
expenditures: $390 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1996) |
Capital | Willemstad | Basse-Terre |
Climate | tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds | subtropical tempered by trade winds; moderately high humidity |
Coastline | 364 km | 306 km |
Constitution | 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies |
conventional long form: Department of Guadeloupe
conventional short form: Guadeloupe local long form: Departement de la Guadeloupe local short form: Guadeloupe |
Currency | Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) | euro (EUR); French franc (FRF) |
Death rate | 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 6.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $1.35 billion (1996) (1996) | NA (yearend 2003 est.) |
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 | overseas department of France |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
none (overseas department of France) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (overseas department of France) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million | $NA; note - substantial annual French subsidies (1995) |
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. | The Caribbean economy depends on agriculture, tourism, light industry, and services. It also depends on France for large subsidies and imports. Tourism is a key industry, with most tourists from the US; an increasingly large number of cruise ships visit the islands. The traditional sugarcane crop is slowly being replaced by other crops, such as bananas (which now supply about 50% of export earnings), eggplant, and flowers. Other vegetables and root crops are cultivated for local consumption, although Guadeloupe is still dependent on imported food, mainly from France. Light industry features sugar and rum production. Most manufactured goods and fuel are imported. Unemployment is especially high among the young. Hurricanes periodically devastate the economy. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.093 billion kWh (2000) | 1.074 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 1.175 billion kWh (2000) | 1.155 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Soufriere 1,484 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Ethnic groups | mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian | black or mulatto 90%, white 5%, East Indian, Lebanese, Chinese less than 5% |
Exchange rates | Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.790 (fixed rate since 1989) | euros per US dollar - 0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999) |
Executive branch | 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) 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 18 January 2002 (next to be held by NA 2006) note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP |
chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Paul GIROT DE LANGLADE (since 17 August 2004)
head of government: President of the General Council Jacques GILLOT (since 26 March 2001); President of the Regional Council Victorin LUREL (since 2 April 2004) cabinet: NA elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils election results: NA |
Exports | $276 million f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum products | bananas, sugar, rum |
Exports - partners | US 35.9%, Guatemala 9.4%, Venezuela 8.7%, France 5.4%, Singapore 2.8% (2000) | France 60%, Martinique 18%, US 4% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | the flag of France is used |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $2.4 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3.513 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 1%
industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 15%
industry: 17% services: 68% (1997 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $8,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | -3.5% (2000 est.) | NA |
Geographic coordinates | 12 15 N, 68 45 W | 16 15 N, 61 35 W |
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) | a narrow channel, the Riviere Salee, divides Guadeloupe proper into two islands: the larger, western Basse-Terre and the smaller, eastern Grande-Terre |
Highways | total: 600 km
paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992) |
total: 2,467 km
paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1998) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
Illicit drugs | transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center | - |
Imports | $1.5 billion f.o.b. (2000) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | crude petroleum, food, manufactures | foodstuffs, fuels, vehicles, clothing and other consumer goods, construction materials |
Imports - partners | US 25.8%, Mexico 20.7%, Gabon 6.6%, Italy 5.8%, Netherlands 5.5% (2000) | France 63%, Germany 4%, US 3%, Japan 2%, Netherlands Antilles 2% (1999) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (overseas department of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA |
Industries | tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) | construction, cement, rum, sugar, tourism |
Infant mortality rate | 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 8.83 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.07 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.8% (2000 est.) | NA (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), CCC, ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) | WCL, WFTU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 6 | - |
Irrigated land | NA sq km | 20 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel with jurisdiction over Guadeloupe, French Guiana, and Martinique |
Labor force | 89,000 | 125,900 (1997) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.) | NA |
Land boundaries | total: 10.2 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km |
total: 10.2 km
border countries: Netherlands Antilles (Sint Maarten) 10.2 km |
Land use | arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 11.24%
permanent crops: 3.55% other: 85.21% (2001) |
Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish | French (official) 99%, Creole patois |
Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | French legal system |
Legislative branch | unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
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 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 |
unicameral General Council or Conseil General (42 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the unicameral Regional Council or Conseil Regional (41 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms)
elections: General Council - last held 22 March 1998 (next to be held by NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 28 March 2004 (next to be held NA 2010) election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - left-wing candidates 11, PS 8, RPR 8, PPDG 6, right-wing candidates 5, PCG 3, UDF 1; Regional Council (second round) - percent of vote by party - PS 58.4%, UMP 41.6%; seats by party - PS 29, UMP 12 note: Guadeloupe elects two representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA September 1995 (next to be held NA September 2004); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1, FGPS 1; Guadeloupe elects four representatives to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2, PS 1, different right parties 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.15 years
male: 72.96 years female: 77.46 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 77.71 years
male: 74.56 years female: 81.03 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 99% (1981 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90% (1982 est.) |
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 | Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, southeast of Puerto Rico |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | exclusive fishing zone: 12 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
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.) |
total: 1 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,240 GRT/109 DWT
by type: passenger 1 foreign-owned: France 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force | no regular military forces |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49: 54,752 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49: 30,642 (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males: 1,610 (2002 est.) | - |
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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean |
noun: Guadeloupian(s)
adjective: Guadeloupe |
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 | hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is an active volcano |
Natural resources | phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) | cultivable land, beaches and climate that foster tourism |
Net migration rate | -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | -0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
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 |
Communist Party of Guadeloupe or PCG [Mona CADOCE]; FGPS [Dominique LARIFLA]; Left Radical Party or PRG [Flavien FERRANT]; Progressive Democratic Party or PPDG [Henri BANGOU]; Socialist Party or PS [Marlene MELISSE and Favrot DAVRAIN]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Marcel ESDRAS]; Union for a Popular Movement or UMP [Robert JOYEUX] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Christian Movement for the Liberation of Guadeloupe or KLPG; General Federation of Guadeloupe Workers or CGT-G; General Union of Guadeloupe Workers or UGTG; Movement for Independent Guadeloupe or MPGI; The Socialist Renewal Movement |
Population | 214,258 (July 2002 est.) | 444,515 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA |
Population growth rate | 0.93% (2002 est.) | 0.96% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad | Basse-Terre, Gustavia (on Saint Barthelemy), Marigot, Pointe-a-Pitre |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 17, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 217,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km (2002) | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist | Roman Catholic 95%, Hindu and pagan African 4%, Protestant 1% |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal |
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) |
general assessment: domestic facilities inadequate
domestic: NA international: country code - 590; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and Martinique |
Telephones - main lines in use | 76,000 (1995) | 210,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 13,977 (1996) | 323,500 (2002) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (there is also a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (1997) | 5 (plus several low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | generally hilly, volcanic interiors | Basse-Terre is volcanic in origin with interior mountains; Grande-Terre is low limestone formation; most of the seven other islands are volcanic in origin |
Total fertility rate | 2.06 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 1.91 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 15% (1998 est.) | 27.8% (1998) |
Waterways | none | - |