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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2004) - Jamaica (2006)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2004) z Jamaica (2006)

 Netherlands Antilles (2004)Jamaica (2006)
 Netherlands AntillesJamaica
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
14 parishes; Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston, Manchester, Portland, Saint Andrew, Saint Ann, Saint Catherine, Saint Elizabeth, Saint James, Saint Mary, Saint Thomas, Trelawny, Westmoreland


note: for local government purposes, Kingston and Saint Andrew were amalgamated in 1923 into the present single corporate body known as the Kingston and Saint Andrew Corporation
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.5% (male 27,387; female 26,094)


15-64 years: 67.2% (male 70,024; female 76,552)


65 years and over: 8.3% (male 7,443; female 10,626) (2004 est.)
0-14 years: 33.1% (male 464,297/female 449,181)


15-64 years: 59.6% (male 808,718/female 835,394)


65 years and over: 7.3% (male 90,100/female 110,434) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit sugarcane, bananas, coffee, citrus, yams, ackees, vegetables; poultry, goats, milk; crustaceans, mollusks
Airports 5 (2003 est.) 35 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2038 to 3047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 11


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 5 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 24


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 22 (2006)
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: 10,991 sq km


land: 10,831 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Connecticut
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 southern portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe. The island - discovered by Christopher COLUMBUS in 1494 - was settled by the Spanish early in the 16th century. The native Taino Indians, who had inhabited Jamaica for centuries, were gradually exterminated, replaced by African slaves. England siezed the island in 1655 and a plantation economy - based on sugar, cocoa, and coffee - was established. The abolition of slavery in 1834 freed a quarter million slaves, many of which became small farmers. Jamaica gradually obtained increasing independence from Britain, and in 1958 it joined other British Caribbean colonies in forming the Federation of the West Indies. Jamaica gained full independence when it withdrew from the federation in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the 1970s led to recurrent violence as rival gangs created by the major political parties evolved into powerful organized crime networks involved in international drug smuggling and money laundering. The cycle of violence, drugs, and poverty has served to impoverish large sectors of the populace. Nonetheless, many rural and resort areas remain relatively safe and contribute substantially to the economy.
Birth rate 15.36 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) 20.82 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $710.8 million


expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $2.8 billion


expenditures: $3.21 billion; including capital expenditures of $180.4 million (2005 est.)
Capital Willemstad name: Kingston


geographic coordinates: 18 00 N, 76 48 W


time difference: UTC-5 (same time as Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical; hot, humid; temperate interior
Coastline 364 km 1,022 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended 6 August 1962
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: none


conventional short form: Jamaica
Currency Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG) -
Death rate 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $1.35 billion (1996) $7.162 billion (2005 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 -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON


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
chief of mission: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange JOHNSON


embassy: Mutual Life Building, 2 Oxford Road, 3rd floor, Kingston 5


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [1] (876) 929-4850 through 4859


FAX: [1] (876) 935-6001
Diplomatic representation in the US none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) chief of mission: Ambassador Gordon SHIRLEY


chancery: 1520 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036


telephone: [1] (202) 452-0660


FAX: [1] (202) 452-0081


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000) $18.5 million; note - US aid only (2004)
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 or grown slightly in each of the past seven 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. Budgetary problems hamper reform of the health and pension systems of an aging population. The Jamaican economy is heavily dependent on services, which now account for 60% of GDP. The country continues to derive most of its foreign exchange from remittances, tourism, and bauxite/alumina. The global economic slowdown, particularly after the terrorist attacks in the US on 11 September 2001, stunted economic growth; the economy rebounded moderately in 2003-04, with brisk tourist seasons. But the economy faces serious long-term problems: high interest rates, increased foreign competition, exchange rate instability, a sizable merchandise trade deficit, large-scale unemployment and underemployment, and a growing stock of internal debt - the result of government bailouts to ailing sectors of the economy, most notably the financial sector in the mid-1990s. The ratio of debt to GDP is 135%. Inflation, previously a bright spot, is expected to remain in the double digits. Uncertain economic conditions have led to increased civil unrest, including gang violence fueled by the drug trade. In 2004, the government faced the difficult prospect of having to achieve fiscal discipline in order to maintain debt payments while simultaneously attacking a serious and growing crime problem that is hampering economic growth. Attempts at deficit control were derailed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, which required substantial government spending to repair the damage. Despite the hurricane, tourism looks set to enjoy solid growth for the foreseeable future.
Electricity - consumption 986.8 million kWh (2001) 2.974 billion kWh (2004)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2004)
Electricity - production 1.061 billion kWh (2001) 3.717 billion kWh (2004)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Blue Mountain Peak 2,256 m
Environment - current issues NA heavy rates of deforestation; coastal waters polluted by industrial waste, sewage, and oil spills; damage to coral reefs; air pollution in Kingston results from vehicle emissions
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian black 90.9%, East Indian 1.3%, white 0.2%, Chinese 0.2%, mixed 7.3%, other 0.1%
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999) Jamaican dollars per US dollar - 62.51 (2005), 61.197 (2004), 57.741 (2003), 48.416 (2002), 45.996 (2001)
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 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)


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 - PAR, PNP, PLKP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Kenneth O. HALL (since 15 February 2006)


head of government: Prime Minister Portia SIMPSON-MILLER (since 30 March 2006)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition in the House of Representatives is appointed prime minister by the governor general; the deputy prime minister is recommended by the prime minister
Exports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities petroleum products alumina, bauxite, sugar, bananas, rum, coffee, yams, beverages, chemicals, wearing apparel, mineral fuels
Exports - partners US 21.3%, Venezuela 16%, Bahamas, The 7.6%, Singapore 5.2%, Honduras 4.9%, Guatemala 4.4% (2003) US 25.8%, Canada 19.3%, UK 10.7%, Netherlands 8.6%, China 7%, Norway 6.4%, Germany 5.6% (2005)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 April - 31 March
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 diagonal yellow cross divides the flag into four triangles - green (top and bottom) and black (hoist side and outer side)
GDP purchasing power parity - $2.45 billion (2003 est.) -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 4.9%


industry: 33.7%


services: 61.5% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.) -
GDP - real growth rate 0.5% (2003 est.) 1.8% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 18 15 N, 77 30 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) strategic location between Cayman Trench and Jamaica Channel, the main sea lanes for the Panama Canal
Highways total: 600 km


paved: 300 km


unpaved: 300 km
-
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 2.7%


highest 10%: 30.3% (2000)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center transshipment point for cocaine from South America to North America and Europe; illicit cultivation of cannabis; government has an active manual cannabis eradication program; corruption is a major concern; substantial money-laundering activity; Colombian narcotics traffickers favor Jamaica for illicit financial transactions
Imports NA (2001) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures food and other consumer goods, industrial supplies, fuel, parts and accessories of capital goods, machinery and transport equipment, construction materials
Imports - partners Venezuela 64.8%, US 13.6%, Netherlands 7.8% (2003) US 41.4%, Trinidad and Tobago 14%, Venezuela 5.5%, Japan 4.6% (2005)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 6 August 1962 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA -2% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) tourism, bauxite/alumina, agro processing, light manufactures, rum, cement, metal, paper, chemical products, telecommunications
Infant mortality rate total: 10.37 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 11.18 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
total: 15.98 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 16.66 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 15.27 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) 15.3% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate) ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-15, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 250 sq km (2002)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court (judges appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister); Court of Appeal
Labor force 89,000 (2000) 1.2 million (2005 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.) agriculture: 19.3%


industry: 16.6%


services: 64.1% (2004)
Land boundaries total: 10.2 km


border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint Martin) 10.2 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2001)
arable land: 15.83%


permanent crops: 10.01%


other: 74.16% (2005)
Languages Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) predominates, English widely spoken, Spanish English, patois English
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St. Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held in 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP St. M 2, UP Bonaire 2, WIPM 1, DP


note: the government of Prime Minister Etienne YS is a coalition of several parties; current government formed after collapse of FOL led government on 4 April 2004
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (a 21-member body appointed by the governor general on the recommendations of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition; ruling party is allocated 13 seats, and the opposition is allocated eight seats) and the House of Representatives (60 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: last held 16 October 2002 (next to be held no later than October 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - PNP 52%, JLP 47.3%; seats by party - PNP 34, JLP 26
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.6 years


male: 73.37 years


female: 77.95 years (2004 est.)
total population: 73.24 years


male: 71.54 years


female: 75.03 years (2006 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 96.7%


male: 96.7%


female: 96.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 87.9%


male: 84.1%


female: 91.6% (2003 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, island in the Caribbean Sea, south of Cuba
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to edge of the continental margin
Merchant marine total: 162 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT


by type: bulk 4, cargo 59, chemical tanker 1, combination bulk 1, combination ore/oil 3, container 28, liquefied gas 6, multi-functional large load carrier 22, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 7, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: Belgium 3, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Monaco 4, Netherlands 70, New Zealand 1, Norway 5, Peru 1, Spain 1, Sweden 5, Turkey 2, United Kingdom 6


registered in other countries: 1 (2004 est.)
total: 10 ships (1000 GRT or over) 124,323 GRT/184,247 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 5, cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 10 (Germany 3, Greece 6, Italy 1) (2006)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches National Guard, Police Force Jamaica Defense Force: Ground Forces, Coast Guard, Air Wing
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $31.17 million (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.4% (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 55,536 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 31,025 (2004 est.) -
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 1,660 (2004 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 Independence Day, 6 August (1962)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Jamaican(s)


adjective: Jamaican
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 (especially July to November)
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) bauxite, gypsum, limestone
Net migration rate -0.41 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) -6.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Political parties and leaders Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; 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 Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito 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
Jamaica Labor Party or JLP [Bruce GOLDING]; National Democratic Movement or NDM [Hyacinth BENNETT]; People's National Party or PNP [Percival James PATTERSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA New Beginnings Movement or NBM; Rastafarians (black religious/racial cultists, pan-Africanists)
Population 218,126 (July 2004 est.) 2,758,124 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 19.1% (2003 est.)
Population growth rate 0.86% (2004 est.) 0.8% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad -
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 10, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways - total: 272 km


standard gauge: 272 km 1.435-m gauge


note: 207 of these km belonging to the Jamaica Railway Corporation had been in common carrier service until 1992 but are no longer operational; 57 km of the remaining track is privately owned and used by ALCAN to transport bauxite (2003)
Religions Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist Protestant 61.3% (Church of God 21.2%, Seventh-Day Adventist 9%, Baptist 8.8%, Pentecostal 7.6%, Anglican 5.5%, Methodist 2.7%, United Church 2.7%, Jehovah's Witness 1.6%, Brethren 1.1%, Moravian 1.1%), Roman Catholic 4%, other including some spiritual cults 34.7%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female


total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 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: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: fully automatic domestic telephone network


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-876; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); 3 coaxial submarine cables
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 342,000 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 81,000 (2001) 2.7 million (2005)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004) 7 (1997)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors mostly mountains, with narrow, discontinuous coastal plain
Total fertility rate 2.02 children born/woman (2004 est.) 2.41 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 15.6% (2002 est.) 11.5% (2005 est.)
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