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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2005) - Madagascar (2005)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2005) z Madagascar (2005)

 Netherlands Antilles (2005)Madagascar (2005)
 Netherlands AntillesMadagascar
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
6 provinces (faritany); Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Age structure 0-14 years: 24.2% (male 27,302/female 26,002)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 70,838/female 77,148)


65 years and over: 8.5% (male 7,673/female 10,995) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 44.8% (male 4,051,832/female 4,038,837)


15-64 years: 52.1% (male 4,657,346/female 4,745,971)


65 years and over: 3% (male 247,146/female 299,209) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit coffee, vanilla, sugarcane, cloves, cocoa, rice, cassava (tapioca), beans, bananas, peanuts; livestock products
Airports 5 (2004 est.) 116 (2004 est.)
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: 29


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 2


1,524 to 2,437 m: 4


914 to 1,523 m: 20


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 87


1,524 to 2,437 m: 2


914 to 1,523 m: 42


under 914 m: 43 (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: 587,040 sq km


land: 581,540 sq km


water: 5,500 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
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 (France). Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a French colony in 1896, but regained its independence in 1960. During 1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and 1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country. In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA the winner.
Birth rate 15 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 41.66 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $710.8 million


expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of NA (1997 est.)
revenues: $783.7 million


expenditures: $1.079 billion, including capital expenditures of $331 million (2004 est.)
Capital Willemstad; note - located on Curacao, the largest of the islands Antananarivo
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical along coast, temperate inland, arid in south
Coastline 364 km 4,828 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended 19 August 1992 by national referendum
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: Republic of Madagascar


conventional short form: Madagascar


local long form: Republique de Madagascar


local short form: Madagascar


former: Malagasy Republic
Death rate 6.41 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 11.35 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $1.35 billion (1996) $4.6 billion (2002)
Dependency status an autonomous country within 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 Wanda L. NESBITT


embassy: 14-16 Rue Rainitovo, Antsahavola, Antananarivo 101


mailing address: B. P. 620, Antsahavola, Antananarivo


telephone: [261] (20) 22-212-57, 22-212-73, 22-209-56


FAX: [261] (20) 22-345-39
Diplomatic representation in the US none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) chief of mission: Ambassador Rajaonarivony NARISOA


chancery: 2374 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 265-5525, 5526


FAX: [1] (202) 483-7603


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international none claims Bassas da India, Europa Island, Glorioso Islands, and Juan de Nova Island (all administered by France)
Economic aid - recipient IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2000) $354 million (2001)
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 eight 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. Having discarded past socialist economic policies, Madagascar has since the mid 1990s followed a World Bank and IMF led policy of privatization and liberalization. This strategy has placed the country on a slow and steady growth path from an extremely low level. Agriculture, including fishing and forestry, is a mainstay of the economy, accounting for more than one-fourth of GDP and employing 80% of the population. Exports of apparel have boomed in recent years primarily due to duty-free access to the United States. Deforestation and erosion, aggravated by the use of firewood as the primary source of fuel are serious concerns. President RAVALOMANANA has worked aggressively to revive the economy following the 2002 political crisis, which triggered a 12% drop in GDP that year. Poverty reduction and combating corruption will be the centerpieces of economic policy for the next few years.
Electricity - consumption 934.3 million kWh (2002) 781.4 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 1.005 billion kWh (2002) 840.2 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Maromokotro 2,876 m
Environment - current issues NA soil erosion results from deforestation and overgrazing; desertification; surface water contaminated with raw sewage and other organic wastes; several species of flora and fauna unique to the island are endangered
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian Malayo-Indonesian (Merina and related Betsileo), Cotiers (mixed African, Malayo-Indonesian, and Arab ancestry - Betsimisaraka, Tsimihety, Antaisaka, Sakalava), French, Indian, Creole, Comoran
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000) Malagasy francs per US dollar - 1,868.9 (2004), 1,238.3 (2003), 1,366.4 (2002), 1,317.7 (2001), 1,353.5 (2000)
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: President Marc RAVALOMANANA (since 6 May 2002)


head of government: Prime Minister Jacques SYLLA (27 May 2002)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 16 December 2001 (next to be held November 2006); prime minister appointed by the president


election results: percent of vote - Didier RATSIRAKA (AREMA) 37.7%, Marc RAVALOMANANA (TIM) 50.5%
Exports NA NA
Exports - commodities petroleum products coffee, vanilla, shellfish, sugar; cotton cloth, chromite, petroleum products
Exports - partners US 20.4%, Panama 11.2%, Guatemala 8.8%, Haiti 7.1%, Bahamas, The 5.6%, Honduras 4.2% (2004) US 35.8%, France 30.8%, Germany 7.7% (2004)
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 two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a vertical white band of the same width on hoist side
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 29.3%


industry: 16.7%


services: 54% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $11,400 (2003 est.) purchasing power parity - $800 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 0.5% (2003 est.) 5.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 20 00 S, 47 00 E
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) world's fourth-largest island; strategic location along Mozambique Channel
Highways total: 600 km


paved: 300 km


unpaved: 300 km
total: 49,827 km


paved: 5,780 km


unpaved: 44,047 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 29% (1999)
Illicit drugs transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe; money-laundering center illicit producer of cannabis (cultivated and wild varieties) used mostly for domestic consumption; transshipment point for heroin
Imports NA NA
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures capital goods, petroleum, consumer goods, food
Imports - partners Venezuela 51.1%, US 21.9%, Netherlands 5% (2004) France 17.2%, China 9.7%, Hong Kong 6.6%, Iran 6.4%, Mauritius 6.2%, South Africa 5.6% (2004)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 26 June 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 3% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) meat processing, soap, breweries, tanneries, sugar, textiles, glassware, cement, automobile assembly plant, paper, petroleum, tourism
Infant mortality rate total: 10.03 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.82 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 9.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
total: 76.83 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 85.05 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 68.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) 7.5% (2004 est.)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate) ABEDA, ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, InOC, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Irrigated land NA sq km 10,900 sq km (2000 est.)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; High Constitutional Court or Haute Cour Constitutionnelle
Labor force 89,000 (2000) 7.3 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (2000 est.) -
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: 5.07%


permanent crops: 1.03%


other: 93.91% (2001)
Languages Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%, Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census) French (official), Malagasy (official)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence based on French civil law system and traditional Malagasy 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 legislature consists of a National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (160 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) and a Senate or Senat (100 seats; two-thirds of the seats filled by regional assemblies whose members will be elected by popular vote; the remaining one-third of the seats appointed by the president; all members will serve four-year terms)


elections: National Assembly - last held 15 December 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)


election results: National Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - TIM 103, FP 22, AREMA 3, LEADER/Fanilo 2, RPSD 5, others 3, independents 22
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.83 years


male: 73.58 years


female: 78.2 years (2005 est.)
total population: 56.95 years


male: 54.57 years


female: 59.4 years (2005 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 can read and write


total population: 68.9%


male: 75.5%


female: 62.5% (2003 est.)
Location Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Mozambique
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or 100 nm from the 2,500-m deep isobath
Merchant marine total: 168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,317,007 GRT/1,668,499 DWT


by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 23, cargo 72, chemical tanker 2, container 21, liquefied gas 6, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 3, refrigerated cargo 30, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 2


foreign-owned: 158 (Belgium 5, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Germany 57, Hong Kong 3, Netherlands 71, Peru 1, Sweden 9, Turkey 7, United Kingdom 2, United States 1) (2005)
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 14,865 GRT/17,936 DWT


by type: cargo 5, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 2


registered in other countries: 1 (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches National Guard, Police Force People's Armed Forces: Intervention Force, Development Force, and Aeronaval (Navy and Air) Force; National Gendarmerie
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $44.6 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 1.2% (2004)
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, 26 June (1960)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Malagasy (singular and plural)


adjective: Malagasy
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 periodic cyclones, drought, and locust infestation
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) graphite, chromite, coal, bauxite, salt, quartz, tar sands, semiprecious stones, mica, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 UP Bonaire [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
Association for the Rebirth of Madagascar or AREMA [Pierrot RAJAONARIVO]; Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery or LEADER/Fanilo [Herizo RAZAFIMAHALEO]; Fihaonana Party or FP [Guy-Willy RAZANAMASY]; I Love Madagascar or TIM [Marc RAVALOMANANA]; Renewal of the Social Democratic Party or RPSD [Evariste MARSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA Committee for the Defense of Truth and Justice or KMMR; Committee for National Reconciliation or CRN [Albert Zafy]; National Council of Christian Churches or FFKM
Population 219,958 (July 2005 est.) 18,040,341 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA 50% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 0.82% (2005 est.) 3.03% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad Antsiranana, Mahajanga, Toamasina, Toliara
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 2 (plus a number of repeater stations), FM 9, shortwave 6 (2001)
Railways - total: 732 km


narrow gauge: 732 km 1.000-m gauge (2004)
Religions Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2% (2001 census) indigenous beliefs 52%, Christian 41%, Muslim 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 (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female


total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2005 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: system is above average for the region


domestic: open-wire lines, coaxial cables, microwave radio relay, and tropospheric scatter links connect regions


international: country code - 261; submarine cable to Bahrain; satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 59,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 81,000 (2001) 279,500 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and two Venezuelan channels) (2004) 1 (plus 36 repeaters) (2001)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors narrow coastal plain, high plateau and mountains in center
Total fertility rate 2 children born/woman (2005 est.) 5.66 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 15.6% (2002 est.) -
Waterways - 600 km (2004)
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