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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) - Macau (2005)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) z Macau (2005)

 Netherlands Antilles (2006)Macau (2005)
 Netherlands AntillesMacau
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
none (special administrative region of China)
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)


15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)


65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)
0-14 years: 17% (male 39,564/female 36,947)


15-64 years: 75.1% (male 160,957/female 176,386)


65 years and over: 7.9% (male 14,713/female 20,631) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit only 2% of land area is cultivated, mainly by vegetable growers; fishing, mostly for crustaceans, is important, some of catch is exported to Hong Kong; most food requirements are met by imports, primarily from China
Airports 5 (2006) 1 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 5


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total: 1


over 3,047 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: 25.4 sq km


land: 25.4 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC about 0.1 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 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). Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December 1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in Macau, and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Birth rate 14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 8.04 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $757.9 million


expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)
revenues: $1.84 billion


expenditures: $1.57 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003)
Capital name: Willemstad (on Curacao)


geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
-
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds subtropical; marine with cool winters, warm summers
Coastline 364 km 41 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended Basic Law, approved in March 1993 by China's National People's Congress, is Macau's "mini-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: Macau Special Administrative Region


conventional short form: Macau


local long form: Aomen Tebie Xingzhengqu (Chinese); Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau (Portuguese)


local short form: Aomen (Chinese); Macau (Portuguese)
Death rate 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 4.23 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $2.68 billion (2004) $2.7 billion (2003)
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 special administrative region of China
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON


consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao


mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao


telephone: [599] (9) 4613066


FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
the US has no offices in Macau; US interests are monitored by the US Consulate General in Hong Kong
Diplomatic representation in the US none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands none (special administrative region of China)
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004) NA
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. Macau's well-to-do economy has remained one of the most open in the world since its reversion to China in 1999. Apparel exports and tourism are mainstays of the economy. Although the territory was hit hard by the 1998 Asian financial crisis and the global downturn in 2001, its economy grew 9.5% in 2002 and 15.6% in 2003. During the first three quarters of 2004, Macau registered year-on-year GDP increases of more than 20 percent. A rapid rise in the number of mainland visitors because of China's easing of restrictions on travel, increased public works expenditures, and significant investment inflows associated with the liberalization of Macau's gaming industry drove the recovery. The budget also returned to surplus in 2002 because of the surge in visitors from China and a hike in taxes on gambling profits, which generated about 70% of government revenue. The three companies awarded gambling licenses have pledged to invest $2.2 billion in the territory, which will boost GDP growth. Much of Macau's textile industry may move to the mainland as the Multi-Fiber Agreement is phased out. The territory may have to rely more on gambling and trade-related services to generate growth. Two new casinos were opened by new foreign gambling licensees in 2004; development of new infrastructure and facilities in preparation for Macau's hosting of the 2005 East Asian Games will bolster the construction sector. The Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Macau and mainland China that came into effect on 1 January 2004 offers many Macau-made products tariff-free access to the mainland, and the range of products covered by CEPA was to be expanded on 1 January 2005.
Electricity - consumption 945.8 million kWh (2003) 1.772 billion kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 1 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 179.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 1.017 billion kWh (2003) 1.719 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m


highest point: Coloane Alto 172.4 m
Environment - current issues NA NA
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian Chinese 95.7%, Macanese (mixed Portuguese and Asian ancestry) 1%, other 3.3% (2001 census)
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) patacas per US dollar - 8.022 (2004), 8.021 (2003), 8.033 (2002), 8.034 (2001), 8.026 (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 Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26 March 2006)


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 27 January 2006 (next to be held by 2007)


note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire, WIPM Saba, DP Statia
chief of state: President of China HU Jintao (since 15 March 2003)


head of government: Chief Executive Edmund HO Hau-wah (since 20 December 1999)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of one government secretary, four legislators, four businessmen, and one pro-Beijing unionist


elections: chief executive chosen by a 300-member Election Committee for up to two five-year terms


election results: Edmund HO Hau-wah reelected on 29 August 2004; received 296 votes in Election Committee out of 300 possible; 3 members submitted blank ballots; 1 member was absent
Exports NA bbl/day NA
Exports - commodities petroleum products clothing, textiles, footwear, toys, electronics, machinery and parts
Exports - partners US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4.5% (2005) US 48.7%, China 13.9%, Germany 8.3%, Hong Kong 7.6%, UK 4.4% (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 light green with a lotus flower above a stylized bridge and water in white, beneath an arc of five gold, five-pointed stars: one large in center of arc and four smaller
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 0.1%


industry: 7.2%


services: 92.7% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $19,400 (2003)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2004 est.) 15.6% (2003)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 22 10 N, 113 33 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) essentially urban; one causeway and two bridges connect the two islands of Coloane and Taipa to the peninsula on mainland
Highways - total: 341 km


paved: 341 km


unpaved: 0 km (2002)
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 NA bbl/day NA
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures raw materials and semi-manufactured goods, consumer goods (foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco), capital goods, mineral fuels and oils
Imports - partners Venezuela 52.3%, US 21.4%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005) China 44.4%, Hong Kong 10.6%, Japan 9.6%, Taiwan 4.9%, Singapore 4.1%, US 4.1% (2004)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) none (special administrative region of China)
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) tourism, gambling, clothing, textiles, electronics, footwear, toys
Infant mortality rate total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
total: 4.39 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 4.59 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 4.19 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) 2% (3rd quarter, 2004)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate) IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (sub-bureau), ISO (correspondent), UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate), WTO
Irrigated land NA NA sq km
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Court of Final Appeal in Macau Special Administrative Region
Labor force 83,600 (2005) 231,500 (3rd Quarter, 2004)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
manufacturing 18.3%, construction 8%, transport and communications 7%, wholesale and retail trade 16.2%, restaurants and hotels 10.9%, gambling 11.6%, public sector 8.8%, other services and agriculture 19.2% (2003 est.)
Land boundaries total: 15 km


border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km
total: 0.34 km


regional border: China 0.34 km
Land use arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2005)
arable land: 0%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 100%


note: "green areas" represent 22.4% (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) Cantonese 87.9%, Hokkien 4.4%, Mandarin 1.6%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 3% (2001 census)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence based on Portuguese civil law system
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 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB 2, DP St. E 1, DP St. M 1, BDP 1, WIPM 1


note: the government of Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE is a coalition of several parties
unicameral Legislative Council or LEGCO (29 seats; 12 elected by popular vote, 10 by indirect vote, and seven appointed by the chief executive; members serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 26 September 2005 (next in September 2009)


election results: percent of vote - Development Union 12.8%, Macau Development Alliance 9%, Macau United Citizens' Association 16%, New Democratic Macau Association 18.2%, others na; seats by political group - Development Union 2, Macau Development Alliance 1, Macau United Citizens' Association 2, New Democratic Macau Association 2, New Hope 1, Union Forces 2, others 2; 10 seats filled by professional and business groups; seven members appointed by chief executive
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.03 years


male: 73.76 years


female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)
total population: 82.12 years


male: 79.29 years


female: 85.09 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: 94.5%


male: 97.2%


female: 92% (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 Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Southeast Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
not specified
Merchant marine total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1,671,649 DWT


by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker 3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 3


foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60, Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)


registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)
-
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005) China's People's Revolutionary Army (PLA) constitutes the only armed force in Macau; several police forces constitute the Security Forces of Macau (SFM) that are subordinate to the General Secretariat of Security, a body comparable to a ministry of interior (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 National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 20 December 1999 is celebrated as Macau Special Administrative Region Establishment Day
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Chinese


adjective: Chinese
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 typhoons
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) NEGL
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 4.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Political parties and leaders Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]


Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO]; Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]


Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]


Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St. Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]


Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party [Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN]; People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St. Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party [Bienvenido RICHARDSON]


note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Civil Service Union [Jose Maria Pereira COUTINHO]; Development Union [KWAN Tsui-hang]; Macau Development Alliance [Angela LEONG On-kei]; Macau United Citizens' Association [CHAN Meng-kam]; New Democratic Macau Association [Antonio NG Kuok-cheong]; United Forces [leader NA]
Political pressure groups and leaders Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) NA
Population 221,736 (July 2006 est.) 449,198 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA
Population growth rate 0.79% (2006 est.) 0.87% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Macau
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 0, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
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) Buddhist 50%, Roman Catholic 15%, none and other 35% (1997 est.)
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 (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 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 (2005 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal direct election 18 years of age, universal for permanent residents living in Macau for the past seven years; indirect election limited to organizations registered as "corporate voters" (257 are currently registered) and a 300-member Election Committee drawn from broad regional groupings, municipal organizations, and central government bodies
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: fairly modern communication facilities maintained for domestic and international services


domestic: NA


international: country code - 853; HF radiotelephone communication facility; access to international communications carriers provided via Hong Kong and China; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 174,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 200,000 (2004) 364,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and four Venezuelan channels) (2004) 1 (2003)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors generally flat
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.) 0.93 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2002 est.) 4.7% (3rd Quarter, 2004)
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