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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) - Vanuatu (2006)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) z Vanuatu (2006)

 Netherlands Antilles (2006)Vanuatu (2006)
 Netherlands AntillesVanuatu
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
6 provinces; Malampa, Penama, Sanma, Shefa, Tafea, Torba
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: 32.6% (male 34,804/female 33,331)


15-64 years: 63.7% (male 67,919/female 65,138)


65 years and over: 3.7% (male 4,027/female 3,650) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit copra, coconuts, cocoa, coffee, taro, yams, fruits, vegetables; beef; fish
Airports 5 (2006) 31 (2006)
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: 3


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 28


914 to 1,523 m: 10


under 914 m: 18 (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: 12,200 sq km


land: 12,200 sq km


water: 0 sq km


note: includes more than 80 islands, about 65 of which are inhabited
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC slightly larger 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 (France). Multiple waves of colonizers, each speaking a distinct language, migrated to the New Hebrides in the millennia preceeding European exploration in the 18th century. This settlement pattern accounts for the complex linguistic diversity found on the archipelago to this day. The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the 19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which administered the islands until independence in 1980, when the new name of Vanuatu was adopted.
Birth rate 14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 22.72 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $757.9 million


expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)
revenues: $78.7 million


expenditures: $72.23 million (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)
name: Port-Vila (on Efate)


geographic coordinates: 17 44 S, 168 19 E


time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical; moderated by southeast trade winds from May to October; moderate rainfall from November to April; may be affected by cyclones from December to April
Coastline 364 km 2,528 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended 30 July 1980
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 Vanuatu


conventional short form: Vanuatu


local long form: Ripablik blong Vanuatu


local short form: Vanuatu


former: New Hebrides
Death rate 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 7.82 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $2.68 billion (2004) $81.2 million (2004)
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, Curacao


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


telephone: [599] (9) 4613066


FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
the US does not have an embassy in Vanuatu; the ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to Vanuatu
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 Vanuatu does not have an embassy in the US; it does, however, have a Permanent Mission to the UN
Disputes - international none Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by Vanuatu and France
Economic aid - recipient $21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004) $37.8 million (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 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. This South Pacific island economy is based primarily on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65% of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism, with about 50,000 visitors in 2004, are other mainstays of the economy. Mineral deposits are negligible; the country has no known petroleum deposits. A small light industry sector caters to the local market. Tax revenues come mainly from import duties. Economic development is hindered by dependence on relatively few commodity exports, vulnerability to natural disasters, and long distances from main markets and between constituent islands. GDP growth rose less than 3% on average in the 1990s. In response to foreign concerns, the government has promised to tighten regulation of its offshore financial center. In mid-2002 the government stepped up efforts to boost tourism. Agriculture, especially livestock farming, is a second target for growth. Australia and New Zealand are the main suppliers of tourists and foreign aid.
Electricity - consumption 945.8 million kWh (2003) 38.13 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 1.017 billion kWh (2003) 41 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Environment - current issues NA a majority of the population does not have access to a reliable supply of potable water; deforestation
Environment - international agreements - party to: Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 94


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian Ni-Vanuatu 98.5%, other 1.5% (1999 Census)
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) vatu per US dollar - NA (2005), 111.79 (2004), 122.19 (2003), 139.2 (2002), 145.31 (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 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 Kalkot Matas KELEKELE (since 16 August 2004)


head of government: Prime Minister Ham LINI (since 11 December 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Sato KILMAN (since 11 December 2004)


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the prime minister, responsible to Parliament


elections: president elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of Parliament and the presidents of the regional councils; election for president last held 16 August 2004 (next to be held in 2009); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition is usually elected prime minister by Parliament from among its members; election for prime minister last held 29 July 2004 (next to be held following general elections in 2008)


election results: Kalkot Matas KELEKELE elected president, with 49 votes out of 56, after several ballots on 16 August 2004
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities petroleum products copra, beef, cocoa, timber, kava, coffee
Exports - partners US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4.5% (2005) Thailand 46.5%, India 14.1%, Poland 7.9%, Turkey 7.7%, Japan 6.9% (2005)
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 black isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) all separated by a black-edged yellow stripe in the shape of a horizontal Y (the two points of the Y face the hoist side and enclose the triangle); centered in the triangle is a boar's tusk encircling two crossed namele leaves, all in yellow
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 26%


industry: 12%


services: 62% (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2004 est.) 6.8% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 16 00 S, 167 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) a Y-shaped chain of four main islands and 80 smaller islands; several of the islands have active volcanoes
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 bbl/day
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, fuels
Imports - partners Venezuela 52.3%, US 21.4%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005) Australia 18.4%, Japan 16.6%, Singapore 14.7%, Poland 8.5%, NZ 7.2%, Fiji 6.3% (2005)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 30 July 1980 (from France and UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 1% (1997 est.)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) food and fish freezing, wood processing, meat canning
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: 53.8 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 56.35 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 51.13 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) -1.6% (2005 est.)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate) ACCT, ACP, AsDB, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIF, OPCW, PIF, Sparteca, SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOCI, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land NA NA
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president after consultation with the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, three other justices are appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission)
Labor force 83,600 (2005) 76,410
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 65%


industry: 5%


services: 30% (2000 est.)
Land boundaries total: 15 km


border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2005)
arable land: 1.64%


permanent crops: 6.97%


other: 91.39% (2005)
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) local languages (more than 100) 72.6%, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama) 23.1%, English 1.9%, French 1.4%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.7% (1999 Census)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence unified system being created from former dual French and British systems
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 Parliament (52 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 6 July 2004 (next to be held 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NUP 10, UMP 8, VP 8, VRP 4, MPP 3, VGP 3, other and independent 16; note - political party associations are fluid


note: the National Council of Chiefs advises on matters of culture and language
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.03 years


male: 73.76 years


female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)
total population: 62.85 years


male: 61.34 years


female: 64.44 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 can read and write


total population: 74%


male: NA


female: NA
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 Oceania, group of islands in the South Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to Australia
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Oceania
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm


continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
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)
total: 51 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,340,132 GRT/1,908,687 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 8, container 1, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 2, vehicle carrier 5


foreign-owned: 51 (Australia 2, Canada 5, Denmark 6, Estonia 1, Japan 28, Poland 5, Russia 1, Switzerland 2, US 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) no regular military forces; security forces comprise the Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) and paramilitary Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF), which includes Vanuatu's naval force, known as the Police Maritime Wing (PMW); border security in Vanuatu is the joint responsibility of the Customs and Inland Revenue Service, VPF, VMF, and PMW (2003)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
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, 30 July (1980)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Ni-Vanuatu (singular and plural)


adjective: Ni-Vanuatu
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 tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanic eruption on Aoba (Ambae) island began 27 November 2005, volcanism also causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) manganese, hardwood forests, fish
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 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
Jon Frum Movement [Song KEASPAI]; Melanesian Progressive Party or MPP [Barak SOPE]; National United Party or NUP [Hem LINI]; Union of Moderate Parties or UMP [Serge VOHOR]; Vanua'aku Pati (Our Land Party) or VP [Edward NATAPEI]; Vanuatu Greens Party or VGP [Moana CARCASSES]; Vanuatu Republican Party or VRP [Maxime Carlot KORMAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) NA
Population 221,736 (July 2006 est.) 208,869 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.79% (2006 est.) 1.49% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 2, FM 4, shortwave 1 (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) Presbyterian 31.4%, Anglican 13.4%, Roman Catholic 13.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 10.8%, other Christian 13.8%, indigenous beliefs 5.6% (including Jon Frum cargo cult), other 9.6%, none 1%, unspecified 1.3% (1999 Census)
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.1 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 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: NA


domestic: NA


international: country code - 678; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 6,800 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular 200,000 (2004) 12,700 (2005)
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 (2004)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors mostly mountainous islands of volcanic origin; narrow coastal plains
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.7 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2002 est.) 1.7% NA%
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