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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) - Virgin Islands (2007)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2006) z Virgin Islands (2007)

 Netherlands Antilles (2006)Virgin Islands (2007)
 Netherlands AntillesVirgin Islands
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
none (territory of the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are three islands at the second order; Saint Croix, Saint John, Saint Thomas
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: 21.8% (male 11,897/female 11,696)


15-64 years: 66.5% (male 34,204/female 37,911)


65 years and over: 11.7% (male 5,642/female 7,098) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit fruit, vegetables, sorghum; Senepol cattle
Airports 5 (2006) 2 (2007)
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: 2


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)
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: 1,910 sq km


land: 346 sq km


water: 1,564 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC twice 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). During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
Birth rate 14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 13.68 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $757.9 million


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


expenditures: $NA
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: Charlotte Amalie


geographic coordinates: 18 21 N, 64 56 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds subtropical, tempered by easterly trade winds, relatively low humidity, little seasonal temperature variation; rainy season September to November
Coastline 364 km 188 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended Revised Organic Act of 22 July 1954
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: United States Virgin Islands


conventional short form: Virgin Islands


former: Danish West Indies


abbreviation: USVI
Death rate 6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 6.59 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $2.68 billion (2004) $NA
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 organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between the Virgin Islands and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior
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
none (territory of the US)
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 (territory of the US)
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. Tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands hosted 2.6 million visitors in 2005. The manufacturing sector consists of petroleum refining, textiles, electronics, pharmaceuticals, and watch assembly. One of the world's largest petroleum refineries is at Saint Croix. The agricultural sector is small, with most food being imported. International business and financial services are small but growing components of the economy. The islands are vulnerable to substantial damage from storms. The government is working to improve fiscal discipline, to support construction projects in the private sector, to expand tourist facilities, to reduce crime, and to protect the environment.
Electricity - consumption 945.8 million kWh (2003) 926.4 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 1.017 billion kWh (2003) 996.1 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Crown Mountain 475 m
Environment - current issues NA lack of natural freshwater resources
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian black 76.2%, white 13.1%, Asian 1.1%, other 6.1%, mixed 3.5% (2000 census)
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) the US dollar is used
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 George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)


head of government: Governor John DeJONGH (since 1 January 2007)


cabinet: NA


elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as the Virgin Islands, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms (eligible for a second term); election last held 7 and 21 November 2006 (next to be held November 2010)


election results: John DeJONGH elected governor; percent of vote - John DeJONGH 57.3%, Kenneth MAPP 42.7%
Exports NA bbl/day NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities petroleum products refined petroleum products
Exports - partners US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4.5% (2005) US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Fiscal year calendar year 1 October - 30 September
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 white, with a modified US coat of arms in the center between the large blue initials V and I; the coat of arms shows a yellow eagle holding an olive branch in one talon and three arrows in the other with a superimposed shield of vertical red and white stripes below a blue panel
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2004 est.) 2% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 18 20 N, 64 50 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) important location along the Anegada Passage - a key shipping lane for the Panama Canal; Saint Thomas has one of the best natural deepwater harbors in the Caribbean
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 crude oil, foodstuffs, consumer goods, building materials
Imports - partners Venezuela 52.3%, US 21.4%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005) US, Puerto Rico (2006)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) none (territory of the US)
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, petroleum refining, watch assembly, rum distilling, construction, pharmaceuticals, textiles, electronics
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: 7.69 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 6.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) 2.2% (2003)
International organization participation ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate) IOC, UPU
Irrigated land NA NA
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) US District Court of the Virgin Islands (under Third Circuit jurisdiction); Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (judges appointed by the governor for 10-year terms)
Labor force 83,600 (2005) 43,980 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 1%


industry: 19%


services: 80% (2003 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: 5.71%


permanent crops: 2.86%


other: 91.43% (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) English 74.7%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 16.8%, French or French Creole 6.6%, other 1.9% (2000 census)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence based on US laws
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 Senate (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)


elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 8, ICM 4, independent 3


note: the Virgin Islands elects one non-voting representative to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held November 2008)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.03 years


male: 73.76 years


female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)
total population: 79.2 years


male: 75.4 years


female: 83.22 years (2007 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: 90-95% est.


male: NA%


female: NA% (2005 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 Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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 defense is the responsibility of the US
Military branches no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005) -
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 Transfer Day (from Denmark to the US), 27 March (1917)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Virgin Islander(s) (US citizens)


adjective: Virgin Islander
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 several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) sun, sand, sea, surf
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -8.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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
Democratic Party [Arturo WATLINGTON]; Independent Citizens' Movement or ICM [Usie RICHARDS]; Republican Party [Gary SPRAUVE]
Political pressure groups and leaders Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) NA
Population 221,736 (July 2006 est.) 108,448 (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA% (2002)
Population growth rate 0.79% (2006 est.) -0.171% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 6, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2005)
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) Baptist 42%, Roman Catholic 34%, Episcopalian 17%, other 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 (2006 est.)
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.017 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.902 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.795 male(s)/female


total population: 0.912 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal; island residents are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections
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: modern system with total digital switching, uses fiber-optic cable and microwave radio relay


domestic: full range of services available


international: country code - 1-340; 2 submarine cable connections (Taino Carib, Americas-1); satellite earth stations - NA
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 71,700 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 200,000 (2004) 80,300 (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) 5 (2006)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors mostly hilly to rugged and mountainous with little level land
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.) 2.16 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2002 est.) 6.2% (2004)
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