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Compare Netherlands Antilles (2008) - Barbados (2006)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2008) z Barbados (2006)

 Netherlands Antilles (2008)Barbados (2006)
 Netherlands AntillesBarbados
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
11 parishes; Christ Church, Saint Andrew, Saint George, Saint James, Saint John, Saint Joseph, Saint Lucy, Saint Michael, Saint Peter, Saint Philip, Saint Thomas; note - the city of Bridgetown may be given parish status
Age structure 0-14 years: 23.6% (male 27,020/female 25,726)


15-64 years: 67.4% (male 72,449/female 78,259)


65 years and over: 9% (male 8,243/female 11,955) (2007 est.)
0-14 years: 20.1% (male 28,160/female 28,039)


15-64 years: 71.1% (male 97,755/female 101,223)


65 years and over: 8.8% (male 9,508/female 15,227) (2006 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit sugarcane, vegetables, cotton
Airports 5 (2007) 1 (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 (2007)
total: 1


over 3,047 m: 1 (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: 431 sq km


land: 431 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC 2.5 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, called Saint Martin, is an overseas collectivity of France. The island was uninhabited when first settled by the British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Birth rate 14.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 12.71 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget revenues: $757.9 million


expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
revenues: $847 million (including grants)


expenditures: $886 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
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: Bridgetown


geographic coordinates: 13 06 N, 59 37 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical; rainy season (June to October)
Coastline 364 km 97 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended 30 November 1966
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: Barbados
Death rate 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 8.67 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external $2.68 billion (2004) $668 million (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 -
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
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary M. OURISMAN


embassy: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Building, Broad Street, Bridgetown; (courier) ALICO Building-Cheapside, Bridgetown


mailing address: P. O. Box 302, Bridgetown; CMR 1014, APO AA 34055


telephone: [1] (246) 436-4950


FAX: [1] (246) 429-5246, 429-3379
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 chief of mission: Ambassador Michael Ian KING


chancery: 2144 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 939-9200


FAX: [1] (202) 332-7467


consulate(s) general: Miami, New York


consulate(s): Los Angeles
Disputes - international none in 2005, Barbados and Trinidad and Tobago agreed to compulsory international arbitration that will result in a binding award challenging whether the northern limit of Trinidad and Tobago's and Venezuela's maritime boundary extends into Barbadian waters and the southern limit of Barbadian traditional fishing; joins other Caribbean states to counter Venezuela's claim that Aves Island sustains human habitation, a criterion under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which permits Venezuela to extend its EEZ/continental shelf over a large portion of the Caribbean Sea
Economic aid - recipient $21.32 million


note: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004)
$9.1 million (1995)
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. Most of the oil Netherlands Antilles imports for its refineries come from Venezuela. 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. Historically, the Barbadian economy had been dependent on sugarcane cultivation and related activities, but production in recent years has diversified into light industry and tourism. Offshore finance and information services are important foreign exchange earners. The government continues its efforts to reduce unemployment, to encourage direct foreign investment, and to privatize remaining state-owned enterprises. The economy contracted in 2002-03 mainly due to a decline in tourism. Growth was positive in 2005, as economic conditions in the US and Europe moderately improved.
Electricity - consumption 891 million kWh (2005) 761.7 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production 1.175 billion kWh (2005) 819 million kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Mount Hillaby 336 m
Environment - current issues NA pollution of coastal waters from waste disposal by ships; soil erosion; illegal solid waste disposal threatens contamination of aquifers
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian) black 90%, white 4%, Asian and mixed 6%
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) Barbadian dollars per US dollar - 2 (2005), 2 (2004), 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (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 2010)


note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP-St. M, UPB, WIPM Saba, DP-St. E
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by Governor General Sir Clifford Straughn HUSBANDS (since 1 June 1996)


head of government: Prime Minister Owen Seymour ARTHUR (since 7 September 1994); Deputy Prime Minister Mia MOTTLEY (since 26 May 2003)


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; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the governor general; the prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Exports 217,800 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities petroleum products sugar and molasses, rum, other foods and beverages, chemicals, electrical components
Exports - partners US 27.2%, Panama 11.4%, Mexico 9%, Germany 6.2%, Haiti 5.3%, Singapore 4.8%, Bahamas, The 4.2% (2006) US 18.6%, Trinidad and Tobago 15%, UK 12.1%, Saint Lucia 8.4%, Jamaica 7.9%, Grenada 4.6%, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4.6% (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 three equal vertical bands of blue (hoist side), gold, and blue with the head of a black trident centered on the gold band; the trident head represents independence and a break with the past (the colonial coat of arms contained a complete trident)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 6%


industry: 16%


services: 78% (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2004 est.) 4.1% (2005 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 13 10 N, 59 32 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); the island of Saint Martin is the smallest landmass in the World shared by two independent states, the French territory of Saint Martin and the Dutch territory of Sint Maarten easternmost Caribbean island
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 one of many Caribbean transshipment points for narcotics bound for Europe and the US; offshore financial center
Imports 282,500 bbl/day (2004) NA bbl/day
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures consumer goods, machinery, foodstuffs, construction materials, chemicals, fuel, electrical components
Imports - partners Venezuela 71.1%, US 10.4%, Italy 3.7% (2006) NZ 45.9%, US 20.3%, Trinidad and Tobago 12% (2005)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 30 November 1966 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% -3.2% (2000 est.)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) tourism, sugar, light manufacturing, component assembly for export
Infant mortality rate total: 9.63 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 10.33 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 8.9 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
total: 11.77 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 13.38 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) -0.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO ACP, C, Caricom, CDB, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 50 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court of Judicature (judges are appointed by the Service Commissions for the Judicial and Legal Services)
Labor force 83,600 (2005) 128,500 (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
agriculture: 10%


industry: 15%


services: 75% (1996 est.)
Land boundaries total: 15 km


border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
0 km
Land use arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2005)
arable land: 37.21%


permanent crops: 2.33%


other: 60.46% (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
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence English common law; no judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
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, PDB 1, WIPM 1


note: the government is a coalition of several parties
bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (21-member body appointed by the governor general) and the House of Assembly (30 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Assembly - last held 21 May 2003 (next to be held by May 2008)


election results: House of Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - BLP 23, DLP 7
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.24 years


male: 73.96 years


female: 78.65 years (2007 est.)
total population: 72.79 years


male: 70.79 years


female: 74.82 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: 99.7%


male: 99.7%


female: 99.7% (2002 est.)
Location Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands Caribbean, island in the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela
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: 138 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,096,005 GRT/1,437,692 DWT


by type: barge carrier 2, bulk carrier 4, cargo 70, carrier 12, chemical tanker 3, container 10, liquefied gas 1, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 25, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 3


foreign-owned: 125 (Belgium 1, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 48, Netherlands 53, Norway 5, Sweden 3, Turkey 12, US 1) (2007)
total: 58 ships (1000 GRT or over) 433,390 GRT/664,998 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 32, chemical tanker 7, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 3, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 1


foreign-owned: 57 (Bahamas, The 1, Canada 8, Greece 11, Lebanon 1, Monaco 1, Norway 29, UAE 1, UK 5)


registered in other countries: 1 (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1) (2006)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands the Royal Barbados Defense Force includes a land-based Troop Command and a small Coast Guard; the primary role of the land element is to defend the island against external aggression; the Command consists of a single, part-time battalion with a small regular cadre that is deployed throughout the island; it increasingly supports the police in patrolling the coastline to prevent smuggling and other illicit activities (2005)
Military branches no regular military forces; National Guard (2008) Royal Barbados Defense Force: Troops Command, Coast Guard (2005)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - NA
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - NA
National holiday Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980) Independence Day, 30 November (1966)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Barbadian(s) or Bajan (colloquial)


adjective: Barbadian or Bajan (colloquial)
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 infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) petroleum, fish, natural gas
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -0.31 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
Barbados Labor Party or BLP [Owen ARTHUR]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [David THOMPSON]
Political pressure groups and leaders Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) Barbados Workers Union [Leroy TROTMAN]; Clement Payne Labor Union [David COMISSIONG]; People's Progressive Movement [Eric SEALY]; Worker's Party of Barbados [Dr. George BELLE]
Population 223,652 (July 2007 est.) 279,912 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 0.777% (2007 est.) 0.37% (2006 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003) AM 2, FM 6, shortwave 0 (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) Protestant 67% (Anglican 40%, Pentecostal 8%, Methodist 7%, other 12%), Roman Catholic 4%, none 17%, other 12%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.926 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female


total population: 0.929 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
at birth: 1.01 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1 male(s)/female


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


65 years and over: 0.62 male(s)/female


total population: 0.94 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; the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) and the Americas-2 submarine cable systems provide connectivity to Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment: NA


domestic: island-wide automatic telephone system


international: country code - 1-246; satellite earth stations - 1 (Intelsat -Atlantic Ocean); tropospheric scatter to Trinidad and Saint Lucia
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 134,900 (2005)
Telephones - mobile cellular 200,000 (2004) 206,200 (2005)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003) 1 (plus two cable channels) (2004)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors relatively flat; rises gently to central highland region
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.65 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2002 est.) 10.7% (2003 est.)
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