Main page Compare countries Index countries Index fields

Query:
##ciekawa_strona##

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2008) - Belize (2004)

Compare Netherlands Antilles (2008) z Belize (2004)

 Netherlands Antilles (2008)Belize (2004)
 Netherlands AntillesBelize
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)


note: each island has its own government
6 districts; Belize, Cayo, Corozal, Orange Walk, Stann Creek, Toledo
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: 40.6% (male 56,530; female 54,322)


15-64 years: 55.8% (male 77,118; female 75,309)


65 years and over: 3.5% (male 4,674; female 4,992) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit bananas, coca, citrus, sugar; fish, cultured shrimp; lumber; garments
Airports 5 (2007) 43 (2003 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 (2007)
total: 5


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 38


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 11


under 914 m: 26 (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: 22,966 sq km


land: 22,806 sq km


water: 160 sq km
Area - comparative more than five times the size of Washington, DC slightly smaller than Massachusetts
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. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug trade, and increased urban crime.
Birth rate 14.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 29.89 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget revenues: $757.9 million


expenditures: $949.5 million (2004)
revenues: $222 million


expenditures: $300 million, including capital expenditures of $70 million (2003 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)
Belmopan
Climate tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds tropical; very hot and humid; rainy season (May to November); dry season (February to May)
Coastline 364 km 386 km
Constitution 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended 21 September 1981
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: Belize


former: British Honduras
Currency - Belizean dollar (BZD)
Death rate 6.39 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.04 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external $2.68 billion (2004) $475 million (2001 est.)
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 Russell F. FREEMAN


embassy: 29 Gabourel Lane, Belize City


mailing address: P. O. Box 286, Belize City


telephone: [501] 227-7161 through 7163


FAX: [501] 2-30802
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 Lisa M. SHOMAN


chancery: 2535 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 332-9636


FAX: [1] (202) 332-6888


consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
Disputes - international none Guatemalan squatters continue to settle along the border region; an OAS brokered Differendum in 2002 created a small adjustment to the land boundary, a large Guatemalan maritime corridor in Caribbean, a joint ecological park for disputed Sapodilla Cays, and a substantial US-UK financial package, but agreement was not brought to popular referendum leaving Guatemala to continue to claim the southern half of Belize
Economic aid - recipient $21.32 million


note: 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. 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. In this small, essentially private enterprise economy the tourism industry is the number one foreign exchange earner followed by cane sugar, citrus, marine products, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth of 6.5% in 1999, 10.8% in 2000, 4.6% in 2001, and 3.7% in 2002. Major concerns continue to be the sizable trade deficit and foreign debt. A key short-term objective remains the reduction of poverty with the help of international donors.
Electricity - consumption 891 million kWh (2005) 185.5 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 1.175 billion kWh (2005) 199.5 million kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


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


highest point: Victoria Peak 1,160 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; water pollution from sewage, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff; solid and sewage waste disposal
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed black 85%, other 15% (includes Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian) mestizo 48.7%, Creole 24.9%, Maya 10.6%, Garifuna 6.1%, other 9.7%
Exchange rates Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) Belizean dollars per US dollar - 2 (2003), 2 (2002), 2 (2001), 2 (2000), 2 (1999)
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 Colville YOUNG, Sr. (since 17 November 1993)


head of government: Prime Minister Said Wilbert MUSA (since 28 August 1998); Deputy Prime Minister John BRICENO (since 1 September 1998)


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; prime minister recommends the deputy prime minister
Exports 217,800 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum products sugar, bananas, citrus, clothing, fish products, molasses, wood
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 39.1%, UK 25%, France 4% (2003)
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 blue with a narrow red stripe along the top and the bottom edges; centered is a large white disk bearing the coat of arms; the coat of arms features a shield flanked by two workers in front of a mahogany tree with the related motto SUB UMBRA FLOREO (I Flourish in the Shade) on a scroll at the bottom, all encircled by a green garland
GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.28 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 1%


industry: 15%


services: 84% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 22.7%


industry: 24.5%


services: 52.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $4,900 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1% (2004 est.) 3.7% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 15 N, 68 45 W 17 15 N, 88 45 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 only country in Central America without a coastline on the North Pacific Ocean
Highways - total: 2,872 km


paved: 488 km


unpaved: 2,384 km (1999 est.)
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 major transshipment point for cocaine; small-scale illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; money-laundering activity related to narcotics trafficking and offshore sector
Imports 282,500 bbl/day (2004) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities crude petroleum, food, manufactures machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods; fuels, chemicals, pharmaceuticals; food, beverages, tobacco
Imports - partners Venezuela 71.1%, US 10.4%, Italy 3.7% (2006) US 41.9%, Mexico 12.4%, UK 5.9%, Cuba 5.5% (2003)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 21 September 1981 (from UK)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 4.6% (1999)
Industries tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao) garment production, food processing, tourism, construction
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: 26.37 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 29.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 22.82 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2.1% (2003 est.) 2.6% (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, IOM, ITU, LAES, MIGA, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land NA 30 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister)
Labor force 83,600 (2005) 90,000


note: shortage of skilled labor and all types of technical personnel (2001 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 1%


industry: 20%


services: 79% (2005 est.)
agriculture 27%, industry 18%, services 55% (2001 est.)
Land boundaries total: 15 km


border countries: Saint Martin 15 km
total: 516 km


border countries: Guatemala 266 km, Mexico 250 km
Land use arable land: 10%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 90% (2005)
arable land: 2.85%


permanent crops: 1.71%


other: 95.44% (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) English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence English law
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 National Assembly consists of the Senate (12 members appointed by the governor general - six on the advice of the prime minister, three on the advice of the leader of the opposition, and one each on the advice of the Belize Council of Churches and Evangelical Association of Churches, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Belize Better Business Bureau, and the National Trade Union Congress and the Civil Society Steering Committee; members are appointed for five-year terms) and the House of Representatives (29 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 5 March 2003 (next to be held NA March 2008)


election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PUP 21, UDP 8
Life expectancy at birth total population: 76.24 years


male: 73.96 years


female: 78.65 years (2007 est.)
total population: 67.43 years


male: 65.11 years


female: 69.86 years (2004 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: 94.1%


male: 94.1%


female: 94.1% (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 Sint Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands Central America, bordering the Caribbean Sea, between Guatemala and Mexico
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 in the north, 3 nm in the south; note - from the mouth of the Sarstoon River to Ranguana Cay, Belize's territorial sea is 3 nm; according to Belize's Maritime Areas Act, 1992, the purpose of this limitation is to provide a framework for the negotiation of a definitive agreement on territorial differences with Guatemala


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: 336 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,015,270 GRT/1,336,890 DWT


by type: bulk 13, cargo 240, chemical tanker 11, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 10, multi-functional large load carrier 1, petroleum tanker 27, refrigerated cargo 18, roll on/roll off 8, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 2


foreign-owned: Bahamas 2, Belgium 1, British Virgin Islands 11, Cambodia 6, China 67, Cuba 2, Cyprus 1, Ecuador 1, Estonia 8, Germany 5, Greece 2, Grenada 1, Honduras 1, Hong Kong 27, Indonesia 4, Italy 2, Japan 5, Jordan 1, South Korea 13, Latvia 5, Liberia 2, Malaysia 4, Malta 1, Isle of Man 1, Marshall Islands 16, Mexico 1, Netherlands 1, Nigeria 2, Panama 15, Philippines 4, Portugal 1, Russia 9, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Singapore 9, Spain 6, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 1, Thailand 3, Tunisia 1, Turkey 2, Ukraine 3, United Kingdom 1, United States 3, Yemen 1


registered in other countries: 25 (2004 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands -
Military branches no regular military forces; National Guard (2008) Belize Defense Force (includes Army, Maritime Wing, Air Wing, and Volunteer Guard)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $18 million (2003)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 2% (2003)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 68,518 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 40,619 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 3,122 (2004 est.)
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, 21 September (1981)
Nationality noun: Dutch Antillean(s)


adjective: Dutch Antillean
noun: Belizean(s)


adjective: Belizean
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 frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and coastal flooding (especially in south)
Natural resources phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only) arable land potential, timber, fish, hydropower
Net migration rate -0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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
People's United Party or PUP [Said MUSA]; United Democratic Party or UDP [Dean BARROW, party leader; Douglas SINGH, party chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC) Society for the Promotion of Education and Research or SPEAR [Adele CATZIM]
Population 223,652 (July 2007 est.) 272,945 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 33% (1999 est.)
Population growth rate 0.777% (2007 est.) 2.39% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors - Belize City, Big Creek, Corozol, Punta Gorda
Radio broadcast stations AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2003) AM 1, FM 12, 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) Roman Catholic 49.6%, Protestant 27% (Anglican 5.3%, Methodist 3.5%, Mennonite 4.1%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5.2%, Pentecostal 7.4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%), none 9.4%, other 14% (2000)
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: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female


total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2004 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: above-average system


domestic: trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay


international: country code - 501; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 81,000 (2001) 33,300 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 200,000 (2004) 60,400 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and 4 Venezuelan channels) (2003) 2 (1997)
Terrain generally hilly, volcanic interiors flat, swampy coastal plain; low mountains in south
Total fertility rate 1.99 children born/woman (2007 est.) 3.77 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate 17% (2002 est.) 9.1% (2002)
Waterways - 825 km (navigable only by small craft) (2004)
Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.