Compare Paracel Islands (2003) - Netherlands Antilles (2006)

Compare Paracel Islands (2003) z Netherlands Antilles (2006)

	Paracel Islands (2003)	Netherlands Antilles (2006)

Administrative divisions	-	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: each island has its own government
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.)
Agriculture - products	-	aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Airports	1 (2002)	5 (2006)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)	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)
Area	total: NA sq km land: NA sq km water: 0 sq km	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)
Area - comparative	NA	more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Background	The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932, French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam. China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands. The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.	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).
Birth rate	-	14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $757.9 million expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004)
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	tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Coastline	518 km	364 km
Constitution	-	29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Country name	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Paracel Islands	conventional long form: none conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles local long form: none local short form: Nederlandse Antillen former: Curacao and Dependencies
Death rate	-	6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Debt - external	-	$2.68 billion (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
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
Disputes - international	occupied by China, but claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands continued its support with $40 million (2004)
Economy - overview	China announced plans in 1997 to open the islands for tourism.	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.
Electricity - consumption	-	945.8 million kWh (2003)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2003)
Electricity - production	-	1.017 billion kWh (2003)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Rocky Island 14 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m
Environment - current issues	NA	NA
Ethnic groups	-	mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian
Exchange rates	-	Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (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
Exports	-	NA bbl/day
Exports - commodities	-	petroleum products
Exports - partners	-	US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%, Bahamas, The 4.5% (2005)
Fiscal 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
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	1% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	16 30 N, 112 00 E	12 15 N, 68 45 W
Geography - note	composed of 130 small coral islands and reefs divided into the northeast Amphitrite Group and the western Crescent Group	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)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	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
Imports - commodities	-	crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Imports - partners	-	Venezuela 52.3%, US 21.4%, Italy 4.9%, Netherlands 4.6% (2005)
Independence	-	none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate	-	NA%
Industries	-	tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
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.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	2.1% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	-	ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO, WToO (associate)
Irrigated land	0 sq km (1998 est.)	NA
Judicial branch	-	Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Labor force	-	83,600 (2005)
Labor force - by occupation	-	agriculture: 1% industry: 20% services: 79% (2005 est.)
Land boundaries	0 km	total: 15 km border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)	arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (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)
Legal system	-	based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
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
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 76.03 years male: 73.76 years female: 78.41 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.)
Location	Southeastern Asia, group of small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, about one-third of the way from central Vietnam to the northern Philippines	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
Map references	Southeast Asia	Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims	NA	territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 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	occupied by China	defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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
Nationality	-	noun: Dutch Antillean(s) adjective: Dutch Antillean
Natural hazards	typhoons	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
Natural resources	none	phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Net migration rate	-	-0.4 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
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: there are scattered Chinese garrisons (July 2003 est.)	221,736 (July 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA%
Population growth rate	-	0.79% (2006 est.)
Ports and harbors	small Chinese port facilities on Woody Island and Duncan Island being expanded	-
Radio broadcast stations	-	AM 8, FM 19, 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)
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.)
Suffrage	-	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)
Telephones - main lines in use	-	81,000 (2001)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	200,000 (2004)
Television broadcast stations	-	3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks and four Venezuelan channels) (2004)
Terrain	mostly low and flat	generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Total fertility rate	-	1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	17% (2002 est.)
Waterways	none	-

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