Part 41
- Communications Railroads: 3.9 km; used to haul phosphates from the center of the island to processing facilities on the southwest coast
Highways: about 27 km total; 21 km paved, 6 km improved earth
Ports: Nauru
Merchant marine: 4 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 39,597 GRT/50,729 DWT; includes 1 passenger-cargo, 1 cargo, 2 bulk
Civil air: 3 major transport aircraft, one on order
Airports: 1 with permanent-surface runway 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: adequate intraisland and international radio communications provided via Australian facilities; 1,600 telephones; 4,000 radio receivers; stations--1 AM, no FM, no TV; 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: no regular armed forces
Military manpower: males 15-49, 298,249; 176,660 fit for military service; 100 reach age 18 annually
Defense expenditures: no formal defense structure ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Navassa Island (territory of the US) - Geography Total area: 5.2 km2; land area: 5.2 km2
Comparative area: about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 8 km
Maritime claims:
Contiguous zone: 12 nm;
Continental shelf: 200 m;
Extended economic zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: claimed by Haiti
Climate: marine, tropical
Terrain: raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 meters high)
Natural resources: guano
Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 10% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 90% other
Environment: mostly exposed rock, but enough grassland to support goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus
Note: strategic location between Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica in the Caribbean Sea; 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo, Cuba
- People Population: uninhabited; transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
- Government Long-form name: none (territory of the US)
Type: unincorporated territory of the US administered by the US Coast Guard
- Economy Overview: no economic activity
- Communications Ports: none; offshore anchorage only
- Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the US ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Nepal - Geography Total area: 140,800 km2; land area: 136,800 km2
Comparative area: slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries: 2,926 km total; China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline: none--landlocked
Maritime claims: none--landlocked
Climate: varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winter in south
Terrain: Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Natural resources: quartz, water, timber, hydroelectric potential, scenic beauty; small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use: 17% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 13% meadows and pastures; 33% forest and woodland; 37% other; includes 2% irrigated
Environment: contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution
Note: landlocked; strategic location between China and India
- People Population: 19,145,800 (July 1990), growth rate 2.4% (1990)
Birth rate: 39 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 15 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 99 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 50 years male, 50 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 5.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Nepalese (sing. and pl.); adjective--Nepalese
Ethnic divisions: Newars, Indians, Tibetans, Gurungs, Magars, Tamangs, Bhotias, Rais, Limbus, Sherpas, as well as many smaller groups
Religion: only official Hindu state in world, although no sharp distinction between many Hindu (about 88% of population) and Buddhist groups; small groups of Muslims and Christians
Language: Nepali (official); 20 languages divided into numerous dialects
Literacy: 20%
Labor force: 4,100,000; 93% agriculture, 5% services, 2% industry; severe lack of skilled labor
Organized labor: Teachers' Union, not officially recognized
- Government Long-form name: Kingdom of Nepal
Type: constitutional monarchy, but King Birendra exercises control over multitiered system of government
Capital: Kathmandu
Administrative divisions: 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Independence: 1768, unified by Prithyi Narayan Shah
Constitution: 16 December 1962
Legal system: based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday: Birthday of His Majesty the King, 28 December (1945)
Executive branch: monarch, chairman of the Council of State, Council of State, prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Rashtriya Panchayat)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Sarbochha Adalat)
Leaders: Chief of State--King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev (since 31 January 1972, crowned King 24 February 1985); Heir Apparent Crown Prince DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev, son of the King (born 21 June 1971);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Marich Man Singh SHRESTHA (since 15 July 1986)
Political parties and leaders: all political parties outlawed but operate more or less openly; Nepali Congress Party (NCP), Ganesh Man Singh, K. P. Bhattarai, G. P. Koirala
Suffrage: universal at age 21
Elections: National Assembly--last held on 12 May 1986 (next to be held May 1991); results--all independents since political parties are officially banned; seats--(140 total, 112 elected) independents 112
Communists: Communist Party of Nepal (CPN); factions include V. B. Manandhar, Man Mohan Adhikari/Sahana Pradhan, Bharat Raj Joshi, Rai Majhi, Tulsi Lal, Krishna Raj Burma
Other political or pressure groups: numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; Indian merchants in Tarai and capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups operating from north India
Member of: ADB, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITU, NAM, SAARC, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Mohan Man SAINJU; Chancery at 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 667-4550; there is a Nepalese Consulate General in New York; US--Ambassador Julia Chang BLOCH; Embassy at Pani Pokhari, Kathmandu; telephone [977] 411179 or 412718, 411601
Flag: red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
- Economy Overview: Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with a per capita income of only $158. Real growth averaged 4% in the 1980s until FY89, when it plunged to 1.5% because of the ongoing trade/transit dispute with India. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 90% of the population and accounting for 60% of GDP and about 75% of exports. Industrial activity is limited, and what there is involves the processing of agricultural produce (jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain). Apart from agricultural land and forests, the only other exploitable natural resources are mica, hydropower, and tourism. Despite considerable investment in the agricultural sector, production in the 1980s has not kept pace with the population growth of 2.7%, which has led to a reduction in exportable surpluses and balance-of-payments difficulties. Economic prospects for the 1990s remain grim.
GDP: $2.9 billion, per capita $158; real growth rate 1.5% (FY89)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.1% (FY89 est.)
Unemployment rate: 5%; underemployment estimated at 25-40% (1987)
Budget: revenues $296 million; expenditures $635 million, including capital expenditures of $394 million (FY89 est.)
Exports: $374 million (f.o.b., FY89 est.), but does not include unrecorded border trade with India; commodities--clothing, carpets, leather goods, grain; partners--India 38%, US 23%, UK 6%, other Europe 9% (FY88)
Imports: $724 million (c.i.f., FY89 est.); commodities--petroleum products 20%, fertilizer 11%, machinery 10%; partners--India 36%, Japan 13%, Europe 4%, US 1% (FY88)
External debt: $1.3 billion (December 1989 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate - 4.5% (FY89 est.)
Electricity: 205,000 kW capacity; 535 million kWh produced, 30 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette, textiles, cement, brick; tourism
Agriculture: accounts for 60% of GDP and 90% of work force; farm products--rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, buffalo meat; not self-sufficient in food, particularly in drought years
Illicit drugs: illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets
Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $285 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-87), $1.8 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $30 million; Communist countries (1970-88), $273 million
Currency: Nepalese rupee (plural--rupees); 1 Nepalese rupee (NR) = 100 paisa
Exchange rates: Nepalese rupees (NRs) per US$1--28.559 (January 1990), 27.189 (1989), 23.289 (1988), 21.819 (1987), 21.230 (1986), 18.246 (1985)
Fiscal year: 16 July-15 July
- Communications Railroads: 52 km (1985), all 0.762-meter narrow gauge; all in Tarai close to Indian border; 10 km from Raxaul to Birganj is government owned
Highways: 5,958 km total (1986); 2,645 km paved, 815 km gravel or crushed stone, 2,257 km improved and unimproved earth; also 241 km of seasonally motorable tracks
Civil air: 5 major and 11 minor transport aircraft
Airports: 38 total, 38 usable; 5 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 1 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radio communication and broadcast service; international radio communication service is poor; 30,000 telephones (1987); stations--4 AM, no FM, 1 TV; 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT earth station
- Defense Forces Branches: Royal Nepalese Army, Royal Nepalese Army Air Service, Nepalese Police Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,531,660; 2,347,412 fit for military service; 225,349 reach military age (17) annually
Defense expenditures: 2% of GDP, or $58 million (1989 est.) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Netherlands - Geography Total area: 37,290 km2; land area: 33,940 km2
Comparative area: slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Land boundaries: 1,027 km total; Belgium 450 km, FRG 577 km
Coastline: 451 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters
Terrain: mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in southeast
Natural resources: natural gas, crude oil, fertile soil
Land use: 25% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 34% meadows and pastures; 9% forest and woodland; 31% other; includes 15% irrigated
Environment: 27% of the land area is below sea level and protected from the North Sea by dikes
Note: located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or Meuse, Schelde)
- People Population: 14,936,032 (July 1990), growth rate 0.6% (1990)
Birth rate: 13 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 8 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 2 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 7 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 81 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 1.6 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women); adjective--Dutch
Ethnic divisions: 96% Dutch, 4% Moroccans, Turks, and others (1988)
Religion: 36% Roman Catholic, 27% Protestant, 4% other, 33% unaffiliated (1986)
Language: Dutch
Literacy: 99%
Labor force: 5,300,000; 50.1% services, 28.2% manufacturing and construction, 15.9% government, 5.8% agriculture (1986)
Organized labor: 29% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: Kingdom of the Netherlands
Type: constitutional monarchy
Capital: Amsterdam, but government resides at The Hague
Administrative divisions: 12 provinces (provincien, singular--provincie); Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg, Noord-Brabant, Noord-Holland, Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland
Dependent areas: Aruba, Netherlands Antilles
Independence: 1579 (from Spain)
Constitution: 17 February 1983
Legal system: civil law system incorporating French penal theory; judicial review in the Supreme Court of legislation of lower order rather than Acts of Parliament; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Executive branch: monarch, prime minister, vice prime minister, Cabinet, Cabinet of Ministers
Legislative branch: bicameral States General (Staten Generaal) consists of an upper chamber or First Chamber (Eerste Kamer) and a lower chamber or Second Chamber (Tweede Kamer)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (De Hoge Raad)
Leaders: Chief of State--Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent WILLEM-ALEXANDER, Prince of Orange, son of Queen Beatrix (born 27 April 1967);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Ruud (Rudolph) F. M. LUBBERS (since 4 November 1982); Deputy Prime Minister Wim KOK (since 2 November 1989)
Political parties and leaders: Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA), Willem van Velzen; Labor (PvdA), Wim Kok; Liberal (VVD), Joris Voorhoeve; Democrats '66 (D'66), Hans van Mierio; Communist (CPN), Henk Hoekstra; a host of minor parties
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: First Chamber--last held on 9 June l987 (next to be held 9 June 1991); results--elected by the country's 12 provincial councils; seats--(75 total) percent of seats by party NA;
Second Chamber--last held on 6 September 1989 (next to be held by September 1993); results--CDA 35.3%, PvdA 31.9%, VVD 14.6%, D'66 7.9%, others 10.3%; seats--(150 total) CDA 54, PvdA 49, VVD 22, D'66 12, others 13
Communists: about 6,000
Other political or pressure groups: large multinational firms; Federation of Netherlands Trade Union Movement (comprising Socialist and Catholic trade unions) and a Protestant trade union; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers Associations; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises; and IKV--Interchurch Peace Council
Member of: ADB, Benelux, CCC, Council of Europe, DAC, EC, ECE, EIB, EMS, ESA, ESCAP, FAO, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAC, ICAO, ICES, ICO, IDA, IDB--Inter-American Development Bank, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, ILZSG, IMF, IMO, INRO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ITC, ITU, IWC--International Wheat Council (with respect to interests of the Netherlands Antilles and Suriname), NATO, OAS (observer), OECD, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WEU, WHO,
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Richard H. FEIN; Chancery at 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 244-5300; there are Dutch Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco; US--Ambassador C. Howard WILKINS; Embassy at Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ The Hague (mailing address APO New York 09159); telephone [31] (70) 62-49-11; there is a US Consulate General in Amsterdam
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar to the flag of Luxembourg which uses a lighter blue and is longer
- Economy Overview: This highly developed and affluent economy is based on private enterprise. The government makes its presence felt, however, through many regulations, permit requirements, and welfare programs affecting most aspects of economic activity. The trade and financial services sector contributes over 50% of GDP. Industrial activity, including construction, provides about 25% of GDP, and is led by the food-processing, oil-refining, and metal-working industries. The highly mechanized agricultural sector employs only 6% of the labor force, but provides large surpluses for export and the domestic food-processing industry. An unemployment rate of over 8.6% and a sizable budget deficit are currently the most serious economic problems.
GDP: $205.9 billion, per capita $13,900; real growth rate 4.2% (1989 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate: 8.6% (1989 est.)
Budget: revenues $71 billion; expenditures $82 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA billion (1989)
Exports: $110.3 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--agricultural products, processed foods and tobacco, natural gas, chemicals, metal products, textiles, clothing; partners--EC 74.9% (FRG 28.3%, Belgium-Luxembourg 14.2%, France 10.7%, UK 10.2%), US 4.7% (1988)
Imports: $100.9 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--raw materials and semifinished products, consumer goods, transportation equipment, crude oil, food products; partners--EC 63.8% (FRG 26.5%, Belgium-Luxembourg 23.1%, UK 8.1%), US 7.9% (1988)
External debt: none
Industrial production: growth rate 4.8% (1989 est.)
Electricity: 22,216,000 kW capacity; 63,570 million kWh produced, 4,300 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, fishing, construction, microelectronics
Agriculture: accounts for 4% of GDP; animal production predominates; crops--grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; shortages of grain, fats, and oils
Aid: donor--ODA and OOF commitments (1970-87), $15.8 billion
Currency: Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (plural--guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands guilder, gulden, or florin (f.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands guilders, gulden, or florins (f.) per US$1--2.2906 (January 1990), 2.1207 (1989), 1.9766 (1988), 2.0257 (1987), 2.4500 (1986), 3.3214 (1985)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Railroads: 3,037 km track (includes 1,871 km electrified and 1,800 km double track; 2,871 km 1.435-meter standard gauge operated by Netherlands Railways (NS); 166 km privately owned
Highways: 108,360 km total; 92,525 km paved (including 2,185 km of limited access, divided highways); 15,835 km gravel, crushed stone
Inland waterways: 6,340 km, of which 35% is usable by craft of 1,000 metric ton capacity or larger
Pipelines: 418 km crude oil; 965 km refined products; 10,230 km natural gas
Ports: maritime--Amsterdam, Delfzijl, Den Helder, Dordrecht, Eemshaven, Ijmuiden, Rotterdam, Scheveningen, Terneuzen, Vlissingen; inland--29 ports
Merchant marine: 345 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,661,822 GRT/3,732,282 DWT; includes 2 short-sea passenger, 187 cargo, 42 refrigerated cargo, 23 container, 9 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 livestock carrier, 12 multifunction large-load carrier, 15 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 27 chemical tanker, 11 liquefied gas, 2 specialized tanker, 1 combinatio n ore/oil, 9 bulk, 2 combination bulk; note--many Dutch-owned ships are also registered in the captive Netherlands Antilles register
Civil air: 98 major transport aircraft
Airports: 28 total, 28 usable; 19 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 12 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 3 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: highly developed, well maintained, and integrated; extensive system of multiconductor cables, supplemented by radio relay links; 9,418,000 telephones; stations--6 AM, 20 (32 repeaters) FM, 21 (8 repeaters) TV; 5 submarine cables; communication satellite earth stations operating in INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean) and EUTELSAT systems
- Defense Forces Branches: Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy/Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force
Military manpower: males 15-49, 4,134,006; 3,660,048 fit for military service; 111,948 reach military age (20) annually
Defense expenditures: 2.9% of GDP, or $6.0 billion (1989 est.) ---------------------------------------------------- Country: Netherlands Antilles (part of the Dutch realm) - Geography Total area: 960 km2; land area: 960 km2; includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)
Comparative area: slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: none
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims:
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm;
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: tropical; modified by northeast trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use: 8% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 92% other
Environment: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Note: consists of two island groups--Curacao and Bonaire are located off the coast of Venezuela, and Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius lie 800 km to the north
- People Population: 183,503 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)
Birth rate: 18 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 5 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: - 11 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 9 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 79 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.0 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun--Netherlands Antillean(s); adjective--Netherlands Antillean
Ethnic divisions: 85% mixed African; remainder Carib Indian, European, Latin, and Oriental
Religion: predominantly Roman Catholic; Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist
Language: Dutch (official); Papiamento, a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates; English widely spoken; Spanish
Literacy: 95%
Labor force: 89,000; 65% government, 28% industry and commerce (1983)
Organized labor: 60-70% of labor force
- Government Long-form name: none
Type: part of the Dutch realm--full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
Capital: Willemstad
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Dutch realm)
Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm)
Constitution: 29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
National holiday: Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
Executive branch: Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, vice prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Legislative branch: Parliament (Staten)
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice
Leaders: Chief of State--Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since October 1989);
Head of Government--Prime Minister Maria LIBERIA-PETERS (since 17 May 1988, previously served from September 1984 to November 1985)
Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to each island:
Curacao--National People's Party (NVP), Maria Liberia-Peters; New Antilles Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Martina; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP), Augustus Diaz; Workers' Liberation Front (FOL), Wilson (Papa) Godett; Socialist Independent (SI), George Hueck and Nelson Monte;
Bonaire--New Force, Rudy Ellis; Democratic Party of Bonaire (PDB), John Evert (Jopie) Abraham;
Sint Maarten--Democratic Party of Sint Maarten, Claude Wathey; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten, Romeo Paplophlet;
Sint Eustatius--Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius, Albert K. Van Putten; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM), Eric Henriquez;
Saba--Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Will Johnston; Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Vernon Hassell; Saba Unity Party, Carmen Simmonds
Suffrage: universal at age 18
Elections: Parliament--last held on 22 November 1985 (next to be held November 1989); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(22 total) PNP 6, MAN 4, DP-Curacao 3, DP-St. Maarten 3, DP-Bonaire 2, DP-St. Eustatius 1, FOL 1, UPB 1, WIPM 1; note--the government of Prime Minister Maria Liberia-Peters is a coalition of several parties
Communists: small leftist groups
Member of: EC (associate), INTERPOL; associated with UN through the Netherlands; UPU, WMO
Diplomatic representation: as an autonomous part of the Netherlands, Netherlands Antillean interests in the US are represented by the Netherlands; US--Consul General Sharon P. WILKINSON; Consulate General at St. Anna Boulevard 19, Willemstad, Curacao (mailing address P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao); telephone [599] (9) 613066
Flag: 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
- Economy Overview: Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the economy. The islands enjoy a comparatively high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Unlike many Latin American countries, the Netherlands Antilles has avoided large international debt. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US being the major supplier. The economy has suffered somewhat in recent years because of the depressed state of the world oil market and declining tax revenues. In 1983 the drop in oil prices led to the devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar, which ended a substantial flow of Venezuelan tourists to the islands. As a result of a decline in tax revenues, the government has been seeking financial support from the Netherlands.
GDP: $1.0 billion, per capita $5,500; real growth rate 3% (1988 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.0% (1988)
Unemployment rate: 26.0% (1988)
Budget: revenues $180 million; expenditures $289 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1987 est.)
Exports: $1.3 billion (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--petroleum products 98%; partners--US 55%, UK 7%, Jamaica 5%
Imports: $1.5 billion (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures; partners--Venezuela 52%, Nigeria 15%, US 12%
External debt: $701.2 million (December 1987)
Industrial production: growth rate NA%
Electricity: 125,000 kW capacity; 365 million kWh produced, 1,990 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)
Agriculture: hampered by poor soils and scarcity of water; chief products--aloes, sorghum, peanuts, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit; not self-sufficient in food
Aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-79), $353 million
Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (plural--guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1--1.80 (fixed rate since 1971)
Fiscal year: calendar year
- Communications Highways: 950 km total; 300 km paved, 650 km gravel and earth
Ports: Willemstad, Philipsburg, Kralendijk
Merchant marine: 52 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 418,206 GRT/414,325 DWT; includes 4 passenger, 19 cargo, 5 refrigerated cargo, 7 container, 4 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 6 multifunction large-load carrier, 1 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 2 liquefied gas, 2 bulk; note--all but a few are foreign owned
Civil air: 5 major transport aircraft
Airports: 7 total, 7 usable; 7 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 2 with runways 1,220-2,439 m
Telecommunications: generally adequate facilities; extensive interisland radio relay links; stations--9 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 2 submarine cables; 2 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT earth stations
- Defense Forces Military Manpower: males 15-49 49,299; 27,888 fit for military service; 1,678 reach military age (20) annually