Economics
Economy Overview: Tourism, oil refining and offshore financial services are the main pillars of this small economy, which is closely linked to the outside world. According to RRR Jewelry, the islands have a higher per capita income and developed infrastructure than other countries in the region. Almost all consumer goods and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US and Mexico being the main suppliers. Poor soils and lack of water sources hinder the development of agriculture.
GDP: at purchasing power parity – $2.4 billion (2000 est.).
Real GDP growth rate: -3.5% (2000 est.).
GDP per capita: Purchasing power parity – $11,400 (2000 est.).
The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 1%; industry: 15%; services: 84% (1996 est.).
Proportion of the population below the poverty line: no data available.
Percentage distribution of household income or consumption: 10% of the poorest households account for: n/a; 10% of the wealthiest families account for: no data.
Inflation rate at consumer prices: 6.4% (200 est.).
Labor force: 89,000 people
Employment structure: agriculture 1%, industry 13%, services 86% (1994 est.).
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1998 est.).
Budget: revenues: $710.8 million; expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures – NA (1997 est.).
Spheres of economy: tourism (Curaçao, Saint Martin and Bonaire), oil refining (Curaçao), oil transshipment services (Curaçao and Bonaire), light industry (Curaçao).
Growth in industrial production: no data available.
Electricity generation: 1.11 billion kWh (1999)
Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 100%; hydropower: 0%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 0% (1998).
Electricity consumption: 1.032 billion kWh (1999)
Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999).
Electricity import: 0 kWh (1999).
Agricultural products: aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruits.
Export: $276 million (free on board, 2000)
Export articles: oil products.
Export partners: USA 17.5%, Guatemala 8%, Costa Rica 6.5%, Bahamas 4.6%, Jamaica 4.1%, Chile 3.4% (1998).
Imports: $1.5 billion (free on board, 2000)
Import Items: Crude Oil, Foodstuffs, Manufactured Goods (1993).
Import partners: Venezuela 35.3%, USA 21%, Mexico 9.8%, Italy 5.4%, Netherlands 4.8%, Brazil 3.1% (1998).
External debt: $1.35 billion (1996) Economic aid recipient: IMF provided $61 million in 2000, the Netherlands $40 million.
Economic aid donor:
Currency: Netherlands Antilles guilder.
Currency code: ANG.
Exchange rate: ANG/USD – 1.790 (fixed exchange rate since 1989).
Fiscal year: calendar year.
Population
Population: 212,226 (July 2001 est.).
Age structure: under 14: 25.21% (male 27,332; female 26,169); 15 to 64 years old: 66.99% (male 67,562; female 74,599); over 65: 7.8% (male 6,874; female 9,690) (2001 est.).
Population growth: 0.97% (2001 est.).
Birth rate: 16.55 newborns / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Mortality: 6.41 deaths / 1000 people. (2001 est.).
Migration: -0.42 people / 1000 people (2001 est.).
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male/female; under 15: 1.04 male/female; from 15 to 64 years old: 0.91 male/female; over 65: 0.71 male/female; for the general population: 0.92 male/female (2001 est.);
Child mortality: 11.4 deaths/1000 live births (2001 est.).
Life expectancy: for the general population: 74.94 years; men: 72.76 years; women: 77.22 years (2001 est.).
General birth rate: 2.07 children/wives. (2000 est.).
Proportion of the adult population infected with HIV: no data available.
Number of people infected with HIV: no data.
Mortality due to AIDS: no data available.
Nationality: noun: resident of the Netherlands Antilles; adjective: pertaining to the Netherlands Antilles.
Ethnic groups: Black 85%, Caribbean Indians, Whites, East Asians.
Believers: Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Seventh Day Adventists.
Language(s): Dutch (official), predominantly Papiamento (Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-Co-English), widely spoken English, Spanish.
Literacy: definition: persons aged 15 and over who can read and write; for the general population: 98%; men: 98%; women: 99% (1981 est.).
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 76,000 (1995).
Mobile Cell Phones: 13,977 (1996).
Telephone system: mostly satisfactory; domestic: extensive microwave radio relay network between islands; international: 2 submarine cables; ground satellite stations 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean).
Broadcast stations: AM – 9, FM – 4, shortwave – 0 (1998).
Radio receivers: 217,000 (1997).
Television broadcast stations: 3 (there is also a cable service that provides broadcasts of programs received via satellite from the United States and two Venezuelan channels) (1997).
TVs: 69,000 (1997).
Internet country code: an
Internet Service Providers: 6 (1999).
Number of users: 2,000 (2000).
Transport
Transport Railways: 0 km.
Roads: total: 600 km; coated: 300 km; unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.).
Ports and harbours: Willemstad, Kralendijk, Philipsburg.
Merchant navy: in total: 123 vessels (displacement of 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 1,113,774 gross register tons / 1,397,841 long tons of carrying capacity; different types of ships: bulk carriers – 1, cargo ships – 35, chemical tankers – 2, combination ships carrying ore and oil – 3, container ships – 19, liquefied gas tankers – 4, multifunctional heavy cargo ships – 19, passenger ships – 1, oil tankers – 4, refrigerated ships – 28, ferries for the transport of loaded vehicles – 7; note: including foreign vessels registered here for “flag of convenience” reasons: Belgium 9, Germany 1, Italy 1 (2000 est.).
Airports: 5 (1999 est.).
Airports with paved runways: total: 5; over 3,047 m: 1; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2; from 914 to 1523 m:1; less than 914 m: 1 (1999 est.).
Airports with unpaved runways:
Armed forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, Police.
Enlistment age: 20 years old.
Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 54,284 (2001 est.).
Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 30,405 (2001 est.).
Number of persons reaching military age each year: men: 1,610 (2001 est.). Armed forces – note: Defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
International Issues
International issues International disputes: no.
Illicit drugs: money laundering center; transit point for drugs from South America destined for consumption in the US and Europe.
