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NETHERLANDS ANTILLES
The Netherlands Antilles are part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and the
islands within were granted full internal-affairs autonomy in 1954, however, the
Netherlands is still responsible for their defense.
It includes the individual islands of Bonaire and Curacao, (just off the coast
of South America), as well as Saba, St. Eustatius and Sint Maarten in the
northeastern Caribbean.
Note that it no longer includes Aruba, as that island seceded from the
Netherlands Antilles in 1986, and became a separate (yet autonomous) member of
the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Netherlands Antilles, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Capital City Willemstad, Curacao
Languages Dutch (official), English, others
Official Currency Netherlands Antillean Guilder
Population 216,000
Land Area 960 sq km
Curaçao
The Arawaks are recognized as the first human civilization to inhabit the
Netherlands Antilles. A Spanish expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda discovered the
island of Curaçao for Spain in 1499, and it remained under the Spanish until the
Dutch took control in 1600. Curaçao was a strategically important point for
military advances against the Spanish and as the center of Caribbean slave
trade. Curacao became the host of the Netherlands Antilles Government in 1954.
Bonaire
With origins similar to Curaçao, Bonaire was captured by the Dutch in 1663, and
it became a granary for the Dutch East Indian Company until 1791, when the
government reclaimed control.
Sint Eustatius
The first settlement in Sint Eustatius was established in 1636 and changed hands
between the Dutch, French, and Spanish 22 times in its history. In the 18th
century the island became a duty free port for overburdened colonizers shipping
back to the homeland, which propelled it into a major port with rapid population
growth that lost momentum after the American-British peace treaty in 1783.
Saba
Columbus was the first to sight Saba, but it was the Dutch who colonized the
island in 1640 with a party from Sint Eustacia. Because of its difficult
terrain, the island's growth progressed slowly, and it remains the least
populated island in the Dutch Kingdom.
Sint Maarten
The Dutch were the first to colonize Sint Maarten in 1631, but within 2 years
the Spanish invaded and evacuated the settlers. The Dutch made a failing attempt
to regain the island in 1644, but 4 years later the Spanish abandoned the island
of their own accord. In 1648 the island was divided between the Dutch and the
French; however, complete control of the island was seized numerous times in a
series of conflicts. The British became involved as well, taking power for a
6-year and 10-year stint. Finally, in 1817, the current partition line between
Dutch and French was established. The island flourished under a slave-based
plantation economy and the exportation of salt until abolition of slavery in
1863.
Economy
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.
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