Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds
Terrain: generally hilly, volcanic interiors
Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use: arable land: 8% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 92%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: 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
international agreements: party to - Whaling (extended from
Netherlands)
@Netherlands Antilles:People
Population: 203,505 (July 1995 est.)