Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to
each island
Bonaire: Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS; Democratic
Party of Bonaire (PDB), Broertje JANJA
Curacao: Antillean Restructuring Party (PAR), Miguel POURIER;
National People's Party (PNP), Maria LIBERIA-PETERS; New Antilles
Movement (MAN), Domenico Felip Don MARTINA; Workers' Liberation
Front (FOL), Wilson (Papa) GODETT; Socialist Independent (SI),
George HUECK and Nelson MONTE; Democratic Party of Curacao (DP),
Augustin DIAZ; Nos Patria, Chin BEHILIA
Saba: Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM Saba), Ray HASSELL;
Saba Democratic Labor Movement, Steve HASSELL; Saba Unity Party,
Carmen SIMMONDS
Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius (DP-St.E), Julian
WOODLEY; Windward Islands People's Movement (WIPM); St. Eustatius
Alliance (SEA), Ingrid WHITFIELD
Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten (DP-St.M), Sarah
WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten (SPA), Vance
JAMES; Serious Alternative People's Party (SAPP) Julian ROLLOCKS
International organization participation: Caricom (observer),
ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the
Netherlands)
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS consulate general(s): J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 61-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 61-6489
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 ———-
Economic overview: Tourism and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela and the US being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.92 billion (1994 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 1.8% (1994 est.)
GDP per capita: $10,400 (1994 est.)