Natural resources: phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)
Land use: arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean hurricane belt, so are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
Environment-current issues: NA
Environment-international agreements: party to: Whaling (extended from Netherlands) signed, but not ratified: NA
@Netherlands Antilles:People
Population: 205,693 (July 1998 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 27,001; female 26,091) 15-64 years: 67% (male 64,964; female 72,329) 65 years and over: 7% (male 6,393; female 8,915) (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.06% (1998 est.)