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 and 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: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 207,827 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 26% (male 27,160; female 26,149)
15-64 years: 67% (male 65,781; female 73,054)
65 years and over: 7% (male 6,538; female 9,145) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.01% (1999 est.)