Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Etienne YS]; C 93 [Stanley
BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
National Alliance [William MARLIN]; National People's Party or PNP
[Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth
GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UP Bonaire [Ramonsito
BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.];
People's Party or PAPU [Richard HODI]; Pro Curacao Party or PPK
[Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor Movement [Steve HASSELL];
Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St. Eustatius Alliance or SEA
[Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative People's Party or Sapp
[Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI];
Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will JOHNSTON]; Workers'
Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO,
WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General Robert E. SORENSON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Flag description:
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 Netherlands Antilles
Economy - overview:
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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$2.45 billion (2003 est.)