Chapter XLIV: Front Matter (44)

Terrain:
raised coral and limestone plateau, flat to undulating; ringed by
vertical white cliffs (9 to 15 m high)

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on southwest side 77 m

Natural resources:
guano

Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 100% (2005)

Natural hazards:
hurricanes

Environment - current issues:
NA

Geography - note:
strategic location 160 km south of the US Naval Base at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba; mostly exposed rock but with enough grassland to support
goat herds; dense stands of fig-like trees, scattered cactus

People Navassa Island

Population:
uninhabited
note: transient Haitian fishermen and others camp on the island
(July 2006 est.)

Government Navassa Island

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Navassa Island

Dependency status:
unincorporated territory of the US; administered by the Fish and
Wildlife Service, US Department of the Interior, from the Caribbean
Islands National Wildlife Refuge in Boqueron, Puerto Rico; in
September 1996, the Coast Guard ceased operations and maintenance of
Navassa Island Light, a 46-meter-tall lighthouse on the southern
side of the island; there has also been a private claim advanced
against the island

Legal system:
the laws of the US, where applicable, apply

Flag description:
the flag of the US is used

Economy Navassa Island

Economy - overview:
Subsistence fishing and commercial trawling occur within refuge
waters.

Transportation Navassa Island

Ports and terminals:
none; offshore anchorage only

Military Navassa Island

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the US

Transnational Issues Navassa Island

Disputes - international:
claimed by Haiti, source of subsistence fishing

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Nepal

Introduction Nepal

Background:
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule
by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, gained traction and threatened to
bring down the regime, especially after a negotiated cease-fire
between the Maoists and government forces broke down in August 2003.
In 2001, the crown prince massacred ten members of the royal family,
including the king and queen, and then took his own life. In October
2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for
"incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were
subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing
insurgency. While stopping short of reestablishing parliament, the
king in June 2004 reinstated the most recently elected prime
minister who formed a four-party coalition government. Citing
dissatisfaction with the government's lack of progress in addressing
the Maoist insurgency and corruption, the king in February 2005
dissolved the government, declared a state of emergency, imprisoned
party leaders, and assumed power. The king's government subsequently
released party leaders and officially ended the state of emergency
in May 2005, but the monarch retained absolute power until April
2006. After nearly three weeks of mass protests organized by the
seven-party opposition and the Maoists, the king allowed parliament
to reconvene on 28 April 2006. In November 2006, the government and
Maoists signed the Comprehensive Peace Accord to end the ten-year
insurgency.

Geography Nepal

Location:
Southern Asia, between China and India

Geographic coordinates:
28 00 N, 84 00 E

Map references:
Asia

Area:
total: 147,181 sq km
land: 143,181 sq km
water: 4,000 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas

Land boundaries:
total: 2,926 km
border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km

Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)

Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)

Climate:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical
summers and mild winters in south

Terrain:
Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill
region, rugged Himalayas in north

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m

Natural resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of
lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore

Land use:
arable land: 16.07%
permanent crops: 0.85%
other: 83.08% (2005)

Irrigated land:
11,700 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine
depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer
monsoons

Environment - current issues:
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives);
contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural
runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular
emissions

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation

Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains
eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and
Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the
borders with China and India respectively

People Nepal

Population:
28,287,147 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.7% (male 5,648,959/female 5,291,447)
15-64 years: 57.6% (male 8,365,526/female 7,925,941)
65 years and over: 3.7% (male 513,777/female 541,497) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
male: 20.1 years
female: 20.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
2.17% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
30.98 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
9.31 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 65.32 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 63.56 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.17 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 60.18 years
male: 60.43 years
female: 59.91 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
4.1 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.5% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
61,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)
adjective: Nepalese

Ethnic groups:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang
5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%,
unspecified 2.8% (2001 census)

Religions:
Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9%
(2001 census)
note: only official Hindu state in the world

Languages:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana)
5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%,
unspecified 2.5% (2001 census)
note: many in government and business also speak English

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 48.6%
male: 62.7%
female: 34.9% (2000-2004 est.)

Government Nepal

Country name:
conventional long and short form: Nepal
local long and short form: Nepal

Government type:
parliamentary democracy

Capital:
name: Kathmandu
geographic coordinates: 27 43 N, 85 19 E
time difference: UTC+5.75 (10.75 hours ahead of Washington, DC
during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri,
Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali,
Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti

Independence:
1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)

National holiday:
note - in 2006 Parliament abolished the birthday of King GYANENDRA
(7 July) and Constitution Day (9 November) as national holidays

Constitution:
9 November 1990; the government began working on an interim
constitution in May 2006

Legal system:
based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30 April 2006)
head of government: Prime Minister Girija Prasad KOIRALA (since 30
April 2006); Deputy Prime Ministers Khadga Prasad OLI (since 2 May
2006) and Amik SHERCHAN since June 2006)
cabinet: Cabinet historically appointed by the monarch on the
recommendation of the prime minister; note - the prime minister
selected the Cabinet in May 2006 in consultation with the political
parties
elections: following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or leader of a majority coalition historically has
been appointed prime minister by the monarch

Legislative branch:
bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35
appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15
elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected
every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of
Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve
five-year terms)
elections: House of Representatives - last held in May 1999; note -
Parliament was dissolved in May 2002 but was finally reconvened in
April 2006 with most of the members that were elected in 1999
election results: House of Representatives (for 1999 parliament) -
percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP (RPP) 10.4%,
NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%,
NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP
11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP
1; note - NC, NSP, and NDP have since each split into two parties

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by
the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the
other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of
the Judicial Council)

Political parties and leaders:
Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav
Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP
(also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Pashupati Shumsher
RANA, chairman]; Nepali Congress-Democratic [Sher Bahadur DEUBA,
president]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party
president, Sushil KOIRALA, vice president]; Nepal Sadbhavana
(Goodwill) Party or NSP - Mandal [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, party
president]; Nepal Sadbhavana Party - Ananda Devi [Ananda DEVI,
president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man
BIJUKCHHE, party chairman]; People's Front Nepal (Rastriya Jana
Morcha) [Amik SHERCHAN, chairman]; Rastriya Janashakti Party or RJP
[Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; note - split from RPP in March
2005; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [leader NA]; note - merged with
People's Front Nepal or PFN in 2002

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency [Pushpa Kamal DAHAL, a.k.a.
PRACHANDA, chairman; Dr. Baburam BHATTARAI, deputy]; numerous small,
left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical
Nepalese antimonarchist groups

International organization participation:
AsDB, BIMSTEC, CP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD,
IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IOM (observer), IPU,
ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, ONUB,
OPCW, SAARC, SACEP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOCI, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant)
chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550
FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534
consulate(s) general: New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador James F. MORIARTY
embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [977] (1) 411-1179
FAX: [977] (1) 441-9963

Flag description:
red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping
right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized
moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun

Economy Nepal

Economy - overview:
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the
world with almost one-third of its population living below the
poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing
a livelihood for three-fourths of the population and accounting for
38% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of
agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.
Security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a
decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has
considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower and
tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for
foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor,
however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological
backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location,
its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$41.92 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$7.154 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
5% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,500 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 38%
industry: 21%
services: 41% (2005 est.)

Labor force:
10.4 million
note: severe lack of skilled labor (2004 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 76%
industry: 6%
services: 18%

Unemployment rate:
42% (2004 est.)

Population below poverty line:
31% (2003-2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 39.1% (2003-2004)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
37.7 (FY04/05)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
7.8% (October 2005 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $1.153 billion
expenditures: $1.789 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY05/06)

Agriculture - products:
rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat

Industries:
tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed
mills; cigarettes, cement and brick production

Industrial production growth rate:
3.8% (FY04/05)

Electricity - production:
2.565 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 8.5%
hydro: 91.5%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.85 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports:
111 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports:
241 million kWh (2005)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
11,980 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day

Oil - imports:
11,760 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:
$822 million f.o.b.; note - does not include unrecorded border
trade with India (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities:
carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain

Exports - partners:
India 53.7%, US 17.4%, Germany 7.1% (2005)

Imports:
$2 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities:
gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer

Imports - partners:
India 47.7%, UAE 11.2%, China 10.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, Kuwait 4.2%
(2005)

Debt - external:
$3.34 billion (March 2005)

Economic aid - recipient:
$424 million (FY00/01)

Currency (code):
Nepalese rupee (NPR)

Currency code:
NPR

Exchange rates:
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 71.368 (2005), 73.674 (2004),
76.141 (2003), 77.877 (2002)

Fiscal year:
16 July - 15 July

Communications Nepal

Telephones - main lines in use:
448,600 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
248,800 (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair
radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone
network
domestic: NA
international: country code - 977; radiotelephone communications;
microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat
(Indian Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)

Radios:
840,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)

Televisions:
130,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.np

Internet hosts:
17,789 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6 (2000)

Internet users:
175,000 (2005)

Transportation Nepal

Airports:
48 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 29 (2006)

Railways:
total: 59 km
narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge (2005)

Roadways:
total: 17,380 km
paved: 9,886 km
unpaved: 7,494 km (2004)

Military Nepal

Military branches:
Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service);
Nepalese Police Force

Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service (2001)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 18-49: 6,107,091
females age 18-49: 5,744,989 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 18-49: 4.193 million
females age 18-49: 3,853,102 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 308,031
females age 18-49: 286,604 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$104.9 million (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.5% (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues Nepal

Disputes - international:
joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of
boundary with India, including the 400 square kilometer dispute over
the source of the Kalapani River; India has instituted a stricter
border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal
cross-border activities; approximately 103,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas
(Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal
since 1990

Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 106,248 (Bhutan), 20,153 (Tibet/China)
IDPs: 100,000-200,000 (ongoing conflict between government forces
and Maoist rebels; displacement spread across the country) (2006)

Illicit drugs:
illicit producer of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and
international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast
Asia to the West

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Netherlands

Introduction Netherlands

Background:
The Dutch United Provinces declared their independence from Spain
in 1579; during the 17th century, they became a leading seafaring
and commercial power, with settlements and colonies around the
world. After a 20-year French occupation, a Kingdom of the
Netherlands was formed in 1815. In 1830 Belgium seceded and formed a
separate kingdom. The Netherlands remained neutral in World War I,
but suffered invasion and occupation by Germany in World War II. A
modern, industrialized nation, the Netherlands is also a large
exporter of agricultural products. The country was a founding member
of NATO and the EEC (now the EU), and participated in the
introduction of the euro in 1999.

Geography Netherlands

Location:
Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between Belgium and Germany

Geographic coordinates:
52 30 N, 5 45 E

Map references:
Europe

Area:
total: 41,526 sq km
land: 33,883 sq km
water: 7,643 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey

Land boundaries:
total: 1,027 km
border countries: Belgium 450 km, Germany 577 km

Coastline:
451 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm

Climate:
temperate; marine; cool summers and mild winters

Terrain:
mostly coastal lowland and reclaimed land (polders); some hills in
southeast

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Zuidplaspolder -7 m
highest point: Vaalserberg 322 m

Natural resources:
natural gas, petroleum, peat, limestone, salt, sand and gravel,
arable land

Land use:
arable land: 21.96%
permanent crops: 0.77%
other: 77.27% (2005)

Irrigated land:
5,650 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
flooding

Environment - current issues:
water pollution in the form of heavy metals, organic compounds, and
nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates; air pollution from
vehicles and refining activities; acid rain

Environment - international agreements:
party to: Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Pollution-Sulfur 85,
Air Pollution-Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources,
Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental
Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea,
Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands,
Whaling

Geography - note:
located at mouths of three major European rivers (Rhine, Maas or
Meuse, and Schelde)

People Netherlands

Population:
16,491,461 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 18% (male 1,515,123/female 1,445,390)
15-64 years: 67.8% (male 5,656,448/female 5,525,481)
65 years and over: 14.2% (male 994,723/female 1,354,296) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 39.4 years
male: 38.6 years
female: 40.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.49% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
10.9 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
8.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
2.72 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 4.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.96 years
male: 76.39 years
female: 81.67 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.66 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.2% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
19,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 100 (2003 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Dutchman(men), Dutchwoman(women)
adjective: Dutch

Ethnic groups:
Dutch 83%, other 17% (of which 9% are non-Western origin mainly
Turks, Moroccans, Antilleans, Surinamese, and Indonesians) (1999
est.)

Religions:
Roman Catholic 31%, Dutch Reformed 13%, Calvinist 7%, Muslim 5.5%,
other 2.5%, none 41% (2002)

Languages:
Dutch (official), Frisian (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99%
male: 99%
female: 99% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands

Country name:
conventional long form: Kingdom of the Netherlands
conventional short form: Netherlands
local long form: Koninkrijk der Nederlanden
local short form: Nederland

Government type:
constitutional monarchy

Capital:
name: Amsterdam
geographic coordinates: 52 23 N, 4 54 E
time difference: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last
Sunday in October
note: The Hague (seat of government)

Administrative divisions:
12 provinces (provincies, singular - provincie); Drenthe,
Flevoland, Friesland (Fryslan), Gelderland, Groningen, Limburg,
Noord-Brabant (North Brabant), Noord-Holland (North Holland),
Overijssel, Utrecht, Zeeland, Zuid-Holland (South Holland)

Dependent areas:
Aruba, Netherlands Antilles

Independence:
23 January 1579 (the northern provinces of the Low Countries
conclude the Union of Utrecht breaking with Spain; on 26 July 1581
they formally declared their independence with an Act of Abjuration;
however, it was not until 30 January 1648 and the Peace of
Westphalia that Spain recognized this independence)

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
adopted 1815; amended many times, most recently in 2002

Legal system:
civil law system incorporating French penal theory; constitution
does not permit judicial review of acts of the States General;
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX (since 30 April 1980); Heir Apparent
WILLEM-ALEXANDER (born 27 April 1967), son of the monarch
head of government: Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE (since 22
July 2002) and Deputy Prime Ministers Gerrit ZALM (since 27 May
2003) and Laurens Jan BRINKHORST (since 31 March 2005)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch
elections: none; the monarchy is hereditary; following Second
Chamber elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a
majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the
monarch; vice prime ministers appointed by the monarch
note: there is also a Council of State composed of the monarch, heir
apparent, and councilors that provides consultations to the cabinet
on legislative and administrative policy

Legislative branch:
bicameral States General or Staten Generaal consists of the First
Chamber or Eerste Kamer (75 seats; members indirectly elected by the
country's 12 provincial councils for four-year terms) and the Second
Chamber or Tweede Kamer (150 seats; members directly elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: First Chamber - last held 25 May 2003 (next to be held
May 2007); Second Chamber - last held 22 November 2006 (next to be
held by early 2011)
election results: First Chamber - percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - CDA 23, PvdA 19, VVD 15, Green Party 5, Socialist
Party 4, D66 3, other 6; Second Chamber - percent of vote by party -
CDA 26.5%, PvdA 21.2%, Socialist Party 16.6%, VVD 14.6%, Party for
Freedom 5.9%, Green Party 4.6%, Christian Union 4.0%; seats by party
- CDA 41, PvdA 33, Socialist Party 25, VVD 22, Party for Freedom 9,
Green Party 7, Christian Union 6, other 7

Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Hoge Raad (justices are nominated for life by the
monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Appeal or CDA [Jan Peter BALKENENDE];
Christian Union Party [Andre ROUVOET]; Democrats 66 or D66
[Alexander PECHTOLD]; Green Left Party [Femke HALSEMA]; Labor Party
or PvdA [Wouter BOS]; List Pim Fortuyn [Olaf STUGER]; Party for
Freedom [Geert WILDERS]; People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
(Liberal) or VVD [Mark RUTTE]; Socialist Party [Jan MARIJNISSEN];
Party for Freedom or PVV [Geert WILDERS]; Party for the Animals or
PvdD [Marianne THIEME]; Reformed Political Party of SGP [Bas VAN DER
VLIES]; plus a few minor parties

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Netherlands Trade Union Federation or FNV (consisting of a merger
of Socialist and Catholic trade unions); Christian Trade Union
Federation or CNV; Trade Union Federation of Middle and High
Personnel or MHP; Federation of Catholic and Protestant Employers
Associations; Interchurch Peace Council or IKV; large multinational
firms; the nondenominational Federation of Netherlands Enterprises

International organization participation:
AfDB, Arctic Council (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux,
BIS, CBSS (observer), CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO,
G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC,
MIGA, MONUC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD,
OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, SECI (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIS, UNRWA, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU, WHO,
WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Christiaan Mark Johan KRONER
chancery: 4200 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 244-5300
FAX: [1] (202) 362-3430
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
consulate(s): Boston

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Roland E. ARNALL
embassy: Lange Voorhout 102, 2514 EJ, The Hague
mailing address: PSC 71, Box 1000, APO AE 09715
telephone: [31] (70) 310-2209
FAX: [31] (70) 361-4688
consulate(s) general: Amsterdam

Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and blue; similar
to the flag of Luxembourg, which uses a lighter blue and is longer;
one of the oldest flags in constant use, originating with WILLIAM I,
Prince of Orange, in the latter half of the 16th century

Economy Netherlands

Economy - overview:
The Netherlands has a prosperous and open economy, which depends
heavily on foreign trade. The economy is noted for stable industrial
relations, moderate unemployment and inflation, a sizable current
account surplus, and an important role as a European transportation
hub. Industrial activity is predominantly in food processing,
chemicals, petroleum refining, and electrical machinery. A highly
mechanized agricultural sector employs no more than 2% of the labor
force but provides large surpluses for the food-processing industry
and for exports. The Netherlands, along with 11 of its EU partners,
began circulating the euro currency on 1 January 2002. The country
continues to be one of the leading European nations for attracting
foreign direct investment. Economic growth slowed considerably in
2001-06, as part of the global economic slowdown, but for the four
years before that, annual growth averaged nearly 4%, well above the
EU average.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$512 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
$612.7 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
2.9% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$31,700 (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 2.1%
industry: 23.9%
services: 73.9% (2006 est.)

Labor force:
7.6 million (2006 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 2%
industry: 19%
services: 79% (2004 est.)

Unemployment rate:
5.5% (2006 est.)

Population below poverty line:
10.5% (1999)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.5%
highest 10%: 22.9% (1999)

Distribution of family income - Gini index:
30.9 (2005)

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
1.4% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed):
19.3% of GDP (2006 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $304.3 billion
expenditures: $306.5 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2006 est.)

Public debt:
50.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Agriculture - products:
grains, potatoes, sugar beets, fruits, vegetables; livestock

Industries:
agroindustries, metal and engineering products, electrical
machinery and equipment, chemicals, petroleum, construction,
microelectronics, fishing

Industrial production growth rate:
2.3% (2006 est.)

Electricity - production:
92.7 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 89.9%
hydro: 0.1%
nuclear: 4.3%
other: 5.7% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
102.4 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
5.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
21.4 billion kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
95,800 bbl/day (2004)

Oil - consumption:
946,700 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
1.418 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
2.284 million bbl/day (2001)

Oil - proved reserves:
88.06 million bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
85.98 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
51.3 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
53.56 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
18.85 billion cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.756 trillion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)

Current account balance:
$50.17 billion (2006 est.)

Exports:
$413.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels; foodstuffs

Exports - partners:
Germany 24.9%, Belgium 13%, France 9.4%, UK 9.2%, Italy 5.7%, US
4.3%, Spain 4.1% (2005)

Imports:
$373.8 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, foodstuffs,
clothing

Imports - partners:
Germany 16.6%, Belgium 9.3%, China 8.8%, US 7.6%, UK 5.8%, France
4.7%, Russia 4.4% (2005)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$10.24 billion (August 2006 est.)

Debt - external:
$1.899 trillion (30 June 2006)

Economic aid - donor:
ODA, $4 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code):
euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the European Monetary Union introduced the
euro as a common currency to be used by financial institutions of
member countries; on 1 January 2002, the euro became the sole
currency for everyday transactions within the member countries

Currency code:
EUR

Exchange rates:
euros per US dollar - 0.79669 (2006), 0.8041 (2005), 0.8054 (2004),
0.886 (2003), 1.0626 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands

Telephones - main lines in use:
7.6 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
15.834 million (2005)

Telephone system:
general assessment: highly developed and well maintained
domestic: extensive fixed-line fiber-optic network; cellular
telephone system is one of the largest in Europe with five major
network operators utilizing the third generation of the Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
international: country code - 31; 9 submarine cables; satellite
earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Atlantic Ocean), 1
Eutelsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic and Indian Ocean regions) (2004)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 4, FM 246, shortwave 3 (2004)

Radios:
15.3 million (1996)

Television broadcast stations:
21 (plus 26 repeaters) (1995)

Televisions:
8.1 million (1997)

Internet country code:
.nl

Internet hosts:
8,363,158 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
52 (2000)

Internet users:
10,806,328 (2004)

Transportation Netherlands

Airports:
27 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2006)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2006)

Heliports:
1 (2006)

Pipelines:
condensate 81 km; gas 7,229 km; oil 578 km; refined products 716 km
(2006)

Railways:
total: 2,808 km
standard gauge: 2,808 km 1.435-m gauge (2,061 km electrified) (2005)

Roadways:
total: 134,000 km (including 3,270 km of expressways) (2004)

Waterways:
6,183 km (navigable for ships of 50 tons) (2005)

Merchant marine:
total: 558 ships (1000 GRT or over) 5,042,775 GRT/5,016,265 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 29, cargo 345, chemical tanker 29, container
59, liquefied gas 12, passenger 14, passenger/cargo 14, petroleum
tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 19, roll on/roll off 18, specialized
tanker 3
foreign-owned: 157 (Australia 1, Belgium 2, Denmark 9, Finland 13,
Germany 56, Ireland 10, Netherlands Antilles 1, Norway 7, Sweden 26,
UK 19, US 13)
registered in other countries: 222 (Antigua and Barbuda 14,
Australia 2, Austria 2, Bahamas 24, Canada 1, Cayman Islands 4,
Cyprus 18, Gibraltar 5, Isle of Man 1, Liberia 29, Luxembourg 2,
Malta 6, Marshall Islands 1, Netherlands Antilles 54, Norway 3,
Panama 21, Philippines 19, Portugal 1, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines 5, Singapore 2, UK 3, US 4, unknown 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Amsterdam, Groningen, IJmuiden, Rotterdam, Terneuzen, Vlissingen,
Zaanstad

Military Netherlands

Military branches:
Royal Netherlands Army, Royal Netherlands Navy (includes Naval Air
Service and Marine Corps), Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke
Luchtmacht, KLu), Royal Military Police, Defense Interservice
Command (DICO) (2006)

Military service age and obligation:
20 years of age for an all-volunteer force (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 20-49: 3,557,918
females age 20-49: 3,470,377 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 20-49: 2,856,691
females age 20-49: 2,786,495 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 99,934
females age 20-49: 95,818 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
$9.408 billion (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
1.6% (2004)

Transnational Issues Netherlands

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
major European producer of ecstasy, illicit amphetamines, and other
synthetic drugs; important gateway for cocaine, heroin, and hashish
entering Europe; major source of US-bound ecstasy; large financial
sector vulnerable to money laundering

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@Netherlands Antilles

Introduction Netherlands Antilles

Background:
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, the island of Curacao
was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity
(and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th
century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly
discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Saint Martin is
shared with France; its southern portion is named Sint Maarten and
is part of the Netherlands Antilles; its northern portion is called
Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe (France).

Geography Netherlands Antilles

Location:
Caribbean, two island groups in the Caribbean Sea - composed of
five islands, Curacao and Bonaire located off the coast of
Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the
US Virgin Islands

Geographic coordinates:
12 15 N, 68 45 W

Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean

Area:
total: 960 sq km
land: 960 sq km
water: 0 sq km
note: includes Bonaire, Curacao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint
Maarten (Dutch part of the island of Saint Martin)

Area - comparative:
more than five times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries:
total: 15 km
border countries: Guadeloupe (Saint-Martin) 15 km

Coastline:
364 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm

Climate:
tropical; ameliorated by northeast trade winds

Terrain:
generally hilly, volcanic interiors

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Scenery 862 m

Natural resources:
phosphates (Curacao only), salt (Bonaire only)

Land use:
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2005)

Irrigated land:
NA

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

Geography - note:
the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles are divided
geographically into the Leeward Islands (northern) group (Saba, Sint
Eustatius, and Sint Maarten) and the Windward Islands (southern)
group (Bonaire and Curacao)

People Netherlands Antilles

Population:
221,736 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 23.9% (male 27,197/female 25,886)
15-64 years: 67.3% (male 71,622/female 77,710)
65 years and over: 8.7% (male 7,925/female 11,396) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 32.8 years
male: 31.1 years
female: 34.4 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
0.79% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
14.78 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
6.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 9.76 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.54 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.93 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.03 years
male: 73.76 years
female: 78.41 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
1.99 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: Dutch Antillean(s)
adjective: Dutch Antillean

Ethnic groups:
mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian

Religions:
Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4.9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-Day
Adventist 3.1%, Methodist 2.9%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, other
Christian 4.2%, Jewish 1.3%, other or unspecified 1.2%, none 5.2%
(2001 census)

Languages:
Papiamento 65.4% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect),
English 15.9% (widely spoken), Dutch 7.3% (official), Spanish 6.1%,
Creole 1.6%, other 1.9%, unspecified 1.8% (2001 census)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 96.7%
male: 96.7%
female: 96.8% (2003 est.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
former: Curacao and Dependencies

Dependency status:
an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954; Dutch Government
responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Government type:
parliamentary

Capital:
name: Willemstad (on Curacao)
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 56 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: each island has its own government

Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National holiday:
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April

Constitution:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as
amended

Legal system:
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law
influence

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE (since 26
March 2006)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (legislature)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by
the monarch for a six-year term; following legislative elections,
the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister
by the Staten; election last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held
by 2007)
note: government coalition - PAR, PNP, DP St. Maarten, UP Bonaire,
WIPM Saba, DP Statia

Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats - Curacao 14, Bonaire 3, St.
Maarten 3, St. Eustatius 1, Saba 1; members are elected by popular
vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 January 2006 (next to be held in 2010)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
PAR 5, MAN 3, FOL 2, Forsa Korsou 2, National Alliance 2, PNP 2, UPB
2, DP St. E 1, DP St. M 1, BDP 1, WIPM 1
note: the government of Prime Minister Emily de JONGH-ELHAGE is a
coalition of several parties

Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Political parties and leaders:
Bonaire: Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Ramonsito BOOI]
Curacao: Ban Vota [Norbert GEORGE]; C-93 [Stanley BROWN]; Democratic
Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; E Mayoria [Aurelio PEDRO];
Forsa Korsou [Nelson NAVARRO]; Liste Ni'un Paso Atras [Nelson
PIERRE]; Movemiento Patriotiko Korsou [Reginald LAK]; New Antilles
Movement or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Partido Akshon Pa Prosperidat I
Seguridat [Sonja BERKEMEYER]; Partido Laboral Krusada Popular or
PLKP [Errol COVA]; Party for the Restructured Antilles or PAR [Emily
de JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE
LANNOOY]; Pidjin [Jasmin PINEDO]; Pueblo Soberano [Herman WIELS];
Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
Saba: Saba Labor Party [Akilah LEVENSTONE]; Windward Islands
People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]
Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E
[Julian WOODLEY]; Progressive Labor Party [Clyde VAN PUTTEN]; St.
Eustatius Alliance [Ingrid HOUTMAN-WHITFIELD]
Sint Maarten: Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah
WESCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Freedom Slate of National Democratic Party
[Theophilus PRIEST]; National Alliance or NA [William MARLIN];
People's Progressive Alliance or PPA [Gracita ARRINDELL]; St.
Maarten People's Party [Johan LEONARD]; United People's Labor Party
[Bienvenido RICHARDSON]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island

Political pressure groups and leaders:
Unions (AVBO) and Employers Association (VBC)

International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate),
UPU, WCL, WCO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr.
Jeffrey CORRION, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy
of 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, 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):
$2.8 billion (2004 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
1% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$16,000 (2004 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)

Labor force:
83,600 (2005)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 1%
industry: 20%
services: 79% (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate:
17% (2002 est.)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
2.1% (2003 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $757.9 million
expenditures: $949.5 million; including capital expenditures of $NA
(2004)

Agriculture - products:
aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Industries:
tourism (Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire), petroleum refining
(Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire),
light manufacturing (Curacao)

Industrial production growth rate:
NA%

Electricity - production:
1.005 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
934.7 million kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
70,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:
$2.076 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
petroleum products

Exports - partners:
US 29.4%, Panama 14.4%, Mexico 8.8%, Haiti 5.6%, Venezuela 4.9%,
Bahamas, The 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$4.383 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners:
Venezuela 50.7%, US 20.8%, Italy 4.8%, Netherlands 4.5% (2005)

Debt - external:
$2.68 billion (2004)

Economic aid - recipient:
$21.5 million IMF provided $61 million in 2000, and the Netherlands
continued its support with $40 million (2004)

Currency (code):
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)

Currency code:
ANG

Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79
(2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications Netherlands Antilles

Telephones - main lines in use:
81,000 (2001)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
200,000 (2004)

Telephone system:
general assessment: generally adequate facilities
domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links
international: country code - 599; submarine cables - 2; satellite
earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations:
AM 8, FM 19, shortwave 0 (2004)

Radios:
217,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations:
3 (there is also a cable service, which supplies programs received
from various US satellite networks and four Venezuelan channels)
(2004)

Televisions:
69,000 (1997)

Internet country code:
.an

Internet hosts:
19,204 (2006)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
6

Internet users:
2,000 (2000)

Transportation Netherlands Antilles

Airports:
5 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2006)

Merchant marine:
total: 152 ships (1000 GRT or over) 1,289,462 GRT/1,671,649 DWT
by type: barge carrier 3, bulk carrier 13, cargo 68, chemical tanker
3, container 19, liquefied gas 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,
petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 28, roll on/roll off 4,
specialized tanker 3
foreign-owned: 143 (Belgium 4, Cuba 1, Denmark 1, Germany 60,
Netherlands 54, Norway 5, Sweden 5, Turkey 9, UK 3, US 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Netherlands 1) (2006)

Ports and terminals:
Bopec Terminal, Fuik Bay, Kralendijk, Willemstad

Military Netherlands Antilles

Military branches:
no regular military forces; National Guard, Police Force (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
16 years of age for National Guard recruitment; no conscription
(2004)

Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 54,200
females age 16-49: 56,868 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 45,273
females age 16-49: 47,166 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
males age 18-49: 1,720
females age 16-49: 1,657 (2005 est.)

Military - note:
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Transnational Issues Netherlands Antilles

Disputes - international:
none

Illicit drugs:
transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and
Europe; money-laundering center

This page was last updated on 8 February, 2007

======================================================================

@New Caledonia

Introduction New Caledonia

Background:
Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the
19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It
served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for
independence during the 1980s and early 1990s ended in the 1998
Noumea Accord, which over a period of 15 to 20 years will transfer
an increasing amount of governing responsibility from France to New
Caledonia. The agreement also commits France to conduct as many as
three referenda between 2013 and 2018, to decide whether New
Caledonia should assume full sovereignty and independence.

Geography New Caledonia

Location:
Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia

Geographic coordinates:
21 30 S, 165 30 E

Map references:
Oceania

Area:
total: 19,060 sq km
land: 18,575 sq km
water: 485 sq km

Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than New Jersey

Land boundaries:
0 km

Coastline:
2,254 km

Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

Climate:
tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid

Terrain:
coastal plains with interior mountains

Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m

Natural resources:
nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper

Land use:
arable land: 0.32%
permanent crops: 0.22%
other: 99.46% (2005)

Irrigated land:
100 sq km (2003)

Natural hazards:
cyclones, most frequent from November to March

Environment - current issues:
erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires

Geography - note:
consists of the main island of New Caledonia (one of the largest in
the Pacific Ocean), the archipelago of Iles Loyaute, and numerous
small, sparsely populated islands and atolls

People New Caledonia

Population:
219,246 (July 2006 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 28.4% (male 31,818/female 30,503)
15-64 years: 64.9% (male 71,565/female 70,815)
65 years and over: 6.6% (male 6,773/female 7,772) (2006 est.)

Median age:
total: 27.8 years
male: 27.4 years
female: 28.2 years (2006 est.)

Population growth rate:
1.24% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
18.11 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
5.69 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: there has been steady emigration from Wallis and Futuna to New
Caledonia (2006 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
total: 7.57 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 8.27 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.27 years
male: 71.29 years
female: 77.39 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA

Nationality:
noun: New Caledonian(s)
adjective: New Caledonian

Ethnic groups:
Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%,
Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3%

Religions:
Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10%

Languages:
French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91%
male: 92%
female: 90% (1976 est.)

Government New Caledonia

Country name:
conventional long form: Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies
conventional short form: New Caledonia
local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances
local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie

Dependency status:
territorial collectivity of France since 1998

Government type:
NA

Capital:
name: Noumea
geographic coordinates: 22 16 S, 166 27 E
time difference: UTC+11 (16 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)

Administrative divisions:
none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order
administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there
are 3 provinces named Province des Iles, Province Nord, and Province
Sud

Independence:
none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on
independence was held in 1998 but did not pass; a new referendum is
scheduled for 2014

National holiday:
Bastille Day, 14 July (1789)

Constitution:
4 October 1958 (French Constitution)

Legal system:
the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the
islands; formerly under French law

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May
1995), represented by High Commissioner Michel MATHIEU (since 15
July 2005)
head of government: President of the Government Marie-Noelle
THEMEREAU (since 10 June 2004)
cabinet: Consultative Committee consists of eight members chosen
from leading figures on the island to advise the High Commissioner
elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year
term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the
advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the
government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress for a
five-year term (no term limits); note - last election held 29 June
2004 when Marie-Noelle THEMEREAU was elected on the third vote with
8 votes for and 3 abstentions

Legislative branch:
unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres du territoire (54 seats;
members belong to the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees
Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 2004 (next to be held NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
RPCR-UMP 16, AE 16, UNI-FLNKS 8, UC 7, FN 4, others 3
note: New Caledonia currently holds 1 seat in the French Senate; by
2010, New Caledonia will gain a second seat in the French Senate;
elections last held 24 September 2001 (next to be held not later
than September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats
by party - UMP 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French
National Assembly; elections last held 9 and 16 June 2002 (next to
be held in June 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - UMP 2

Judicial branch:
Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce
Tribunal Court; Children's Court

Political parties and leaders:
Alliance pour la Caledonie or APLC [Didier LE ROUX]; Caledonian
Union or UC; Federation des Comites de Coordination des
Independantistes or FCCI [Francois BURCK]; Front National or FN [Guy
GEORGE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Kanak
Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [leader NA]
(includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); Parti de Liberation Kanak or
PALIKA [Paul NEAOUTYINE and Elie POIGOUNE]; Rally for Caledonia in
the Republic (anti independent) or RPCR-UMP [Jacques LAFLEUR]; The
Future Together or AE [Harold MARTIN]; Union Nationale pour
l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; note - may no longer exist,
but Paul NEAOUTYINE has since become a president of Parti de
Liberation Kanak or PALIKA; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM
[Victor TUTUGORO]

Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA

International organization participation:
ITUC, PIF (observer), SPC, UPU, WFTU, WMO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none (overseas territory of France)

Diplomatic representation from the US:
none (overseas territory of France)

Flag description:
the flag of France is used

Economy New Caledonia

Economy - overview:
New Caledonia has about 25% of the world's known nickel resources.
Only a small amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and
food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel,
substantial financial support from France - equal to more than 15%
of GDP - and tourism are keys to the health of the economy.
Substantial new investment in the nickel industry, combined with the
recovery of global nickel prices, brightens the economic outlook for
the next several years.

GDP (purchasing power parity):
$3.158 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
NA

GDP - real growth rate:
NA%

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$15,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 15%
industry: 8.8%
services: 76.2% (2003)

Labor force:
78,990 (including 11,300 unemployed) (2004)

Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 20%
services: 60% (2002)

Unemployment rate:
17.1% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
-0.6% (2000 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $856.3 million
expenditures: $836.5 million (2001 est.)

Agriculture - products:
vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products; fish

Industries:
nickel mining and smelting

Industrial production growth rate:
-0.6% (1996)

Electricity - production:
1.675 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 76.3%
hydro: 23.7%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Electricity - consumption:
1.558 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
0 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption:
10,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Oil - imports:
NA bbl/day (2001)

Natural gas - production:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
0 cu m (2004 est.)

Exports:
$999 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities:
ferronickels, nickel ore, fish

Exports - partners:
Japan 21.1%, France 17.2%, Taiwan 11.3%, South Korea 10%, Spain
8.9%, China 7.2%, Belgium 4.5%, South Africa 4.4% (2005)

Imports:
$1.636 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners:
France 39.3%, Singapore 17.5%, Australia 13.1%, NZ 5.3% (2005)

Debt - external:
$79 million (1998 est.)

Economic aid - recipient:
$525 million annual subsidy from France (2004)

Currency (code):
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF)

Currency code:
XPF

Exchange rates:
Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 95.01
(2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003), 126.71 (2002)

Fiscal year:
calendar year

Communications New Caledonia

Telephones - main lines in use:
55,300 (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
134,300 (2005)