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 Netherlands Antilles| Facts & Figures |
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| Status: Part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands Governor: Frits Goedgedrag (2002) Prime Minister: Emily de Jongh-Elhage
(2006)
Current government officials
Total area: 371 sq mi (961 sq km) Population (2008 est.): 225,369 (growth
rate: 0.7%); birth rate: 14.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 9.3/1000;
life expectancy: 76.4; density per sq mi: 234 Capital and largest city (2003 est.):
Willemstad, 60,100 Monetary unit: Netherlands Antillean
guilder More Facts & Figures |
The Netherlands Antilles are composed of two
groups of Caribbean islands 500 mi (805 km) apart: the first group,
composed of Curaçao (173 sq mi; 448 sq km) and Bonaire (95 sq mi;
246 sq km), is located about 40 mi (64 km) off the Venezuelan coast.
Originally inhabited by Arawak Indians, these two islands as well as Aruba
were claimed by Spain in 1527 and then by the Dutch in 1643. The Dutch
Lesser Antilles to the north—Saint Eustatius, the southern part of
St. Martin (Dutch: Sint Maarten), and Saba—make up the remainder of
the island federation. First inhabited by the Carib Indians, St. Martin
was explored by Columbus in 1493. In 1845, the six islands (then including
Aruba) officially formed the Netherlands Antilles. In 1994, the islands
voted to preserve their federation with the Netherlands.
See also
Encyclopedia:
Netherlands Antilles
.
U.S. State Dept.
Country Notes: Netherlands Antilles
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