Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the
economy. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed
infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Unlike many
Latin American countries, the Netherlands Antilles has avoided large
international debt. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with
the US being the major supplier.
GDP:
exchange rate conversion - $1.4 billion, per capita $7,600; real growth rate
1.5% (1990 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5% (1990 est.)
Unemployment rate:
21% (1991)
Budget:
revenues $454 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital
expenditures of $42 million (1989 est.)
Exports:
$1.1 billion (f.o.b., 1988)
commodities:
petroleum products 98%
partners:
US 40%, Italy 6%, The Bahamas 5%
Imports:
$1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1988)
commodities:
crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures
partners:
Venezuela 42%, US 18%, Netherlands 6%
External debt:
$701.2 million (December 1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
125,000 kW capacity; 365 million kWh produced, 1,985 kWh per capita (1991)
Industries:
tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum
transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing
(Curacao)
Agriculture:
hampered by poor soils and scarcity of water; chief products - aloes,
sorghum, peanuts, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit; not self-sufficient in
food
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89),
$513 million
Currency:
Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (plural - guilders, gulden,
or florins); 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100
cents
Exchange rates:
Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1 - 1.79
(fixed rate since 1989; 1.80 fixed rate 1971-88)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

:Netherlands Antilles Communications

Highways:
950 km total; 300 km paved, 650 km gravel and earth
Ports:
Willemstad, Philipsburg, Kralendijk
Merchant marine:
80 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 607,010 GRT/695,864 DWT; includes 4
passenger, 27 cargo, 13 refrigerated cargo, 7 container, 9 roll-on/roll-off,
11 multifunction large-load carrier, 4 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied