otestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day Adventist

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento, a
Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect predominates, English widely
spoken, Spanish

Literacy:
definition : age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 98%
male: 98%
female: 99% (1981 est.)

@Netherlands Antilles:Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
local short form : Nederlandse Antillen

Data code: NT

Dependency status: part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954

Government type: NA

National capital: Willemstad

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, 30 April (1938)

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 Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands
(since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH
(since NA October 1989)
head of government: Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 25 February
1994)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
elections: the queen is a constitutional monarch; governor general
appointed by the queen 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 31 March 1994 (next to be
held NA 1998)
election results: Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of
legislative vote - NA

Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (23 seats; members are
elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25 February 1994 (next to be held NA March 1998)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR
8, PNP 3, SPA 2, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, DP 1, WIPM 1, DP-St.E 1, DP-St.M
1, Nos Patria 1
note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition
of several parties

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders: political parties are indigenous to
each island
Bonaire: Patriotic Union of Bonaire (UPB), Rudy ELLIS; Democratic
Party of Bonaire (PDB), Broertje JANJ