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: 214,258 (July 2002 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 25% (male 27,351; female 26,135) 15-64 years:
67.1% (male 68,431; female 75,312) 65 years and over: 7.9% (male 7,049;
female 9,980) (2002 est.)

Population growth rate: 0.93% (2002 est.)

Birth rate: 16.16 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate: 6.4 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.42 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05
male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over:
0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 11.06 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: 77.46 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility
rate: 2.06 children born/woman (2002 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, Protestant, 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.)

Government Netherlands Antilles

Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form:
Netherlands Antilles
Curacao and Dependencies local short form:
Dependency status: part of 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: 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 (Birthday of Queen-M