Chapter 85
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% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 90% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
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
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 207,827 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 26% (male 27,160; female 26,149) 15-64 years: 67% (male 65,781; female 73,054) 65 years and over: 7% (male 6,538; female 9,145) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.01% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 17.11 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 6.58 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: -0.43 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.9 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.59 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 74.25 years male: 72.19 years female: 76.41 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Netherlands Antillean(s) adjective: Netherlands 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
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: 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, 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 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 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote--NA
Legislative branch: unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St.M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government note: the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders: Sint Eustatius: Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E WESTCOTT-WILLIAMS]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA ROLLOCKS] note: political parties are indigenous to each island
International organization participation: Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS consulate(s) general: J.B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
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
Economy--overview: Tourism, petroleum transshipment, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with Venezuela, the US, and Mexico being the major suppliers. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.4 billion (1997 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: -1.8% (1997)
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,500 (1997 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 1% industry: 15% services: 84% (1996 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.3% (1997)
Labor force: 89,000
Labor force--by occupation: government 65%, industry and commerce 28% (1983)
Unemployment rate: 14.9% (1998 est.)
Budget: revenues: $710.8 million expenditures: $741.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997 est.)
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: 1.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 1.4 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Exports: $268.2 million (f.o.b., 1997)
Exports--commodities: petroleum products 98% (1993)
Exports--partners: US 28.6%, Honduras 6.4%, Belgium-Luxembourg 6%, Italy 4.9%, Guatemala 4.5%, Costa Rica 4% (1996)
Imports: $1.4 billion (c.i.f., 1997)
Imports--commodities: crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures (1993)
Imports--partners: Venezuela 34%, US 16.4%, Mexico 15.5%, Netherlands 5%, Italy 3.5%, Brazil 2.8% (1996)
Debt--external: $1.35 billion (1996)
Economic aid--recipient: $NA; note?the Netherlands provided a $97 million aid package in 1996
Currency: 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1--1.790 (fixed rate since 1989)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: NA
Telephone system: generally adequate facilities domestic: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 2 submarine cables; satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 9, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 205,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 3 (in addition, there is a cable service which supplies programs received from various US satellite networks) (1997)
Televisions: 64,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 600 km paved: 300 km unpaved: 300 km (1992 est.)
Ports and harbors: Kralendijk, Philipsburg, Willemstad
Merchant marine: total: 95 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 811,782 GRT/1,045,989 DWT ships by type: bulk 2, cargo 26, chemical tanker 2, combination ore/oil 3, container 10, liquefied gas tanker 4, multifunction large-load carrier 19, oil tanker 4, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 18, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Belgium owns 9 ships, Germany 1 (1998 est.)
Airports: 5 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: Royal Netherlands Navy, Marine Corps, Royal Netherlands Air Force, National Guard, Police Force
Military manpower--military age: 20 years of age
Military manpower--availability: males age 15-47: 53,285 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 29,888 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--reaching military age annually: males: 1,457 (1999 est.)
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: none
Illicit drugs: money-laundering center; transshipment point for South American drugs bound for the US and Europe
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@New Caledonia -------------
Geography
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: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 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% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: typhoons most frequent from November to March
Environment--current issues: NA
Environment--international agreements: party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA
People
Population: 197,361 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 29% (male 29,610; female 28,485) 15-64 years: 65% (male 64,552; female 63,229) 65 years and over: 6% (male 5,443; female 6,042) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.59% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 20.68 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 4.82 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 0.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 12.15 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.35 years male: 72.1 years female: 78.77 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 2.43 children born/woman (1999 est.)
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, 28 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.)
Government
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
Data code: NC
Dependency status: overseas territory of France since 1956
Government type: NA
Capital: Noumea
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 Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud
Independence: none (overseas territory of France); note--a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass
National holiday: National Day, Taking of the Bastille, 14 July (1789)
Constitution: 28 September 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner and President of the Council of Government Dominque BUR (since NA August 1995) head of government: President of the Territorial Congress Simon LOUECKHOTE (since NA 1998) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Congress elected by the members of the congress
Legislative branch: unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) elections: last held 9 July 1995 (next to be held NA July 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 22, FLNKS 12, UNCT 9, UNI 5, DEPCA 2, FN 2, RCF 2, and other 2 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results--percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--RPR 2
Judicial branch: Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Political parties and leaders: Progressive Melanesian Union or POSTIC]; Union des Synicates de Travailleurs Kanaks Exploites or Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR is a coalition of 5 parties: Union
International organization participation: ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of France)
Flag description: three horizontal bands, blue (top), red, and green, with a yellow disk enclosing a black symbol centered to the hoist side; the flag of France is used for official occasions
Economy
Economy--overview: New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 25% of imports. In addition to nickel, financial support from France and tourism are key to the health of the economy. Performance in 1998 was hampered by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower expected prices for nickel.
GDP: purchasing power parity--$2.1 billion (1996 est.)
GDP--real growth rate: NA%
GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$11,400 (1996 est.)
GDP--composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 25% services: 72% (1996)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1996 est.)
Labor force: 70,044 (1988)
Labor force--by occupation: agriculture 20%, industry 16%, services 60%, mining 4% (1996)
Unemployment rate: 15% (1994)
Budget: revenues: $755.6 million expenditures: $755.6 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995 est.)
Industries: nickel mining and smelting
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Electricity--production: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source: fossil fuel: 69.87% hydro: 30.13% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Electricity--consumption: 1.145 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)
Agriculture--products: vegetables; beef, other livestock products
Exports: $500 million (f.o.b., 1996)
Exports--commodities: ferronickels, nickel ore
Exports--partners: Japan 31%, France 29%, US 12%, Australia 7%, Taiwan 6% (1996 est.)
Imports: $845 million (c.i.f., 1996)
Imports--commodities: foods, transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals
Imports--partners: France 45%, Australia 18%, Singapore 7%, New Zealand 6%, Japan 4% (1996 est.)
Debt--external: $NA
Economic aid--recipient: $446.3 million (1995); note?about $50 million yearly support from France for government operations
Currency: 1 Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (CFPF) = 100 centimes
Exchange rates: Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (CFPF) per US$1--102.72 (January 1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996), 90.75 (1995), 100.93 (1994); note--linked at the rate of 18.18 to the French franc
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones: 38,748 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 5, FM 3, shortwave 0
Radios: 97,000 (1992 est.)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (in addition, there are 25 low-power repeaters) (1997)
Televisions: 47,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Railways: 0 km
Highways: total: 5,562 km paved: 975 km unpaved: 4,587 km (1993)
Ports and harbors: Mueo, Noumea, Thio
Merchant marine: none
Airports: 27 (1998 est.)
Airports--with paved runways: total: 5 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 22 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 11 (1998 est.)
Heliports: 7 (1998 est.)
Military
Military branches: French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure: $NA
Military expenditures--percent of GDP: NA%
Military--note: defense is the responsibility of France
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international: Matthew and Hunter Islands claimed by France and Vanuatu
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@New Zealand -----------
Geography
Location: Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of Australia
Geographic coordinates: 41 00 S, 174 00 E
Map references: Oceania
Area: total: 268,680 sq km land: 268,670 sq km water: 10 sq km note: includes Antipodes Islands, Auckland Islands, Bounty Islands, Campbell Island, Chatham Islands, and Kermadec Islands
Area--comparative: about the size of Colorado
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 15,134 km
Maritime claims: continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Climate: temperate with sharp regional contrasts
Terrain: predominately mountainous with some large coastal plains
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mount Cook 3,764 m
Natural resources: natural gas, iron ore, sand, coal, timber, hydropower, gold, limestone
Land use: arable land: 9% permanent crops: 5% permanent pastures: 50% forests and woodland: 28% other: 8% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 2,850 sq km (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: earthquakes are common, though usually not severe; volcanic activity
Environment--current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; native flora and fauna hard-hit by species introduced from outside
Environment--international agreements: party to: Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Marine Life Conservation
Geography--note: about 80% of the population lives in cities
People
Population: 3,662,265 (July 1999 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (male 430,105; female 409,302) 15-64 years: 65% (male 1,202,762; female 1,195,006) 65 years and over: 12% (male 184,048; female 241,042) (1999 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.99% (1999 est.)
Birth rate: 14.42 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate: 7.53 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Net migration rate: 3.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 6.22 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 77.82 years male: 74.55 years female: 81.27 years (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.85 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: New Zealander(s) adjective: New Zealand
Ethnic groups: New Zealand European 74.5%, Maori 9.7%, other European 4.6%, Pacific Islander 3.8%, Asian and others 7.4%
Religions: Anglican 24%, Presbyterian 18%, Roman Catholic 15%, Methodist 5%, Baptist 2%, other Protestant 3%, unspecified or none 33% (1986)
Languages: English (official), Maori
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 99% (1980 est.) male: NA% female: NA%
Government
Country name: conventional long form: none conventional short form: New Zealand abbreviation: NZ
Data code: NZ
Government type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Wellington