Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Netherlands Antilles
local long form: none
former: Curacao and Dependencies
local short form: Nederlandse Antillen
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-Mother JULIANA in 1909 and accession
to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX in 1980), 30 April
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 of the Netherlands (since 30 April
1980), represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 1
July 2002)
head of government: Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT (since 11
August 2003)
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 18 January 2002 (next to be held
by NA 2006)
note: government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve four-year terms)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party -
FOL 5, PAR 4, PNP 3, PLKP 2, DP-St.M 2, UPB 2, DP 1, MAN 1, PDB 1,
WIPM 1
note: the government of Prime Minister Mirna LOUISA-GODETT is a
coalition of several parties; current seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3,
FOL 2, MAN 2, UPB 2, DP-St. M 2, PDB 1, SEA 1, WIPM 1, other 4
elections: last held 18 January 2002 (next to be held NA 2006)
Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Antillean Restructuring Party or PAR [Miguel POURIER]; C 93
[Stanley BROWN]; Democratic Party of Bonaire or PDB [Jopi ABRAHAM];
Democratic Party of Curacao or DP [Errol HERNANDEZ]; Democratic
Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic
Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESCOTT-WILLIAMS];
Foundation Energetic Management Anti-Narcotics or FAME [Eric
LODEWIJKS]; Labor Party People's Crusade or PLKP [Errol COVA];
National People's Party or PNP [Susanne F. C. CAMELIA-ROMER]; New
Antilles Movement or MAN [Kenneth GIJSBERTHA]; Patriotic Union of
Bonaire or UPB [Ramon BOOI]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or
SPA [Vance JAMES, Jr.]; People's Party or PAPU [Richard Hodi]; Pro
Curacao Party or PPK [Winston LOURENS]; Saba Democratic Labor
Movement [Steve HASSELL]; Saba Unity Party [Carmen SIMMONDS]; St.
Eustatius Alliance or SEA [Kenneth VAN PUTTEN]; Serious Alternative
People's Party or Sapp [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS
[Benny DEMEI]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Will
JOHNSTON]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Anthony GODETT, Rignald
LAK, Editha WRIGHT]
note: political parties are indigenous to each island
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO
(associate), WCL, WCO, 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 Deborah A. BOLTON
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad AN, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
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