| Local name: Nederlandse Antillen |
Surface : The
islands of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba are spread out through
the Caribbean. Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, a.k.a. the Leeward or
ABC-Islands, are located just of the Venezuelan coast in the south of
the Caribbean Sea. Aruba lays the closest to the coast, just 15 miles.
Curacao is 35 miles from Venezuela, so on clear days you can see the
continent. Bonaire is a little bit further out the coast.
The other islands, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten, a.k.a. the
Windward or SSS-islands lay about 550 miles more to the north. |
| Population : 203,505 inhabitants |
| Electricity: 110-130 volts a.c.
50 cycles. Many U.S. appliances that operate on 60 cycles will work
fine, except items like hair dryers, irons and some battery charging
equipment, which may overheat if used for an extended period of time.
European appliances that run on 220 volt cannot be used, unless you
have adapters. |
| Capital : Willemstad |
| System : part of the Dutch realm; full
autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954 - The seat of the
parliament is Willemstad, Curacao, though each island within the
Antilles is has a separate Legislature and Executive Council. Seats
within the Parliament are divided amongst the islands and the
elections for the same take place every four years |
| Languages : Dutch is the official
language of the islands, the people from the ABC-islands also have
their own language: Papiamentu. This is a creole language based upon
Spanish and Portuguese, with Dutch, English, and African influences.
But everybody speeks English on these islands, as well as Spanish. |
| Religions : Roman Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Seventh-Day
Adventist |
| Money : Aruba has the Aruban florin
and the Antilles use the Antillian guilder. These currencies have the
same value, but cannot be used in the other country. |
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