Netherlands Antilles

Netherlands antilly (niderl. Niderlandse Antillen) - possession of the Netherlands to West Indies, a part of Leeward Islands (îñòðîâà  Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, Sint-Estasius) and a southern part of island Saint Martin in Windward islands. A possession total area 800  sq. km, the population compounds 194  thousand persons (1992), mainly Negroes and mulattos. An official language on antillah - Netherlands, are passed round also tongue papjamento (a Creole admixture of the Spanish and Portuguese tongues), English and Spanish tongues. A possession administrative centre - Willemstad on island Curacao. The bulk of population antill bunks at Willemstad and its suburbs - 140  thousand persons. From believers 85 % - roman catholics, other protenstants.

Since 1954 antilly use an intrinsic autonomy. The Netherlands governor is the personal representative of the queen of the Netherlands. Foreign policy and defence questions are the competence of the Netherlands authorities. Legislative Assembly Antill regulates questions of intrinsic control and is selected on universal suffrage for a period of four years. The executive power is carried out by the governor by means of the Advisory council and Ministerial council led by the prime minister. On each island there are aboriginal government bodies - vice-governors, advices and the governments.

Attilly have been open by Spaniards in the end of the fifteenth century. In the thirtieth years of the seventeenth century on islands there were Dutches. But only in 1816 after decades of persistent struggle against Spain, France and England antilly have been fixed beyond the Netherlands. In 1863 on islands the slavery has been cancelled. Till 1986 the composition Netherlands antill included island Aruba.

The Major branch of economy antill - tourism. In service of foreign visitors is engaged 28 % of occupied population of islands. antilly annually attend over million tourists, mainly from the Western Europe and the North America. 75 % of tourists it is shut down on island Saint Martin. Exclusive significance for economy antill has oil refining factory to Curacao. It works on import petroleum. On islands Curacaos, Bonaires and Sint-Estasius function three transit petroleum terminals. In America of dry docks, capable to accept one of the greatest vessels displacement to 155  thousand tons, acts to Curacao. antilly have the factories of the pulp-and-paper, textile, alimentary, tobacco and likero-vodka industry. Here assemble electronics and salt extraction. On islands congenial conditions for activity of the foreign capital are created. Within ten years foreign businesses are released of tax payment. Agriculture development on antillah is restrained by a sweet water deficiency, treated only 5 % of terrain of islands. In agriculture it is occupied only 1  occupied population %. Aloes (on island Bonaire), a sorghum, bean cultures, tropical fruit and vegetables are cultivated. The food bulk is imported, and the significant part of export antill is compounded by petroleum derivatives. Main foreign trade partners antill: the USA, the Netherlands, the Great Britain. On islands Curacaos, Bonaire and Saint Martin act the international airports. The rate of unemployment on antillah attains 30  economically active population %. Monetary unit - the Netherlands Antilles gulden (florin), to equal hundred cents.