History
Independent article: History of the Netherlands Antilles

Two a Upwind (Alonso de Ojeda, 1499) and Downwind (Christopher Columbus, 1493) isl& groups were discovered and at the start settled per Spanish. In the 17th century, the islands were conquered per Dutch West India Company and were used when bases for slave trade. Sole around 1863 was slavery abolished.

Around 1954, the islands were promoted from either colony to the a portion of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A island of Aruba was part of the Netherlands Antilles until 1986, when it was granted the "status aparte", & became the separate a share of the kingdom. A select few of a more islands use at times indicated that it wish to obtain the equivalent status, however there are no agreements on this keep close at hand however been reached. More choices for even instance considered come independence or together becoming the province of the Netherlands. (view; Dutch colonial empire)

Politics
Independent article: Politics of the Netherlands Antilles

A head of state is the regnant monarch of the Netherlands, who is represented in the Netherlands Antilles by the governor. A governor is as well head of a local government, & forms, together sustaining a council of ministers, the executive branch of the government.

A legislative branch is two-layered. Delegates of the islands come represented in the government of the Netherlands Antilles, however from each one island has its have government that will require care of the every day tasks on the island.

Future status

Within 2004 a commission of a governments of the Netherlands Antilles and the Netherlands reported on the first status for the Netherlands Antilles. A commission advised to revise a Statute of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in order to dissolve the Netherlands Antilles. 2 freshly countries in a Kingdom of the Netherlands would be formed, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius would become directly a share of the Netherlands as Kingdom Islands.

Islands
Independent article: Islands of the Netherlands Antilles

A Netherland Antilles keep close at hand there are no major administrative divisions, although from each one island has its have local government.

Them island groups of which a Netherlands Antilles consists come:

the "Leeward Islands" (Benedenwindse Eilanden) off a Venezuelan coast (with likewise Aruba nearby): Bonaire, including an islet known as Klein Bonaire ("Little Bonaire") Curaçao, including an islet known as Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao") the "Windward Islands" (Bovenwindse Eilanden) east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Which come actually a share of what are within English known as a Leeward Islands, but around e.g. French, Spanish, German, Dutch and the English spoken locally which are actually considered a share of the Windward Islands. Saba Sint Eustatius Sint Maarten, the southern half of the island Saint Martin (the northern half, Saint-Martin, is French and part of the overseas department of Guadeloupe).

Geography
Independent article: Geography of the Netherlands Antilles

A islands come everthing of volcanic origin & mountainous, departure little ground suitable for agriculture. A greatest point is Mount Scenery, 862 m, on Saba (also a greatest point within all the Netherlands).

A Netherlands Antilles have a tropical climate, with warmly atmospheric condition everthing month spherical. A Leeward Islands come subject to hurricanes in the summer months.

Economy
Independent article: Economy of the Netherlands Antilles

Tourism, petroleum transshipment & oil filtratiin (on Curaçao), also when offshore finance come a mainstays of this little economy, which is closely attached to the outside globe. the islands enjoy the high by the capita income & a easily-developed infrastructure equally equated by using more countries in the vicinity. About completely consumer & capital goods come imported, by owning Venezuela, the United States, and Mexico being a major provider, besides when a Dutch government which supports the islands by using real development aid. Unfortunate soils & short water system hamper a development of agriculture. a Antillean guilder has a fixed rate of exchange sustaining the United States dollar of 1.79:1.

Demographics
Independent article: Demographics of the Netherlands Antilles

A big section of a Netherlands Antilleans - all about 85% - descends from either the African slaves that were brought and traded on this text from either a 17th to 19th century. A rest of the people consists of Caribbean Indians, Europeans and Asians.

Although a official language is Dutch, Papiamento is predominant on Curaçao & Bonaire (too when a neighboring Dutch island of Aruba). This creole language is formed from elements of Dutch, English, Spanish and Portuguese. English is the principal language of the northern islands (St. Maarten, Saba & St. Eustatius). Spanish is becoming a 2nd language fallowing English inside the northern islands, mostly in St. Maarten.

A majority of the people come followers of the Christian belief, mostly Roman Catholic. Curtheçao besides hosts a sizeable class action of Jews, descendants of the Portuguese group of Sephardic Jews that arrived from Brazil in 1654.

a big class action of immature &/or extremely enlightened Antilleans use emigrated to a Netherlands above the preceding decades, which leaves the islands by having material sociable and economic problems. Then again, immigrants from either more Dominican Republic, Caribbean islands & Columbia use at times increased their presence in the endure years.

Culture
Independent article: Culture of the Netherlands Antilles

the origins of a people & location of the islands give the Netherlands Antilles a mixed culture. Dutch influence may however become seen, possibly though non lot of the people is of Dutch origin.

Touristry & overwhelming media presence from either a United States has increased the regional United States influence.

A holiday of Carnival is, like within numerous Caribbean and Latin American countries, an important of these.

Understand likewise: Music of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles

Miscellaneous topics

Two a acreage & people of the Netherlands Antilles come upright to a higher degree half that of Zeeland, a mainland province. Unlike a metropolitan Netherlands, same-sex marriages cannot be performed on text, however victims performed inside more jurisdictions come recognized.

Communications in the Netherlands Antilles Foreign relations of the Netherlands Antilles Military of the Netherlands Antilles Postage stamps and postal history of the Netherlands Antilles Transportation in the Netherlands Antilles