Capital: Willemstad
Population(2005 est): 220,000
Size: 371 sq mi (961 sq km)
Geography
Netherlands Antilles, island group, an autonomous part of the Netherlands, West Indies. Formerly known as the Dutch West Indies and Netherlands West Indies, they are divided into two groups. Lying off Venezuela are Bonaire and Curaçao; in the Leeward Islands, east of Puerto Rico, are Saba, St. Eustatius, and the southern half of Saint Martin. Willemstad, on Curaçao, is the capital of the Netherlands Antilles. The land is mainly hilly and semiarid; the climate is tropical with northeast trade winds.
Economy
The economy is dependent on tourism, the refining and transshipment of Venezuelan petroleum, and offshore finance. The Netherlands Antilles have a higher per capita income and a more developed infrastructure than other nearby countries. Poor soil and scanty water resources hamper agricultural production, which is largely limited to aloes, sorghum, peanuts, fruits, and vegetables. There is also some light manufacturing.
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