Country name:
conventional long form:
none
conventional short form:
Netherlands Antilles
local long form:
none
local short form:
Nederlandse Antillen
Data code:
NT
<p>Dependency status:
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 1954
<p>Government type:
parliamentary
<p>Capital:
Willemstad
<p>Administrative divisions:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note:
each island has its own government
<p>Independence:
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
<p>National holiday:
Queen's Day, 30 April (1938)
<p>Constitution:
29 December 1954, Statute of the Realm of the Netherlands, as amended
<p>Legal system:
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
<p>Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
<p>Executive branch:
chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Jaime SALEH (since NA October 1989)
head of government:
Prime Minister Miguel POURIER (since 8 November 1999)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
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 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)
election results:
Miguel POURIER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
note:
government coalition - PDB, DP-St. M, FOL, PLKP, PNP
<p>Legislative branch:
unicameral States or Staten (22 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held 30 January 1998 (next to be held by NA 2002)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - PAR 4, PNP 3, SPA 1, PDB 2, UPB 1, MAN 2, PLKP 3, WIPM 1, SEA 1, DP-St. M 2, FOL 2; no party won enough seats to form a government
note:
the government of Prime Minister Miguel POURIER is a coalition of several parties
<p>Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice, judges appointed by the monarch
<p>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 [Ephraim JONCKHEER]; Democratic Party of Sint Eustatius or DP-St. E [Julian WOODLEY]; Democratic Party of Sint Maarten or DP-St. M [Sarah WESTCOTT-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 [Suzy ROMER]; New Antilles Movement or MAN [Domenico Felip Don MARTINA]; Nos Patria [Chin BEHILIA]; Patriotic Movement of Sint Maarten or SPA [William MARLIN]; Patriotic Union of Bonaire or UPB [Rudy ELLIS]; 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 [Ingrid WHITFIELD]; Serious Alternative People's Party or SAPP [Julian ROLLOCKS]; Social Action Cause or KAS [Benny DEMEI]; Socialist Independent or SI [George HUECK]; Windward Islands People's Movement or WIPM [Ray HASSELL]; Workers' Liberation Front or FOL [Wilson GODETT, Jr.]
note:
political parties are indigenous to each island
<p>International organization participation:
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WMO, WToO (associate)
<p>Flag description: see Flag of the Netherlands Antilles
- See also : Netherlands Antilles
