The Netherlands Antilles is a group of five islands in the Caribbean Sea, consisting of the Leeward Islands Curaçao and Bonaire, near the coast of Venezuela; and the Windward Islands St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius, about 150 miles east of Puerto Rico.
Political structure and business environment
Since 1954 the Netherlands Antilles has been an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with its own democratically elected parliament. A governor, appointed by the Queen, represents the Crown.
The islands not only differ in size, but also in economic structure. The main sources of income are from the oil refinery, transshipment, tourism, ship repair, international trade and distribution, and financial on- and offshore activities.
Due to the high service standards as well as attractive tax tariffs and regulations, quite a large number of offshore investment, holding, finance, royalty, real estate and shipping companies, and branches of reputable international banks and accounting firms have been established in the Netherlands Antilles.
Curaçao
Curacao is the largest of the five islands. It measures 37 miles by 3 and 9 miles, and its total area is 171 square miles. It is generally flat, with a small hilly area in the western part.
Curacao was discovered by the Spanish navigator, Alonso de Ojeda, in 1499. In 1634 the island was captured by the Dutch. Some 40 or 50 nationalities now comprise the cosmopolitan population of Curaçao. The vernacular in Curaçao is papiamentu, a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch and French. Dutch is the official language, while English and Spanish are widely understood and spoken.
Due to its strategic location between the Americas, and its safe natural harbors with deep waters, Curaçao has always been a center of commerce and business. Since 1954, Curaçao has been known more specifically as a financial center and as a result of its long-time activity in this area, has developed an infrastructure well-suited for offshore finance, investment banking, shipping registration, mutual funds and the like.
Bonaire
Bonaire has a total area of 109 square miles, with its southernmost portion lying below sea level. Its northern part is hilly. The island is a favored diving destination, while marine life flourishes in the waters of Bonaire. Its main economic activities are tourism and related activities, als well as salt manufacturing and oil transshipment.
St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius
St. Maarten, the largest of the windward islands, is half French and half Dutch, as it has been since 1648. St. Maarten occupies the southern part of the island's 37 square miles.
Saba, 5 square miles, and located 28 miles south of St. Maarten, is a verdant rain forest covered volcano, rising to an altitude of 3.000 feet above ocean waters.
St. Eustatius, or Statia, as it is commonly referred to, has an area of 8 square miles and is located 38 miles south of St. Maarten.
The main economic pillars of these windward islands are tourism, bunker oil, trade and business and other services.
