Overview: Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of the economy. The islands enjoy a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Unlike many Latin American countries, the Netherlands Antilles has avoided large international debt. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US being the major supplier.

GDP: $1.0 billion, per capita $5,500; real growth rate 3% (1988 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.9% (1989)

Unemployment rate: 20% (1988)

Budget: revenues $454 million; expenditures $525 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1989 est.)

Exports: $959 million (f.o.b., 1988); commodities--petroleum products 98%; partners--US 55%, UK 7%, Jamaica 5%

Imports: $935 million (c.i.f., 1988); commodities--crude petroleum 64%, food, manufactures; partners--Venezuela 52%, Nigeria 15%, US 12%

External debt: $701.2 million (December 1987)

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: 125,000 kW capacity; 365 million kWh produced, 1,990 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries: tourism (Curacao and Sint Maarten), petroleum refining (Curacao), petroleum transshipment facilities (Curacao and Bonaire), light manufacturing (Curacao)

Agriculture: hampered by poor soils and scarcity of water; chief products--aloes, sorghum, peanuts, fresh vegetables, tropical fruit; not self-sufficient in food

Economic aid: Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $428 million

Currency: Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (plural--guilders, gulden, or florins); 1 Netherlands Antillean guilder, gulden, or florin (NAf.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: Netherlands Antillean guilders, gulden, or florins (NAf.) per US$1--1.79 (fixed rate since 1989; 1.80 fixed rate 1971-88)

Fiscal year: calendar year

NOTE: The information regarding Netherlands Antilles on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Netherlands Antilles Economy 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Netherlands Antilles Economy 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.