Looking to boost your knowledge of this dissolved country? Take a look at these fun facts about the Caribbean islands previously known as Netherlands Antilles!
1. What were the Netherlands Antilles?
Netherlands Antilles was once a group of several islands in the Caribbean which formed part of the Netherlands.
2. They disbanded only a few years ago.
In 2010 the Netherlands Antilles was disbanded as a nation, with Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire all becoming countries in their own right.
3. It has quite a few neighbours.
Its nearest neighbours are Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico to the north, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique and Saint Lucia to the northeast, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada to the east and Venezuela to the south.
4. Get here with a compass!
To explore these beautiful islands for yourself, head for the coordinates of 12.1766° N, 68.9856° W.
5. The area was enormous.
The islands’ terrain is generally hilly with volcanic interiors – it really is beautiful!
The total land area of Netherlands Antilles was 309 square miles (800 square kilometres)…that’s more than 3 times the size of Birmingham, the UK’s biggest city.
6. It’s amazingly sparse out here!
Netherlands Antilles’ population was 228,693 in 2010…that’s less than 1/4 of the population of Birmingham!
7. What’s in a name?
Residents here were known as Dutch Antilleans.
8. UNESCO showed great interest in the Netherlands Antilles.
The capital was Willemstad; it had a population of 150,000 in 2013 and the city centre is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
9. The weather’s wonderful out here.
Dutch Antilleans enjoy a tropical climate, moderated by northeast trade winds.
10. Get set for high octane fun!
If you’re a bit of an adrenaline junkie, head for Maho Beach in Sint Maarten. The beach is only very short, with the sea on one side and an airport on the other! Despite passenger jets flying just a few feet off the ground as they prepare to land, this is a popular beach for sun worshipers, adrenaline junkies and plane spotters alike!
11. Was English an option?
The official languages of Netherlands Antilles were Dutch and English.
12. They were open to USD.
Netherlands Antillean Guilder and US Dollar were the official currencies here.
13. Life is good here – and long, too!
The average life span here is 77 years.
14. Here’s a bit about what the area produced.
Netherlands Antilles grew peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruits and sorghum.
Its industry consisted of tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment and light manufacturing.
The main exports include petroleum products.
FAQs about Netherlands Antilles
What countries were in the Netherlands Antilles?
The Netherlands Antilles covered Curacao, Sint Maarten and Aruba, as well as The Netherlands.
What are the Netherlands Antilles known as now?
The various islands and areas within the Antilles have mainly gained independence in name, though they still combine parts of the Kingdom of The Netherlands.
Was Suriname part of the Antilles?
Not technically, although it was a Dutch colony - it used to be called Dutch Guiana.
Do you know any fun facts about Netherlands Antilles? Share them in the comments below!