Klein Bonaire ( Dutch for "Little Bonaire") is a small uninhabited islet off the west coast of the Caribbean island of Bonaire , and is part of the Dutch special municipality of Bonaire.
101-526: The Klein Bonaire islet, which sits within the rough crescent formed by the main island, is 6 square kilometres (1,483 acres) and extremely flat, rising no more than two meters above the sea. The only structures on the island are some ruins of slave huts (small, single-room structures dating to the region's period of slavery ), and a small open shelter on the beach facing Bonaire. The island has no running water or sanitation facilities. In 1868, Klein Bonaire
202-761: A Minister Plenipotentiary based in the Netherlands, who had the right to participate in Dutch cabinet meetings that discussed affairs of the Kingdom as a whole when they pertained directly to Suriname or the Netherlands Antilles. Delegates of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles could participate in sessions of the First and Second Chamber of the States General . An overseas member could be added to
303-405: A Portuguese group of Sephardic Jews that arrived from Amsterdam and Brazil from 1654. In 1982, there was a population of about 2,000 Muslims , with an Islamic association and a mosque in the capital. Most Netherlands Antilleans were Dutch citizens and this status permitted and encouraged the young and university-educated to emigrate to the Netherlands. This exodus was considered to be to
404-614: A Prime Minister . The sovereign people of Aruba are represented by 21 parliamentarians in the Parliament of Aruba . The Governor of Aruba is Alfonso Boekhoudt , and the Prime Minister is Evelyn Wever-Croes . It has its own Central Bank and currency, the Aruban florin , linked to the U.S. dollar; the U.S. dollar is accepted almost everywhere on the island. Aruba has two official languages: its own national language Papiamento and
505-626: A single state in the territories that were previously the Dutch Republic / Batavian Republic / Kingdom of Holland , the Austrian Netherlands and the Prince-Bishopric of Liège , awarding rule over this to William, Prince of Orange and Nassau , although these southern territories remained under Prussian (German) rule until Napoleon's return from his first exile on Elba ("Hundred Days"). In March 1815, amidst
606-678: A unitary state . Its administration consists of the Monarch and the Council of Ministers, which is headed by a Prime Minister (currently Dick Schoof ). The people are represented by the States General of the Netherlands , which consists of a House of Representatives and a Senate . The Netherlands is divided into 12 provinces: Drenthe , Flevoland , Friesland , Gelderland , Groningen , Limburg , North Brabant , North Holland , Overijssel , South Holland , Utrecht and Zeeland . The provinces are divided into municipalities. The Netherlands has
707-620: A 'heavy union' led by the Dutch monarch , while Indonesia favored a loose organization opting individual sovereignty. The union was virtually collapsed by 1954 over the West New Guinea dispute , leaving the Dutch an opportunity to reorganize its colonial holdings. Initially, a federal constitution was considered too heavy as the economies of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles were insignificant compared to that of
808-534: A basis of equality as partners in the Kingdom. In practice, however, most of the Kingdom's affairs are administered by the Netherlands—which comprises roughly 98% of the Kingdom's land area and population—on behalf of the entire Kingdom. Consequently, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten are dependent on the Netherlands for matters like foreign policy and defence , but are autonomous to a certain degree, with their own parliaments . The vast majority of land area of
909-422: A colony of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In 1865 a government regulation for Curaçao was enacted that allowed for some very limited autonomy for the colony. Although this regulation was replaced by a constitution ( Dutch : Staatsregeling ) in 1936, the changes to the government structure remained superficial and Curaçao continued to be ruled as a colony. The Dutch abolition of slavery in 1863 would hit most of
1010-526: A desire to review the relations between the Netherlands and its colonies after the end of the war. After liberation, the government would call a conference to agree on a settlement in which the overseas territories could participate in the administration of the Kingdom on the basis of equality. Initially, this speech had propaganda purposes; the Dutch government had the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia ) in mind, and hoped to appease public opinion in
1111-618: A fixed exchange rate with the United States dollar of 1.79:1. A large percentage of the Netherlands Antilleans descended from European colonists and African slaves who were brought and traded there from the 17th to 19th centuries. The rest of the population originated from other Caribbean islands as well as Latin America, East Asia and elsewhere in the world. In Curaçao there was a strong Jewish element going back to
SECTION 10
#17327753006111212-406: A mayor, aldermen, and a municipal council, for example) and are subject to the ordinary Dutch legislative process. Residents of these three islands are also able to vote in Dutch national and European elections. There are, however, some derogations for these islands. Social security , for example, is not on the same level as it is in the Netherlands proper. In November 2008 it was decided to introduce
1313-544: A new interim Constitution of the Netherlands Antilles was enacted in February 1951. Shortly afterwards, on 3 March 1951, the Island Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch : Eilandenregeling Nederlandse Antillen or ERNA ) was issued by royal decree , giving fairly wide autonomy to the various island territories in the Netherlands Antilles. A consolidated version of this regulation remained in force until
1414-624: A non-existing entity since 2010, are allowed to field teams at the Chess Olympiad under this name, because the Curaçao Chess Federation remains officially registered as representing the dissolved country in the FIDE Directory. Unlike the metropolitan Netherlands, same-sex marriages were not performed in the Netherlands Antilles, but those performed in other jurisdictions were recognised. The main prison of
1515-511: A northern group (part of Leeward Islands ) and a western group (part of the Leeward Antilles ). No part of the country was in the southern Windward Islands . This island subregion was located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, to the east of Puerto Rico . It consisted of three islands, collectively known as the " SSS islands ": The islands are located approximately 800–900 kilometers (430–490 nautical miles; 500–560 miles) northeast of
1616-473: A part of the historic city centre of Willemstad was destroyed by fire. Order was restored by Dutch marines . In the same year, Suriname saw serious political instability with the Surinamese prime minister, Jopie Pengel , threatening to request military support to break a teachers' strike. In 1973, a new Dutch cabinet under Labour leader Joop den Uyl assumed power. In the government policy statement ,
1717-553: A single country – the Netherlands Antilles – in 1954, under the Dutch crown. The country was dissolved on 10 October 2010. Curaçao and Sint Maarten became distinct constituent countries alongside Aruba which had become a distinct constituent country in 1986; whereas Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (the BES islands ) became special municipalities within the Netherlands proper. From 1815 onwards Curaçao and Dependencies formed
1818-399: A vote in favour of retaining the Netherlands Antilles, the arrangement continued to be an unhappy one. Between June 2000 and April 2005, each island of the Netherlands Antilles had a new referendum on its future status. The four options that could be voted on were the following: Of the five islands, Sint Maarten and Curaçao voted for status aparte , Saba and Bonaire voted for closer ties with
1919-417: A well-developed infrastructure as compared with other countries in the region. Almost all consumer and capital goods were imported, with Venezuela , the United States, and Mexico being the major suppliers, as well as the Dutch government which supports the islands with substantial development aid . Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hampered the development of agriculture. The Antillean guilder had
2020-409: Is also a breeding site for Wilson's and snowy plovers . The distance from the shore of Bonaire to the shore of Klein Bonaire is about 800 metres (0.50 miles) at the nearest point. This span is frequently traversed by private and commercial boats and can be done by kayak with some difficulty. The primary attraction for visitors is scuba diving and snorkeling the pristine coral reef surrounding
2121-417: Is difficult to group the constitutional arrangements of the Kingdom in one of the traditional models of state organisation, and consider the Kingdom to be a sui generis arrangement. Instead, the Kingdom is said to have characteristics of a federal state , a confederation , a federacy , and a devolved unitary state . The Kingdom's federal characteristics include the delineation of Kingdom affairs in
SECTION 20
#17327753006112222-600: Is not a federation ; it is a unitary monarchy with its largest subdivision, the eponymous Netherlands , predominantly located in Northwestern Europe and with several smaller island territories located in the Caribbean . The four subdivisions of the Kingdom— Aruba , Curaçao , the Netherlands , and Sint Maarten —are constituent countries ( landen in Dutch ; singular: land ) and participate on
2323-516: Is proposed, the proposal shall not be submitted to or considered by a representative assembly until the Governments in the other countries have had the opportunity to express their views on the matter. In case of a conflict between a constituent country and the Kingdom, Article 12 of the Charter prescribes an administrative reconciliation procedure. This was often deemed a democratic deficit of
2424-515: Is the head of state of the Kingdom. The Monarch is represented in Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten by a governor. The Netherlands Armed Forces ( Dutch : Nederlandse krijgsmacht ) are the shared military services of all countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and fall under the Ministry of Defense . The legislature of the Kingdom consists of the States General of the Netherlands and
2525-582: The ABC islands . This island subregion was located in the southern Caribbean Sea off the north coast of Venezuela . There were three islands collectively known as the " ABC islands ": The Netherlands Antilles have a tropical trade-wind climate , with hot weather all year round. The Leeward islands are subject to hurricanes in the summer months, while those islands located in the Leeward Antilles are warmer and drier. Spanish explorers discovered both
2626-513: The Affairs of the Kingdom : One additional Kingdom affair is specified in article 43(2): Paragraph 2 of Article 3 specifies that "other matters may be declared to be Kingdom affairs in consultation". These Kingdom affairs are only taken care of by the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of the Netherlands , if the affair affects Aruba , Curaçao or St. Maarten . Article 14, paragraph 3, of
2727-453: The Council of State when appropriate. According to the Charter, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles could each alter its "Basic Law" ( Staatsregeling ). The right of the two autonomous countries to leave the Kingdom, unilaterally, was not recognised; yet it also stipulated that the Charter could be dissolved by mutual consultation. Before the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands
2828-687: The Dutch Antilles , was a constituent Caribbean country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands consisting of the islands of Saba , Sint Eustatius , and Sint Maarten in the Lesser Antilles , and Aruba , Curaçao , and Bonaire in the Leeward Antilles . The country came into being in 1954 as the autonomous successor of the Dutch colony of Curaçao and Dependencies , and it was dissolved in 2010, when like Aruba in 1986, Sint Maarten and Curaçao gained status of constituent countries within
2929-482: The European Union , but instead listed as overseas countries and territories (OCTs). This status was kept for all the islands after dissolution, and will be kept until at least 2015. Tourism, petroleum transshipment and oil refinement (on Curaçao), as well as offshore finance were the mainstays of this small economy, which was closely tied to the outside world. The islands enjoyed a high per capita income and
3030-538: The Kingdom act amending the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands with regard to the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles was signed by the three countries in the closing Round Table Conference on 9 September 2010 in The Hague . The Island Regulation had divided the Netherlands Antilles into four island territories : Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao ( ABC ), and the islands in the Leeward Islands. In 1983,
3131-483: The Kingdom of the Netherlands , and Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Bonaire gained status of special municipality of Netherlands as the Caribbean Netherlands . The neighboring Dutch colony of Surinam in continental South America , did not become part of the Netherlands Antilles but became a separate autonomous country in 1954. All the territories that belonged to the Netherlands Antilles remain part of
Klein Bonaire - Misplaced Pages Continue
3232-492: The Netherlands alone: Bonaire , Sint Eustatius , and Saba . Collectively, these special municipalities of the Netherlands are also known as the BES islands . The Constitution of the Netherlands Antilles was proclaimed on 29 March 1955 by Order-in-Council for the Kingdom. Together with the Islands Regulation of the Netherlands Antilles it formed the constitutional basis for the Netherlands Antilles. Because
3333-628: The SSS islands , and increased tourism from Venezuela in the ABC islands , Spanish had also become increasingly used. The majority of the population were followers of the Christian faith, with a Protestant majority in Sint Eustatius and Sint Maarten, and a Roman Catholic majority in Bonaire, Curaçao and Saba. Curaçao also hosted a sizeable group of followers of the Jewish religion, descendants of
3434-729: The leeward ( Alonso de Ojeda , 1499) and windward ( Christopher Columbus , 1493) island groups in the late 16th century. However, the Spanish Crown only founded settlements in the Leeward Islands. In the 17th century the islands were conquered by the Dutch West India Company and colonized by The Netherlands. From the last quarter of the 17th century, the group consisted of six Dutch islands: Curaçao (settled in 1634), Aruba (settled in 1636), Bonaire (settled in 1636), Sint Eustatius (settled in 1636), Saba (settled in 1640) and Sint Maarten (settled in 1648). In
3535-418: The 17th century slave trade. The language Papiamentu was predominant on Curaçao and Bonaire (as well as the neighboring island of Aruba). This creole descended from Portuguese and West African languages with a strong admixture of Dutch, plus subsequent lexical contributions from Spanish and English. An English-based creole dialect, formally known as Netherlands Antilles Creole , was the native dialect of
3636-609: The Boston Red Sox, in 2013 and 2018. Andruw Jones played for the Atlanta Braves in the 1996 World Series hitting two home runs in his first game against the New York Yankees. Three athletes from the former Netherlands Antilles competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics . They, alongside one athlete from South Sudan , competed under the banner of Independent Olympic Athletes . The Netherlands Antilles, though
3737-546: The Charter, foresees the handling of Kingdom affairs in all other cases by the Netherlands. On the basis of Article 38, the countries of the Kingdom can decide to adopt a Kingdom Act outside of the scope of the aforementioned Kingdom affairs. Such acts are referred to as Consensus Kingdom Acts, as they require the consent of the parliaments of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten. The Kingdom negotiates and concludes international treaties and agreements. Those that do not affect Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten directly are dealt with by
3838-538: The Constitution depended on the Islands Regulation, which gave fairly large autonomy to the different island territories, and the Islands Regulation was older than the Constitution, many scholars describe the Netherlands Antilles as a federal arrangement. The head of state was the monarch of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who was represented in the Netherlands Antilles by a governor. The governor and
3939-460: The Council of State. Aruba is currently exercising this right. This has not always been the case; the Netherlands Antilles had no member until 1987 and Aruba had none until 2000. Sint Maarten's first member of the Council of State will be former Lieutenant Governor Dennis Richardson. The Hoge Raad der Nederlanden is the supreme court of the Kingdom by virtue of the Cassation regulation for
4040-413: The Dutch government – led to increasing demands for autonomy within the population as well. In May 1948 a new constitution for the territory entered into force, allowing the largest amount of autonomy possible under the Dutch constitution of 1922. Among other things, universal suffrage was introduced. The territory was also renamed "Netherlands Antilles". After the Dutch constitution was revised in 1948,
4141-541: The German Confederation for that loss, the remainder of the Dutch province of Limburg received the same status that Luxembourg had enjoyed before, as a Dutch province that at the same time formed a Duchy of the German Confederation. That status was reversed when the German Confederation ceased to exist in 1867, when Limburg became an ordinary Dutch province. The Netherlands abolished slavery in its colonies in 1863. The Kingdom's 1954 administrative reform
Klein Bonaire - Misplaced Pages Continue
4242-548: The Government. Articles 14, 16 and 17 of the Charter give some participation to the parliaments of the Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. Article 13 of the Charter specifies that there is a Council of State of the Kingdom. It is (as all institutions of the Kingdom) regulated in the Constitution, but the Charter implies that at the request of Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten, a member from each of these islands can be included in
4343-476: The Kingdom do not affect Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten, they are dealt with according to the provisions laid down in the Constitution. In these cases the Netherlands, the jurisdiction ruled directly by the Constitution for the Kingdom of the Netherlands , acts alone, according to its constitution and in its capacity as the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The other three countries cannot do the same for affairs of
4444-479: The Kingdom of the Netherlands does not provide for that. Two legal instruments are available at the Kingdom level: the Kingdom act ( Dutch : Rijkswet ) and the Order-in-Council for the Kingdom ( Dutch : Algemene maatregel van Rijksbestuur ). An example of a Kingdom act is the "Kingdom Act regarding Dutch citizenship" ( Dutch : Rijkswet op het Nederlanderschap ). The Monarch of the Netherlands
4545-461: The Kingdom of the Netherlands' Dutch language. Curaçao , with its own constitution, is also a representative parliamentary democracy organised as a centralised unitary state . Its administration consists of the Governor , who represents the Monarch, and the (Curaçao) Council of Ministers, headed by a Prime Minister . The sovereign people of Curaçao are represented by 21 members of parliament and
4646-555: The Kingdom of the Netherlands: Aruba , Curaçao , and Sint Maarten . (The Netherlands is the fourth constituent country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.) Sint Maarten covers approximately 40% of the island of Saint Martin ; the remaining northern part of the island – the Collectivity of Saint Martin – is an overseas territory of France . There are three Caribbean islands that are special municipalities of
4747-409: The Kingdom that only pertain to them and not to the Netherlands proper. In these cases, the provisions of the Charter prevail. Changes in the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands can only be made when all constituent countries agree. The Monarch and the ministers he appoints form the Government of the Kingdom. According to Article 7 of the Charter, the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom of
4848-401: The Kingdom, leading to the adoption of an amendment to the Charter, which entered into force on 23 November 2010. The new Article 12a specifies that in addition to the administrative reconciliation procedure, "by Kingdom Act measures shall be made allowing for the arbitration of certain conflicts, as specified by Kingdom Act, between the Kingdom and the countries." The imperative formulation was
4949-480: The Kingdom. The Kingdom of the Netherlands consists of four constituent countries : the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten. There is a difference between the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Netherlands: the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the comprehensive sovereign state, while the Netherlands is one of its four constituent countries. Three Caribbean islands (Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten) are
5050-423: The Netherlands ( Dutch : Koninkrijk der Nederlanden , pronounced [ˈkoːnɪŋkrɛiɡ dɛr ˈneːdərlɑndə(n)] ; , West Frisian : Keninkryk fan Nederlân , Papiamento : Reino Hulandes ), commonly known simply as the Netherlands , is a sovereign state consisting of a collection of constituent territories united under the monarch of the Netherlands , who functions as head of state . The realm
5151-550: The Netherlands ( Dutch : Staten-Generaal der Nederlanden ), the Ministers Plenipotentiary may communicate their wish that the treaty or agreement concerned shall be subject to the express approval of the States General. Article 25 gives Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten the opportunity to opt out from an international treaty or agreement. The treaty or agreement concerned then has to specify that
SECTION 50
#17327753006115252-410: The Netherlands consists of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands complemented by one Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba , one Minister Plenipotentiary of Curaçao , and one Minister Plenipotentiary of Sint Maarten . The Dutch Prime Minister chairs the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom. In December 2007, a Deputy Council for Kingdom Relations was established. This deputy council prepares
5353-425: The Netherlands that also constitutes and regulates the institutions of the Kingdom as a whole as mentioned in the Charter. The Constitution is also subordinate to the Charter. The provisions in the Charter for some of these institutions are additional and are applicable only for those affairs of the Kingdom, as described in the Charter, when they affect Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten directly. In cases where affairs of
5454-486: The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. The basis for this regulation is article 23 of the Charter. The second paragraph of that article specifies that if an overseas country of the Kingdom so requests, the Kingdom Act should provide for an additional court member from that country. To date, neither Aruba, Curaçao, nor Sint Maarten has used this right. According to Article 39 of the Charter, " civil and commercial law ,
5555-477: The Netherlands Antilles was Koraal Specht , later known as Bon Futuro. It was known for ill treatment of prisoners and bad conditions throughout the years. The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez claimed that the Netherlands was helping the United States to invade Venezuela due to military games in 2006. Constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands The Kingdom of
5656-430: The Netherlands Antilles was divided into six. Three are constituent countries: Aruba (since 1986), Curaçao and Sint Maarten (since 2010); three are special municipalities of the Netherlands proper: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. Netherlands New Guinea was a dependent territory of the Kingdom until 1962, followed by seven-month transitional period when it was annexed by Indonesia . It was not an autonomous country, and
5757-414: The Netherlands Antilles, becoming a constituent country of the Kingdom in its own right. In October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Curaçao and Sint Maarten became the newest constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom celebrated its bicentennial in a series of festive occasions spanning from 2013 to 2015, the last being the year of the actual 200th anniversary of
5858-636: The Netherlands originated in the aftermath of French Emperor Napoleon I 's defeat in 1815. In that year the Netherlands regained its independence from France under its First Empire , which had annexed its northern neighbour in 1810, as the Sovereign Principality of the United Netherlands . The great powers of Europe, united against Napoleonic France, had decided in the secret treaty of the London Protocol to establish
5959-447: The Netherlands reached an agreement with Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba: this agreement would make these islands special municipalities. On 3 November 2006, Curaçao and Sint Maarten were granted autonomy in an agreement, but this agreement was rejected by the then island council of Curaçao on 28 November. The Curaçao government was not sufficiently convinced that the agreement would provide enough autonomy for Curaçao. On 9 July 2007
6060-532: The Netherlands, and Sint Eustatius voted to stay within the Netherlands Antilles. On 26 November 2005, a Round Table Conference (RTC) was held between the governments of the Netherlands, Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, and each island in the Netherlands Antilles. The final statement to emerge from the RTC stated that autonomy for Curaçao and Sint Maarten, plus a new status for Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba (BES) would come into effect by 1 July 2007. On 12 October 2006,
6161-459: The Netherlands. The islands of the former country of the Netherlands Antilles are currently divided in two main groups for political and constitutional purposes: There are also several smaller islands, like Klein Curaçao and Klein Bonaire , that belong to one of the island countries or special municipalities. There are three Caribbean islands that are countries ( Dutch : landen ) within
SECTION 60
#17327753006116262-400: The Netherlands. By the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands , as enacted in 1954, a composite state was created (also known as the "Tripartite Kingdom of the Netherlands"), consisting of the Netherlands (mainland), Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. Under the provisions of the Charter, both former colonies were granted internal autonomy. Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles each got
6363-845: The Preservation of Klein Bonaire (FPKB) was born. Through efforts of the FPKB and other concerned parties, and with monies from the Department of the Interior and Kingdom Affairs of the Netherlands, the World Nature Fund of the Netherlands and FPKB, the island was successfully purchased in 1999 for 9 million Netherlands Antillean guilder (US$ 5 million). Klein Bonaire is now part of the Bonaire National Marine Park. Long-term plans include reintroduction of
6464-719: The President of the Parliament of Curaçao is Charetti America-Francisca . The Governor of Curaçao is Lucille George-Wout , and the Prime Minister is Gilmar Pisas . It has the Netherlands Antillean guilder as its currency. Sint Maarten is a centralised unitary state , with similar administrative characteristics to Aruba. It has the Antillean Guilder as its currency. Unlike the other Dutch Caribbean countries and special municipalities, Sint Maarten covers only part of an island. It consists of roughly
6565-439: The U.S. dollar in the three islands. The date of introduction was 1 January 2011. The Netherlands carries the risk of exchange rate fluctuations regarding cash flows between the state and the islands. Aruba , with its own constitution, is a representative parliamentary democracy organised as a unitary state. Its administration consists of the Governor , who represents the Monarch, and the (Aruban) Council of Ministers, headed by
6666-537: The United Nations deemed decolonization of the territory complete and removed the Netherlands Antilles from the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories . Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles on 1 January 1986 after a 30 year-long political battle for separation, paving the way for a series of referendums among the remaining islands on the future of the Netherlands Antilles. Whereas
6767-592: The United States, which had become skeptical towards colonialism . With Indonesia 's independence, a temporary confederal constitution was established through the Linggadjati Agreement in 1946, which mandated the creation of a Netherlands-Indonesia Union . However, this arrangement was considered burdensome, as the two nations differed in their interpretations and expectations of the Linggadjati Agreement. The Netherlands advocated for
6868-766: The burning of a straw King Momo , cleansing the island of sins and bad luck. Netherlands Lesser Antilles competed in the Winter Olympics of 1988, notably finishing 29th in the bobsled, ahead of Jamaica who famously competed but finished 30th. Baseball is by far the most popular sport. Several players have made it to the Major Leagues, such as Xander Bogaerts , Andrelton Simmons , Hensley Meulens , Randall Simon , Andruw Jones , Kenley Jansen , Jair Jurrjens , Roger Bernadina , Sidney Ponson , Didi Gregorius , Shairon Martis , Wladimir Balentien , and Yurendell DeCaster . Xander Bogaerts won two World Series with
6969-632: The cabinet declared a wish to determine a date for the independence of Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles with the governments of those nations. The Antillean government was non-committal; the same held for the Surinamese Sedney cabinet (1969–1973). Suriname's 1973 elections brought the National Party Combination ( Nationale Partij Kombinatie ) to power, with Henck Arron as prime minister. The new government declared that Suriname would be independent before 1976. This
7070-514: The constituent country of the Netherlands is in Europe, while its three special municipalities ( Bonaire , Saba , and Sint Eustatius ) are located in the Caribbean, as are the other three constituent countries. The Kingdom has a population in the Netherlands of 17,821,419 (as of January 2023 ), and of 29,418 (as of November 2023 ) in Bonaire, Saba, and Sint Eustatius. The Kingdom of
7171-423: The council of ministers, chaired by a prime minister, formed the government. The Netherlands Antilles had a unicameral legislature called the Parliament of the Netherlands Antilles . Its 22 members were fixed in number for the islands making up the Netherlands Antilles: fourteen for Curaçao, three each for Sint Maarten and Bonaire, and one each for Saba and Sint Eustatius. The Netherlands Antilles were not part of
7272-442: The country's ties with the Kingdom. Article 27 specifies the involvement of Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten in the preparations for a treaty or agreement that affects them and Article 28 specifies that Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten may, if they so desire, accede to membership of international organisations. Among other affiliations, the kingdom is also a founding member of NATO , OECD and WTO . Most scholars agree that it
7373-417: The dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. The new constitution was only deemed an interim arrangement, as negotiations for a Charter for the Kingdom were already under way. On 15 December 1954 the Netherlands Antilles, Suriname and the Netherlands acceded as equal partners to an overarching Kingdom of the Netherlands, established by the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands. With this move,
7474-544: The economies of the Dutch Caribbean islands hard as they were primarily slave labor-driven, plantation-based economies (the King of the Netherlands officially apologising for its part in the trade at a formal ceremony in 2023). With the exception of Aruba, where slavery was not as widespread as the island was considered too dry by the Dutch for large-scale plantations. Economic prosperity on Curaçao and neighboring Aruba
7575-551: The economy of the island never recovered. However, with the discovery of oil in Venezuela in the nineteenth century, the Anglo-Dutch Shell Oil Company established refineries in Curaçao, while the U.S. processed Venezuelan crude oil in Aruba. This resulted in booming economies on the two islands, which turned to bust in the 1980s when the oil refineries were closed. The various islands were united as
7676-502: The euro as its currency, except in the special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands (BES islands), where the Netherlands Antillean guilder was replaced by the U.S. dollar in 2011. The special municipalities of Bonaire , Sint Eustatius , and Saba , together referred to as Caribbean Netherlands or BES islands , are islands in the Caribbean that are part of the Netherlands proper but not part of any Dutch province. They resemble ordinary Dutch municipalities in most ways (with
7777-530: The inhabitants of Sint Eustatius, Saba and Sint Maarten. After a decades-long debate, English and Papiamentu were made official languages alongside Dutch in early March 2007. Legislation was produced in Dutch, but parliamentary debate was in Papiamentu or English, depending on the island. Due to a massive influx of immigrants from Spanish-speaking territories such as the Dominican Republic in
7878-503: The island territory of the Leeward was split up to form the new island territories of Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius ( SSS ). In 1986, Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles, reducing the number of island territories to five. After the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, Curaçao and Sint Maarten became autonomous countries within the Kingdom and Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba ( BES ) became special municipalities of
7979-481: The islands' detriment, as it created a brain drain . On the other hand, immigrants from the Dominican Republic , Haiti , the Anglophone Caribbean and Colombia had increased their presence on these islands in later years. The origins of the population and location of the islands gave the Netherlands Antilles a mixed culture. Tourism and overwhelming media presence from the United States increased
8080-555: The islet. Numbered yellow painted rocks near the open shelter show where divers can cross low points on the reef, which is very close to the beach. When facing the water at the rocks the current runs from right to left. History of the Netherlands Antilles The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch : Nederlandse Antillen , pronounced [ˈneːdərlɑntsə ʔɑnˈtɪlə(n)] ; Papiamento : Antia Hulandes ), also known as
8181-501: The kingdom today, although the legal status of each differs. As a group they are still commonly called the Dutch Caribbean , regardless of their legal status. People from this former territory continue to be called Antilleans ( Antillianen ) in the Netherlands. The islands of the Netherlands Antilles are all part of the Lesser Antilles island chain. Within this group, the country was spread over two smaller island groups :
8282-409: The law of civil procedure, criminal law , the law of criminal procedure, copyright , industrial property , the office of notary , and provisions concerning weights and measures shall be regulated as far as possible in a similar manner in the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten". The Article further stipulates that when a drastic amendment of the existing legislation in regard to these matters
8383-411: The meetings of the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom. The establishment of such a Council has long been advocated by the Council of State of the Kingdom. The Government and the Council of Ministers of the Kingdom, along with the monarchy itself, are subject to Article 5 of the Charter that refers their regulation mainly to the Constitution for the Kingdom of the Netherlands as far as the Charter for
8484-610: The native vegetation. Klein Bonaire is permanently home to green ( Chelonia mydas ) and hawksbill sea turtles ( Eretmochelys imbricata ). During the nesting season it is also home to loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ) and occasional flamingos . Montastraea annularis was the most common coral seen during a recent 2011 survey. Klein Bonaire has been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because it supports populations of threatened or restricted-range bird species, including bare-eyed pigeons , least terns and Caribbean elaenias . It
8585-479: The new island council of Curaçao approved the agreement previously rejected in November 2006. A subsequent referendum approved the agreement as well. The acts of parliament integrating the "BES" islands ( B onaire, Sint E ustatius and S aba) into the Netherlands were given royal assent on 17 May 2010. After ratification by the Netherlands (6 July), the Netherlands Antilles (20 August), and Aruba (4 September),
8686-760: The past, Anguilla (1631–1650), the present-day British Virgin Islands (1612–1672), St. Croix and Tobago had also been Dutch. During the American Revolution Sint Eustatius, along with Curaçao, was a major trade center in the Caribbean, with Sint Eustatius a major source of supplies for the Thirteen Colonies . It had been called "the Golden Rock" because of the number of wealthy merchants and volume of trade there. The British sacked its only town, Oranjestad, in 1781 and
8787-414: The provisions of the Constitution (in fact by the Netherlands alone). Article 24 of the Charter specifies that when an international treaty or agreement affects Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten, the treaty or agreement concerned shall be submitted to their representative assemblies. The article further specifies that when such a treaty or agreement is submitted for the tacit approval of the States General of
8888-517: The regional United States influence. On all the islands, the holiday of Carnival had become an important event after its importation from other Caribbean and Latin American countries in the 1960s. Festivities included "jump-up" parades with beautifully colored costumes, floats, and live bands as well as beauty contests and other competitions. Carnival on the islands also included a middle-of-the-night j'ouvert (juvé) parade that ended at sunrise with
8989-465: The result of an amendment in the Chamber of Representatives by special delegates Evelyna Wever-Croes and J.E. Thijsen of Aruba; the original formulation was "by Kingdom Act measures can be made". The new Article 38a allows for measures to be made for arbitration between countries as well. In contrast with Article 12a, this article is not imperatively formulated. Article 3 of the Charter specifies
9090-526: The ruling parties campaigned for the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, the people voted for a restructuring of the Netherlands Antilles. The coalition campaigning for this option became the Party for the Restructured Antilles , which ruled the Netherlands Antilles for much of the time until its dissolution on 10 October 2010. Even though the referendums held in the early 1990s resulted in
9191-539: The same time, a member state of the German Confederation . In 1830, the southerners, calling themselves Belgians, seceded from the Kingdom , a step that was recognised by the Netherlands only in 1839 in the Treaty of London . At that point, Luxembourg became a fully independent country in a personal union with the Netherlands. Luxembourg also lost more than half of its territory to Belgium. To compensate
9292-479: The southern half of the divided island of Saint Martin . The northern half of the island is the French Collectivity of Saint Martin . Aruba , Curaçao , and Sint Maarten regulate the governance of their respective countries, but are subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands . The Netherlands is ruled by the provisions and institutions of the Constitution for the Kingdom of
9393-421: The three remaining constituent countries. Three other Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba) are special municipalities within the country of the Netherlands. Until its dissolution in 2010, the islands had formed the Netherlands Antilles , with the exception of Aruba, which left the grouping in 1986. Comparison table The Netherlands is a representative parliamentary democracy organised as
9494-401: The treaty or agreement does not apply to Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten. Article 26 specifies that when Aruba, Curaçao, or Sint Maarten communicate their wish for the conclusion of an international economic or financial agreement that applies solely to the country concerned, the Government of the Kingdom shall assist in the conclusion of such an agreement, unless this would be inconsistent with
9595-712: The turmoil of the Hundred Days , the Sovereign Prince William of Orange and Nassau adopted the style of " king of the Netherlands ". Following Napoleon's second defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815, the Vienna Congress supplied international recognition of William's unilateral move. The new king of the Netherlands was also made Grand Duke of Luxembourg , a part of the Kingdom that was, at
9696-488: Was not mentioned in the Charter. In 1955, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard visited Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. The royal couple were welcomed enthusiastically by the local population, and the trip was widely reported in the Dutch press. Several other royal visits were to follow. In 1969, an unorganised strike on the Antillean island of Curaçao resulted in serious disturbances and looting , during which
9797-431: Was proclaimed in 1954, Suriname, Netherlands New Guinea , and the Netherlands Antilles, (formerly, Kolonie Curaçao en Onderhorige Eilanden , "Colony of Curaçao and subordinates ") were colonies of the Netherlands. Suriname was a constituent country within the Kingdom from 1954 to 1975, while the Netherlands Antilles was a constituent country from 1954 until 2010. Suriname has since become an independent republic, and
9898-477: Was remarkable, as independence had not been an issue during the election campaign. The Den Uyl government in The Hague now had a willing partner in Paramaribo to realise its plans for Surinamese independence. Despite vehement and emotional resistance by the Surinamese opposition, Den Uyl and Arron reached an agreement, and, on 25 November 1975, Suriname became independent. In January 1986, Aruba seceded from
9999-528: Was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. Colonial rule ended after the conclusion of the Second World War . Queen Wilhelmina had promised in a 1942 speech to offer autonomy to the overseas territories of the Netherlands. During the war, the British and American occupation of the islands – with the consent of
10100-415: Was sold to Angel Jeserun and remained in private hands until 1999. During this period the native trees were removed, resulting in a scrub growth across the island. The development of Klein Bonaire was attempted a few times prior to its establishment as a marine preserve, the last unsuccessful attempt being in 1995. Concerned locals rallied to save Klein Bonaire and raise funds to do so and The Foundation for
10201-534: Was sparked by the 1941 Atlantic Charter (stating "the right of all peoples to choose the form of government under which they will live, and the desire for a permanent system of general security"), which was signed by the Netherlands on 1 January 1942. Changes were proposed in the 7 December 1942 radio speech by Queen Wilhelmina . In this speech, the Queen, on behalf of the Dutch government in exile in London , expressed
#610389