Caribbean Netherlands Explained

Caribbean Netherlands
Flag Link:Flag of the Netherlands
Anthem:
(English: "William of Nassau")
Elevation Max M:887
Elevation Max Footnotes:
(Mount Scenery)
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:Netherlands
Subdivision Type1:Special municipalities
Subdivision Name1:
Established Title:Incorporated into the Netherlands
Established Date:10 October 2010 (dissolution of the )
Leader Title1:Monarch
Leader Name1:Willem-Alexander
Leader Title2:Lt. Governors (see Politics of the Netherlands)
Leader Name2:
Leader Title3:National Rep.
Leader Name3:Jan Helmond
Population Density Km2:77
Timezone:AST
Utc Offset:−4
Blank Name Sec1:Currency
Blank Info Sec1: ($) (USD)[2]
Blank Name Sec2:Internet TLD
Iso Code:BQ, NL-BQ1, NL-BQ2, NL-BQ3
Population Estimate Year:2022
Population Estimate:27,726[3]
Area Km2:322[4]
Official Languages:Dutch
Recognised Regional Languages:

The Caribbean Netherlands[6] (in Dutch; Flemish pronounced as /kaˈribisˌnedərˌlɑnt/) is a geographic region of the Netherlands located outside of Europe, in the Caribbean, consisting of three special municipalities.[6] These are the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba,[7] [8] as they are also known in legislation, or the BES islands (an acronym of their names) for short. The islands are officially classified as public bodies[9] in the Netherlands and as overseas territories of the European Union; as such, European Union law does not automatically apply to them.

Bonaire (including the islet of Klein Bonaire) is one of the Leeward Antilles and is located close to the coast of Venezuela. Sint Eustatius and Saba are in the main Lesser Antilles group and are located south of Sint Maarten and northwest of Saint Kitts and Nevis. The Caribbean Netherlands, which should not be confused with the more comprehensive Dutch Caribbean, has a population of 25,157 as of January 2019.[4]

Legal status

The three islands gained their current status following the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010.[10] At the same time, the islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten became autonomous countries (Dutch; Flemish: landen) within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.[11] The island of Aruba is also a constituent country of the Kingdom located in the Caribbean. The term "Dutch Caribbean" may refer to the three special municipalities (e.g. for stamps), but may also refer to all of the Caribbean islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The population of the Caribbean Netherlands is . Their total area is 328km2. These figures are not consistent with the table below.

In 2012, the islands of the Caribbean Netherlands voted for the first time, due to being special municipalities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the 2012 Dutch general election.[12]

Administration

The special municipalities (Dutch; Flemish: bijzondere gemeenten) carry many of the functions normally performed by Dutch municipalities. The executive power rests with the Governing Council headed by an Island governor. The main democratic body is the island council. Dutch citizens of these three islands are entitled to vote in Dutch national elections and (as all Dutch nationals) in European elections.

Officially the islands are classed in Dutch law as being Dutch; Flemish: [[Public body (Netherlands)|openbare lichamen]] (literally translated as "public bodies") and not Dutch; Flemish: gemeenten (municipalities). Unlike normal municipalities, they do not form part of a Dutch province[13] and the powers normally exercised by provincial councils within municipalities are divided between the island governments themselves and the central government by means of the National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands. For this reason, they are called "special" municipalities.

Many Dutch laws make special provisions for the Caribbean Netherlands.[14] For example, social security is not on the same level as it is in the European Netherlands.[15]

FlagNameCapitalAreaPopulation[16]
(January 2022)		Density
288abbr=onNaNabbr=on22,57369abbr=onNaNabbr=on
21abbr=onNaNabbr=on3,242150abbr=onNaNabbr=on
13abbr=onNaNabbr=on1,911148abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Total322abbr=onNaNabbr=on27,72677abbr=onNaNabbr=on

National Office

The National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands (Dutch; Flemish: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland) is responsible for taxation, policing, immigration, transport infrastructure, health, education, and social security in the islands and provides these services on behalf of the Government of the Netherlands.[17] This agency was established as the Regional Service Center in 2008 and became the National Office for the Caribbean Netherlands on 1 September 2010.[18] [19] The current director is Jan Helmond.[20] The Representative for the public bodies of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba represents the Government of the Netherlands on the islands and also performs tasks similar to a King's Commissioner. The current representative is Gilbert Isabella.[21]

Relationship with the European Union

The islands do not form part of the European Union and instead constitute "overseas countries and territories" (OCT status) of the Union, to which special provisions apply.[22] The Lisbon Treaty introduced a procedure where the European Council may change the status of an overseas territory of Denmark, France, or the Netherlands regarding the application of the EU treaties to that territory.[23] In June 2008, the Dutch government published a survey of the legal and economic impacts by a switched status from OCT to outermost region (OMR).[24] [25] The position of the islands was reviewed after a five-year transitional period, which began with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles in October 2010.[26] The review was conducted as part of the planned review of the Dutch "Act for the public bodies Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba" (Dutch; Flemish: "Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba (WolBES)"), where the islands have been granted the option to become an OMR – and thus a direct part of the European Union.[27] In October 2015, the review concluded the present legal structures for governance and integration with European Netherlands was not working well within the framework of WolBES, but no recommendations were made in regards of whether a switch from OCT to OMR status would help improve this situation.[28] [29] [30] [31]

Foreign policy and defence

The Kingdom of the Netherlands has overarching responsibility for foreign relations, defence and Dutch nationality law in the Caribbean parts of the Kingdom.[32] Units of the Netherlands Armed Forces deployed in the Caribbean include:

Additionally, the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard is funded by the four countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Coast Guard is managed by the Ministry of Defence and is directed by the commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy in the Caribbean.[35]

Geography

The Caribbean Netherlands form part of the Lesser Antilles. Within this island group:

Climate

The islands of the Caribbean Netherlands enjoy a tropical climate with warm weather all year round. The Leeward Antilles are warmer and drier than the Windward islands. In summer, the Windward Islands can be subject to hurricanes.

Currency

Until 1 January 2011, the three islands used the Netherlands Antillean guilder; after that all three switched to the U.S. dollar, rather than the euro (which is used in the European Netherlands) or the Caribbean guilder (which is being adopted by the other two former Antillean islands of Curaçao and Sint Maarten).[36]

Communications

The telephone country code remains 599, that of the former Netherlands Antilles, and is shared with Curaçao. The International Organization for Standardization has assigned the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code for these islands.[37] The IANA has not established a root zone for the .bq Internet ccTLD and whether it will be used is unknown.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Benoeming regeringscommissaris en plaatsvervanger Sint Eustatius. 19 December 2021. Government of the Netherlands. 18 June 2021 . nl.
  2. Web site: Wet geldstelsel BES . Dutch government . 30 September 2010 . 11 January 2014.
  3. Web site: The Caribbean Netherlands in Numbers 2022: How has the population evolved over the past decade? . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206121607/https://longreads.cbs.nl/the-caribbean-netherlands-in-numbers-2022/how-has-the-population-evolved-over-the-past-decade/ . 2023-02-06 . cbs.nl . Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek.
  4. Web site: Waaruit bestaat het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden?. Ministerie van Algemene. Zaken. 19 May 2015. Rijksoverheid.nl.
  5. Web site: Invoeringswet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba . nl . wetten.nl . 2012-10-14 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150117173755/http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028063/tekst_bevat_taal+in+het+bestuurlijk+verkeer/geldigheidsdatum_14-10-2012 . 17 January 2015 .
  6. Web site: The Security Strategy for the Kingdom of the Netherlands . Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba are special municipalities. They are referred to as the Caribbean Netherlands. . Government of the Netherlands . 3 April 2023 . 17 November 2023.
  7. Web site: Nature Policy Plan The Caribbean Netherlands . . 3 February 2014 . 20 November 2018 . ... while the other islands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba, are Dutch overseas public bodies and as such are part of the country of the Netherlands. Collectively these three islands are known as the Caribbean Netherlands ... . 20 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181120201302/https://www.government.nl/binaries/government/documents/publications/2014/02/03/nature-policy-plan-the-caribbean-netherlands/ez-bo-bw-natuurbeleidsplan-car-nl-eng-2.pdf . dead .
  8. "Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba" is the listed English name for the territorial grouping in the International Organization for Standardization's ISO 3166-1, where the English spelling was corrected with the release of ISO 3166-1 Newsletter VI-9 .
  9. Web site: What are the different parts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands? . Government of the Netherlands . 12 September 2017 . 17 November 2023.
  10. Web site: Besluit van 23 september 2010 tot vaststelling van het tijdstip van inwerkingtreding van de artikelen I en II van de Rijkswet wijziging Statuut in verband met de opheffing van de Nederlandse Antillen . 1 October 2010 . Overheid.nl . nl . 27 June 2011 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20110715213434/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/stb-2010-387.html . 15 July 2011 .
  11. Web site: Caribbean Parts of the Kingdom . 14 December 2011 . Government.nl . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161030142815/https://www.government.nl/topics/caribbean-parts-of-the-kingdom . 30 October 2016 .
  12. Web site: Verkiezingen Caribische graadmeter – Binnenland – Telegraaf.nl. telegraaf.nl. 2 May 2018. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170416163004/http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/27808290/__Verkiezingen_graadmeter_BES__.html. 16 April 2017.
  13. Web site: 31.954, Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba. nl. Eerste kamer der Staten-Generaal. De openbare lichamen vallen rechtstreeks onder het Rijk omdat zij geen deel uitmaken van een provincie. (The public bodies (...), because they are not part of a Province).. 2010-10-15. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20101125025004/http://www.eerstekamer.nl/wetsvoorstel/31954_wet_openbare_lichamen. 25 November 2010.
  14. Web site: Wet- en regelgeving . https://web.archive.org/web/20110514174621/http://wetten.overheid.nl/zoeken_op/regeling_type_wetten%2Balleen_bes . dead . 14 May 2011 . nl .
  15. Web site: Summary and conclusions – The Caribbean Netherlands five years after the transition. Rob Bijl and Evert Pommer. kennisopenbaarbestuur.nl. 13 November 2018. 24 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200924172421/http://kennisopenbaarbestuur.nl/media/211637/5-years-Caribbean-Netherlands-Impact-on-the-population-Summary-and-Conclusions.pdf. dead.
  16. Web site: The Caribbean Netherlands in Numbers 2022: How has the population evolved over the past decade? . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206121607/https://longreads.cbs.nl/the-caribbean-netherlands-in-numbers-2022/how-has-the-population-evolved-over-the-past-decade/ . 2023-02-06 . cbs.nl . Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek.
  17. Web site: Vacatures . Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . 29 May 2013.
  18. Web site: Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . 29 May 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122354/http://www.rijksdienstcn.com/rijksdienst-caribisch-nederland?1curvers=default&0Lang=N . 2 April 2015 .
  19. Web site: FAQ . Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . 29 May 2013 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402150108/http://www.rijksdienstcn.com/en/faq?1curvers=engels&0Lang=E . 2 April 2015 .
  20. Web site: Agreement on labor conditions Civil servants Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . 30 September 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161003085711/http://www.rijksdienstcn.com/en/news/agreement-on-labor-conditions-civil-servants-rijksdienst-caribisch-nederland/akkoord-arbeidsvoorwaarden-ambtenaren-rijksdienst-caribisch-nederland?1curvers=engels&0Lang=E . 3 October 2016 .
  21. Web site: Mr. Isabella will be Kingdom Representative for the public entities Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba . Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland . 30 September 2016.
  22. Per the Annex II of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
  23. Now contained in Article 355(6) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
  24. Web site: Schurende rechtsordes: Over juridische implicaties van de UPG-status voor de eilandgebieden van de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen). nl. Eerstekamer.nl. 19 June 2008. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402122304/https://www.eerstekamer.nl/overig/20080619/schurende_rechtsordes_over/f=y.pdf. 2 April 2015.
  25. Web site: Economische gevolgen van de status van ultraperifeer gebied voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba / SEOR. nl. Eerstekamer.nl. 19 June 2008. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714202906/https://www.eerstekamer.nl/overig/20080619/economische_gevolgen_van_de_status/f=y.pdf. 14 July 2014.
  26. Web site: Tweede Kamer, vergaderjaar 2008–2009, 31700 IV, nr.3: Brief van de staatssecretaris van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties met het kabinetsstandpunt over de rapporten over de UPG status voor de eilandgebieden van de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba. nl. Eerstekamer.nl. 21 October 2008. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714225506/https://www.eerstekamer.nl/behandeling/20080930/brief_van_de_staatssecretaris_van/f=y.pdf. 14 July 2014.
  27. Web site: Kamerstuk 31954 nr.7: Regels met betrekking tot de openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba (Wet openbare lichamen Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba). nl. Overheid.nl. 14 October 2009. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20140714210511/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/dossier/31954/kst-31954-7. 14 July 2014.
  28. Web site: Vijf jaar Caribisch Nederland: De werking van wetgeving. Pro Facto – Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. nl. August 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170326052352/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/blg-599770.pdf. 26 March 2017.
  29. Web site: Vijf jaar Caribisch Nederland: Werking van de nieuwe bestuurlijke structuur. DSP-Groep. nl. 23 September 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170326052304/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/blg-599774.pdf. 26 March 2017.
  30. Web site: Vijf jaar Caribisch Nederland: Gevolgen voor de bevolking. Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau. nl. October 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170326052322/https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/blg-599777.pdf. 26 March 2017.
  31. Web site: VIJFJAAR VERBONDE BONAIRE, SINT EUSTATIUS, SABA EN EUROPEES NEDERLAND (Rapport van de commissie evaluatie uitwerking van de nieuwe staatkundige structuur Caribisch Nederland). Evaluatiecommissie Caribisch Nederland. nl. 12 October 2015. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170322204122/http://deugdelijkbestuuraruba.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Evaluatiecommissie-Vijf-jaar-verbonden-Bonaire-Sint-Eustatius-Saba-en-Europees-Nederland.pdf. 22 March 2017.
  32. Web site: Responsibilities of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curaçao and St Maarten – Caribbean Parts of the Kingdom – Government.nl . 16 October 2019 .
  33. Web site: Commander Netherlands Forces in the Caribbean – Royal Netherlands Navy – Defensie.nl . 6 April 2018 .
  34. Web site: Units and locations – Caribbean territories – Defensie.nl . 3 June 2022 .
  35. Web site: Kustwacht – Taken in Nederland – Defensie.nl . 7 November 2022 .
  36. Web site: The Dutch Caribbean . Dutch Caribbean Legal Portal . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20140620052254/http://www.dutchcaribbeanlegalportal.com/about-us/the-dutch-caribbean . 20 June 2014 .
  37. Web site: ISO 3166-1 decoding table. International Organization for Standardization. 2010-12-16. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20120604085747/http://www.iso.org/iso/support/country_codes/iso_3166_code_lists/iso-3166-1_decoding_table.htm#BQ. 4 June 2012.

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