Demographics of the Netherlands Antilles


Demographic features of the population of the former Netherlands Antilles include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects.

Population of the Islands

According to the official estimates of the Central Bureau of Statistics of the Netherlands Antilles, the five islands had a combined population of 211,871 as at 1 January 2013. The population of the individual islands was as follows:
For comparison: Aruba - 103,400

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.
The capital and largest city was Willemstad.
Age structure:
  • 0–14 years: 23,9%
  • 15–64 years: 67.3%
  • 65 years and over: 8.7%
Population growth rate: 0,79%
Birth rate: 14,78 births/1,000 population
Death rate: 6,45 deaths/1,000 population
Net migration rate: -0.4 migrant/1,000 population
Human sex ratio:
  • at birth: 1,05 male/female
  • under 15 years: 1,05 male/female
  • 15–64 years: 0,92 male/female
  • 65 years and over: 0,7 male/female
  • total population: 0,93 male/female
Infant mortality rate: 9,76 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
  • total population: 76,03 years
  • male: 73,76 years
  • female: 78,41 years
Total fertility rate: 1.98 children born/woman
Nationality:by law: Dutch
Ethnic groups: mixed black 85%, Carib Amerindian, white, East Asian 15%
Religions: Roman Catholic 72%, Pentecostal 4,9%, Protestant 3.5%, Seventh-day Adventist 3,1%, Methodist 2,9%, other Christian 4,2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1,7%, Jewish 1,3%
Languages: Dutch, English and Papiamento are official languages. Papiamento predominates on Curaçao and Bonaire, while English is widely spoken. English is the most commonly spoken language on Sint Maarten, Saba, and Sint Eustatius.
Literacy:
  • definition: age 15 and over can read and write
  • total population: 96,7%
  • male: 96,7%
  • female: 96,8%