History of the Netherlands Antilles

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The Netherlands Antilles were colonized by the Netherlands in the 17th century. They were once the center of the Caribbean slave trade.

The island of Curaçao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of Sint Maarten is shared with France (whose northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is a part of Guadeloupe, though there have been movements to become a separate overseas territory). The Netherlands Antilles remain part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Netherlands Antilles currently contains: Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatia and Saba. But this will be the last year that the Netherlands Antilles will exist, St. Maarten and Curacao will be separated and follow the path of Aruba. Bonaire, Saba and Statia will become a 'Gemeente' of a Dutch province, thus directly under their control.

Aruba speaks Papiamento, Curacao & Bonaire speaks Papiamentu and English is predominant in the SSS islands...though Dutch is the official language of all of them.

Dutch empire
Former colonies
Africa: Arguin Island - Cape Colony - Lydsaamheid fort & factory in Delagoa Bay - Dutch Gold Coast - Gorée - Mauritius
The Americas: Berbice - New Holland (in Brazil) (part), Dutch Brazil - Dutch Guiana - Demerara - Essequibo annex Pomeroon New Netherland (New Amsterdam, New Sweden) - Tobago - Virgin Islands (part)
Asia & Oceania: Ceylon - Dutch India (Dutch Bengal - Coromandel Coast - Malabar Coast) - Deshima island, Japan - Dutch East Indies - Malacca - Netherlands New Guinea - Taiwan
Artic: Smeerenburg on Amsterdam island
See also: Dutch East India Company - Dutch West India Company
Present colonies
Kingdom of the Netherlands: Netherlands Antilles - Aruba