Netherlands Antilles

American  

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. a Netherlands overseas territory in the Caribbean Sea, N and NE of Venezuela; includes the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, and St. Eustatius, and the S part of St. Martin: considered an integral part of the Dutch realm. 366 sq. mi. (948 sq. km). Willemstad.

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Netherlands Antilles British  

plural noun

1. Former names: Curaçao.   the Dutch West Indies.   the Netherlands West Indies.  two groups of islands in the Caribbean, in the Lesser Antilles: overseas division of the Netherlands, consisting of the S group of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, and the N group of Saint Eustatius, Saba, and the S part of Saint Martin; economy based on refining oil from Venezuela. Capital: Willemstad (on Curaçao). Pop: 222 000 (2004 est). Area: 996 sq km (390 sq miles)

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Netherlands Antilles Cultural  

1. Group of islands, administered by The Netherlands, in the Caribbean Sea, off the northern coast of Venezuela.

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Discover More

The principal islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, combining Caribbean beaches and Dutch charm, are popular resorts.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Netherlands Antillean
  adjective

Example Sentences

But in 2010, the Dutch dissolved the six-island territory known as the Netherlands Antilles, making Curacao a constituent nation within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 9, 2025

Doom threw a perfect game at the Netherlands Antilles in the opener of the competition and matches that performance against Nicaragua, winning 8-0.

From Washington Times • Jul. 30, 2020

Three hail from Curacao and found themselves in a bind following the 2010 breakup of the Netherlands Antilles.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 11, 2012

The IOC withdrew recognition from the NOC of the Netherlands Antilles and approved a number of accompanying measures aimed at preserving the interests of the athletes.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2012

The island of   Saint Martin is shared with France; its northern portion is named   Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is   named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.

From The 2003 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency