Dutch Antilles (Concert of Europe)

The Dutch Antilles (Dutch: Nederlandse Antillen, Papiamento: Antia Hulandes) are a colonial federation of the, located in the. They consists of six islands, located in two different archipelagos: the Leeward Islands and the Leeward Antilles, both of which are part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The federation was created in 1933, to streamline and simplify the administration of the islands. The Dutch Antilles are the only possession of the Netherlands in the Caribbean.

The islands were settled and annexed by the Netherlands during the late 17th century, and they were involved in the cultural metissage and exchange typical of the Caribbean: for this reason, a unique language developed in the language, Papiamento, a creole based on Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch, which today has official status in the islands. As typical of the region, the Dutch Antilles enjoy a tropical climate.

The economy of the islands depends on tourism, agriculture, fishing, and oil refinement. The population of the Dutch Antilles, reflecting their history, is highly varied: the most important ethnic groups are descendants of Dutch settlers and mixed race people. The federation is composed of six islands, officially referred to as "Island Territories" (Dutch: Eilandgebieden, Papiamento: Territorios Insulares):