statistical yearbook of the netherlands antilles 2009 - Cbs

Area and Climate
Introduction
Statistical Yearbook 2009
A. Area and Climate
This chapter starts with information about the area and the population
density of each island of the Netherlands Antilles.
The islands of the Netherlands Antilles enjoy a mild tropical climate, fairly
constant throughout the year. However, the climate of the semi-arid
Leeward Islands - Bonaire and Curaçao - shows significant differences
compared with the lush, greenery Windward Islands - Saba, St. Eustatius
and St. Maarten - that are located within the Atlantic hurricane belt.
Therefore, tables 2-5 include data observed at Hato Airport, Curaçao,
which may be considered representative for the Leeward Islands, as well as
similar data observed at the Princess Juliana Airport, St. Maarten, which
may be considered representative for the Windward Islands.
The observation series (temperature, rainfall, cloud coverage and sunshine,
wind, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity) for the Leeward Islands
date back to 1894 (regular rainfall observations started earlier in 1830).
Similar observation series for the Windward Islands are available since 1907
(regular rainfall observations since 1879).
An organized meteorological service for the Netherlands West-Indies - at
that time including Surinam - was founded in 1894, and in 1950 continued
by the present Meteorological Service of the Netherlands Antilles and
Aruba, a Central Government Agency under the authority of the Minister of
Communications and Transport.
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