The former Dutch Caribbean colonies of Curacao and St. Maarten became autonomous countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on Sunday in a change of constitutional status dissolving the Netherlands Antilles.
The two joined Aruba, which in 1986 had already gained this status that maintains direct ties with Holland, while three other islands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, became autonomous special municipalities of the Netherlands in the dissolution of the 56-year-old Netherlands Antilles territory.
Under the new arrangement, the Dutch government will remain responsible for defence and foreign policy in the new countries, and have initial oversight over Curacao's finances under a debt relief deal. Both are popular tourist destinations in the Caribbean.