Gross domestic product of the Caribbean Netherlands

What does the survey comprise?

Purpose

To measure the gross domestic product (GDP) of Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba on an annual basis.

Domain description

The GDP of the Caribbean Netherlands is compiled in accordance with the international guidelines of the System of National Accounts (SNA 2008). GDP is a measure for the goods and services which have become available in a country through production. Broadly speaking, GDP corresponds to the difference between the value of this production and the value of goods and services consumed in the production process.

First year of survey

Measurement of GDP in the Caribbean Netherlands was started in 2013 over reporting year 2012.

Frequency

Yearly.

Publication strategy

The first and generally definitive results will become available within 24 months after the end of the reporting year.

How is the survey conducted?

Main sources

In composing GDP, a number of sources in a wide range of areas are used, including production, final expenditure, income and prices. Examples are the National Accounts survey for the Caribbean Netherlands, public administration records, foreign trade statistics, budget surveys, employee jobs statistics and consumer prices.

Global structure integration framework

The system of national accounts is an integration framework in which the sources used are confronted with each other. Integration takes place by confronting the supply of goods and services with the demand for these goods and services. This involves the use of three different approaches to GDP: production, income generation and final expenditure.

Quality of the results

Sequential comparability

Yes. In the national accounts, correct measurement of developments (growth rates, price changes) is more important than the actual level of a variable.

Revision

GDP Caribbean Netherlands is subject to review once every five years.

Quality strategy

The national accounts form a coherent, consistent and integrated package, in which all variables are interlinked. This contributes significantly to quality and application possibilities. Quality is enhanced because comparison of definitions on which the system is based allow data from different statistics to be interrelated and confronted with each other. If results from these statistics do not match, the most plausible estimations may be produced through integration.