Page last updated on January 7, 2014
Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
Central America and the Caribbean
total: 444 sq km
country comparison to the world: 200
land: 444 sq km
water: 0 sq km
more than twice the size of Washington, DC
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year
generally low, hilly terrain
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt. Christoffel, 372m
calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90% (2011)
Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group
noun: Curacaoan
adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
Afro-Caribbean majority; Dutch, French, Latin American, East Asian, South Asian, Jewish minorities
Papiamentu (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 81.2%, Dutch (official) 8%, Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)
Roman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 11.2% (Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.2%, other Protestant 5.5%), none 4.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3% (2001 census)
146,836 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 189
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 15,342/female 14,645)
15-24 years: 15.4% (male 11,599/female 10,790)
25-54 years: 38.5% (male 26,869/female 29,348)
55-64 years: 12.6% (male 8,059/female 10,259)
65 years and over: 13% (male 7,833/female 11,090) (2013 est.)
total dependency ratio: 50.1 %
youth dependency ratio: 29 %
elderly dependency ratio: 21 %
potential support ratio: 4.8 (2013)
total: 36.2 years
male: 32.7 years
female: 39.9 years (2013 est.)
8 deaths/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 100
1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 52
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female
total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
total: NA
males: 72.4 years
females: 80.1 years (2009)
2.09 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
Dutch long form: Land Curacao
Dutch short form: Curacao
Papiamentu long form: Pais Korsou
Papiamentu short form: Korsou
former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies
constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
name: Willemstad
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
previous 1947, 1955; latest adopted 5 September 2010, entered into force 10 October 2010 (regulates governance of Curacao but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - in October 2010, with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles, Curacao became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2013)
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Lucille A. GEORGE-WOUT (since 4 November 2013)
head of government: Prime Minister Ivar ASJES (since 7 June 2013)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the parliament; next election is scheduled for 2016
unicameral Estates of Curacao (21 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year terms)
elections: last held 19 October 2012 (next to be held in 2016)
election results: percent of vote by party - PS 22.6%, MFK 21.2%, PAR 19.7%, PAIS 17.7%, MAN 9.5%, PNP 5.9%, other 3.4%; seats by party - PS 5, MFK 5, PAR 4, PAIS 4, MAN 2, PNP 1
Frente Obrero Liberashon (Workers' Liberation Front) or FOL [Anthony GODETT]
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
chief of mission: Consul General James R. Moore (since June 2013); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Martin
consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 4613066
FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
on a blue field a horizontal yellow band somewhat below the center divides the flag into proportions of 5:1:2; two five-pointed white stars - the smaller above and to the left of the larger - appear in the canton; the blue of the upper and lower sections symbolizes the sky and sea respectively; yellow represents the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited smaller sister island of Klein Curacao; the five star points signify the five continents from which Curacao's people derive
name: Himmo di Korsou (Anthem of Curacao)
lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA
note: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to make them less colonial in nature
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP grew slightly during the past decade, the island enjoys a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Curacao has an excellent natural harbor that can accommodate large oil tankers. Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA leases the single refinery on the island from the government; most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela; most of the refined products are exported to the US. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. The government is attempting to diversify its industry and trade and has signed an Association Agreement with the EU to expand business there. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and education systems. Pension system reforms are pending. A new basic health package was implemented in 2013.
$2.838 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 183
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
$5.08 billion (2008 est.)
0% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 181
$15,000 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 15.5%
services: 83.8% (2012 est.)
aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment facilities, light manufacturing
62,040 (2011)
country comparison to the world: 186
agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 16.9%
services: 81.8% (2008 est.)
9.8% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
10.8% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 207
-0.9% of GDP (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
2.3% (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 55
$1.5 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
$2.5 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
note: the Netherland Antillean guilder was replaced by the newly created Caribbean guilder in 2013
1.167 billion kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 143
968 million kWh (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
0 kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 174
0 kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167
0 bbl (1 January 2011 es)
country comparison to the world: 113
531.1 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
72,000 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 90
211,100 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30
291,700 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 111
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
0 cu m (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
0 cu m (1 January 2011 es)
country comparison to the world: 121
international: country code - 599
government-run Telecuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; several privately-owned radio stations
total: 550 km
country comparison to the world: 192
major seaport(s): Willemstad
oil/gas terminal(s): Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal)
bulk cargo port(s): Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)
no regular military forces; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy (2012)
