Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

 
Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
World Factbook Title
navigation arrows
View Text Low Bandwidth Version Download Publication
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
page last updated on April 29, 2011
Flag of Curacao
(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
Location of Curacao
Click flag or map to enlarge Opens in New Window
 
Map of Curacao
Click map to enlarge Opens in New Window
Photos of Curacao
 
Navigation Arrow view 1 photo Opens in New Window
of Curacao
Expand All | collapse All
Introduction ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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 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 of 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
Back to Top
Geography ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
12 10 N, 69 00 W
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 444 sq km
country comparison to the world: 198
land: 444 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
more than two times the size of Washington, DC
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
364 km
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semi-arid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
generally low, hilly terrain
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt. Christoffel, 372m
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
arable land: 10%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 90%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group
Back to Top
People ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
142,180 (est. January 2010)
country comparison to the world: 186
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
0-14 years: 21.1% (males 15,337/females 14,589)
15-64 years: 66.7% (males 42,896/females 51,998)
65 years and over: 12.2% (males 6,972/females 10,388) (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
8 deaths/1,000 population (2009)
country comparison to the world: 104
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)
country comparison to the world: 49
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.82 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.67 male(s)/female
total population: 0.85 male(s)/female (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: NA
males: 72.4 years
females: 80.1 years (2009)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
2.1 children born/woman (2009)
country comparison to the world: 118
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Roman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 5.5%, none 4.6%, Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh Day Adventist 2.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3% (2001 census)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Papiamentu (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 81.2%, Dutch (official) 8%, Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Government ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Dutch long form: Land Curacao
Dutch short form: Curacao
Papiamentu long form: Pais Korsou
Papiamentu short form: Korsou
former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
parliamentary
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
name: Willemstad
geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
18 years of age; universal
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 10 October 2010)
head of government: Prime Minister Gerrit SCHOTTE (since 10 October 2010)
cabinet: Executive Council
(For more information visit the World Leaders website Opens in New Window)
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
unicameral parliament or Staten (21 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year terms)
elections: last held 27 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAR 30%, MFK 21%, PS 19%, MAN 9%, FOL 7%, PNP 6%; seats by party - PAR 8, MFK 5, PS 4, MAN 2, FOL 1, PNP 1
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Frente Obrero Liberashon (Workers' Liberation Front) or FOL [Anthony GODETT]; Movimentu Antiyas Nobo (New Antilles Movement) or MAN [Charles COOPER]; Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gerrit SCHOTTE]; Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Emily DE JONGH-ELHAGE]; People's National Party or PNP [Ersilia DE LANNOOY]; Pueblo Soberano or PS [Herman WIELS]
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
chief of mission: Consul General Valerie BELON
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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
Back to Top
Economy ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
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. The Venezuelan state oil company 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 pension systems for an aging population.
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$2.838 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 177
$2.606 billion (2007 est.)
$2.452 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$5.08 billion (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
3.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 109
2.2% (2007)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$15,000 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 1%
industry: 15%
services: 84% (2000 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
63,000 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
agriculture: 1.2%
industry: 16.9%
services: 81.8% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
10.3% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1.7% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
6.8% (2008 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment facilities, light manufacturing
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA%
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$876 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
note: excludes oil
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
petroleum products
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
US 13.1%, Guatemala 10.8%, Singapore 10.7%, Dominican Republic 9.6%, Haiti 7.6%, The Bahamas 6.1%, Honduras 4.5%, Mexico 4.2% (2009 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
$1.34 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Venezuela 57.3%, US 19.2%, Brazil 8.1% (2009 est.)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
1.79 (2010)
1.79 (2009)
1.79 (2008)
1.79 (2007)
1.79 (2006)
Back to Top
Communications ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA
international: country code - 599
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
government-run Telecuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; several privately-owned radio stations
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
.cw
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
NA
Back to Top
Transportation ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
1
country comparison to the world: 213
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
total: 550 km
country comparison to the world: 191
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
Bullen Baai, Fuik Bay, Willemstad
Back to Top
Military ::Curacao
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
the Royal Netherlands Navy maintains a permanent and active presence in the region from its main operating base on Curacao; other local security forces include a coast guard, paramilitary National Guard (Vrijwilligers Korps Curacao), and Police Force (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
no conscription (2010)
Field info displayed for all countries in alpha order.
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Back to Top
Expand All | collapse All
  The online Factbook is updated weekly. ISSN 1553-8133
For additional information on government leaders in selected foreign countries, go to World Leaders.