2010 Edition

Background

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 possesions 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.

Area

land

444 sq km

total

444 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

more than two times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semi-arid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year

Coastline

364 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mt. Christoffel, 372m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

NA

Geographic coordinates

12 10 N, 69 00 W

Geography - note

Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

none

Land use

arable land

10%

other

90%

permanent crops

0%

Location

Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - located 56.35 km off the coast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone

12 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Natural resources

calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Terrain

generally low, hilly terrain

Total renewable water resources

NA

Age structure

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)

Birth rate

NA

Death rate

8 deaths/1,000 population (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Languages

Papiamento 81.2% (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect), Dutch 8% (official), Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)

Life expectancy at birth

females

80.1 years (2009)

males

72.4 years

total

NA

Net migration rate

1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008)

Population

142,180 (est. January 2010)

Population growth rate

NA

Religions

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)

Sex ratio

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)

Total fertility rate

2.1 children born/woman (2009)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 06 N, 68 55 W

name

Willemstad

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

Staatsregeling, 10 October 2010; revised Kingdom Charter pending

Country name

Dutch long form

Land Curacao

Dutch short form

Curacao

former

Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

Papiamentu long form

Pais Korsou

Papiamentu short form

Korsou

Dependency status

constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Consul General Valerie BELON

consulate(s) general

J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao

FAX

[599] (9) 4616489

mailing address

P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

telephone

[599] (9) 4613066

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive branch

cabinet

Executive Council (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Frits GOEDGEDRAG (since 10 October 2010)

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

head of government

Prime Minister Gerrit SCHOTTE (since 10 October 2010)

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Judicial branch

Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)

Legal system

based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence

Legislative branch

unicameral parliament or Staten (21 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year terms)

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

elections

last held 27 August 2010 (next to be held in 2014)

National anthem

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

name

Himmo di Korsou (Anthem of Curacao)

National holiday

Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)

Political parties and leaders

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]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Economy - overview

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.

Electricity - production

848.5 kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2009), 1.79 (2008), 1.79 (2007), 1.79 (2006)

Exports

$876 million (2008 est.) note: excludes oil

Exports - commodities

petroleum products

Exports - partners

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.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

1%

industry

15%

services

84% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$14,970 (2004 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.5% (2008) 2.2% (2007)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.08 billion (2008 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$2.838 billion (2008 est.) $2.606 billion (2007 est.) $2.452 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars

Imports

$1.34 billion (2008 est.)

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, food, manufactures

Imports - partners

Venezuela 57.3%, US 19.2%, Brazil 8.1% (2009 est.)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment facilities, light manufacturing

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1.7% (2009 est,) 6.8% (2008 est.)

Labor force

63,000 (2008 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

1.2%

industry

16.9%

services

81.8%

Unemployment rate

10.3% (2008 est.)

Airports

1

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Bullen Baai, Fuik Bay, Willemstad

Roadways

total

550 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands page last updated on January 19, 2011 ======================================================================

Military branches

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, para-military National Guard (Vrijwilligers Korps Curacao), and Police Force (2010)

Military service age and obligation

no conscription (2010)