2023 Edition

Background

The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on the island from South America in about A.D. 1000, were largely enslaved by the Spanish early in the 16th century and forcibly relocated to other colonies where labor was needed. Curacao was seized by the Dutch from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the Dutch 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 oilfields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean colonies 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.

Area

land

444 sq km

total

444 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

more than twice the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year

Coastline

364 km

Elevation

highest point

Mt. Christoffel 372 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Geographic coordinates

12 10 N, 69 00 W

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

NA

Land use

agricultural land

10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10% (2018)

other

90% (2018 est.)

Location

Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

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

Natural resources

calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs

Population distribution

largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest

Terrain

generally low, hilly terrain

Age structure

0-14 years

19.3% (male 15,107/female 14,390)

15-64 years

62.7% (male 47,299/female 48,538)

65 years and over

18% (2023 est.) (male 11,096/female 16,419)

Birth rate

13.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

NA

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

49.7% (2023 est.)

Death rate

8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

21.4

potential support ratio

4.7 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

47

youth dependency ratio

25.6

Drinking water source

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017)

Education expenditures

7.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

Ethnic groups

Curacaoan 75.4%, Dutch 6%, Dominican 3.6%, Colombian 3%, Bonairean, Sint Eustatian, Saban 1.5%, Haitian 1.2%, Surinamese 1.2%, Venezuelan 1.1%, Aruban 1.1%, other 5%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.96 (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

6.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

8.5 deaths/1,000 live births

total

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)

note

note: data represent most spoken language in household

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.1 years

male

77.3 years

total population

79.7 years (2023 est.)

Major urban areas - population

144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

40 years

male

35.3 years

total

37.5 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Curacaoan; Dutch

noun

Curacaoan

Net migration rate

-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Physicians density

NA

Population

152,849 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest

Population growth rate

0.3% (2023 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 72.8%, Pentecostal 6.6%, Protestant 3.2%, Adventist 3%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, Evangelical 1.9%, other 3.8%, none 6%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: total

total: 100% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

18 years (2013)

male

18 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.83 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.97 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

89% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.1%

male

38.1%

total

42.2% (2020 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note

note: Curacao is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten

Capital

etymology

named after Prince WILLIAM II of Orange (1626-1650), who served as stadtholder (Dutch head of state) from 1647 to 1650, shortly after the the Dutch captured Curacao from the Spanish in 1634

geographic coordinates

12 06 N, 68 55 W

name

Willemstad

time difference

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

Citizenship

see the Netherlands

Constitution

history

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 semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Country name

conventional long form

Country of Curacao

conventional short form

Curacao

etymology

the most plausible name derivation is that the island was designated Isla de la Curacion (Spanish meaning "Island of the Cure" or "Island of Healing") or Ilha da Curacao (Portuguese meaning the same) to reflect the locale's function as a recovery stop for sick crewmen

former

Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies

local long form

Land Curacao (Dutch)/ Pais Korsou (Papiamento)

local short form

Curacao (Dutch)/ Korsou (Papiamento)

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 Margy BOND (since 20 January 2022); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Maarten

email address and website

ACSCuracao@state.govhttps://cw.usconsulate.gov/

embassy

P.O. Box 158, J.B. Gorsiraweg 1

FAX

[599] (9) 461-6489

mailing address

3160 Curacao Place, Washington DC  20521-3160

telephone

[599] (9) 461-3066

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet sworn-in by the governor

chief of state

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor Lucille A. GEORGE-WOUT (since 4 November 2013)

elections/appointments

the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually elected prime minister by the Parliament of Curacao; election last held on 19 March 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

head of government

Prime Minister Gilmar PISAS (since 14 June 2021)

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 democracy

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International organization participation

Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, ITU, UNESCO (associate), UPU

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court, in The Hague, Netherlands

judge selection and term of office

Joint Court judges appointed by the monarch for life

subordinate courts

first instance courts, appeals court; specialized courts

Legal system

based on Dutch civil law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament of Curacao (21 seats; members directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - MFK 28.1%, PAR 14.1%, PNP 12.6%, MAN 6.5%, KEM 5.4%, TPK 5.3%; seats by party - MFK 9, PAR 4, PNP 4, MAN 2, KEM 1, TPK 1; composition - NA

elections

last held on 19 March 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA

name

"Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao)

note

note: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to make them less colonial in nature

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Historic Willemstad

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the Netherlands entry

National holiday

King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967); note - King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday

National symbol(s)

laraha (citrus tree); national colors: blue, yellow, white

Political parties and leaders

Korsou di Nos Tur or KdnT [Amparo dos SANTOS]Korsou Esun Miho or KEM [Michelangelo MARTINES]Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gilmar PISAS]Movementu Progresivo or MP [Marylin MOSES]Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN [Hensley KOEIMAN]Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Eugene RHUGGENAATH]Partido Inovashon Nashonal or PIN [Suzanne CAMELIA-ROMER]Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP [Ruthmilda LARMONIE-CECILIA]Pueblo Soberano or PS [Ben WHITEMAN] Trabou pa Kòrsou or TPK [Rennox CALMES] Un Korsou Hustu [Omayra LEEFLANG]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.4% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

-$540.731 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$688.805 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$596.437 million (2021 est.)

Economic overview

high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China; unique COVID-19 stimulus support applied to government debts rather than household support

Exchange rates

Currency

Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1.79 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1.79 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1.79 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.79 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.79 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$1.775 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.014 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$1.28 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, crude petroleum, petroleum coke, frozen fish, fishing ships (2021)

Exports - partners

Switzerland 27%, United States 17%, Spain 14%, Ecuador 7%, India 7%, Antigua and Barbuda 5% (2019)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

17.5% (2016 est.)

government consumption

33.6% (2016 est.)

household consumption

66.9% (2016 est.)

imports of goods and services

-37.5% (2016 est.)

investment in fixed capital

19.4% (2016 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2016 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.7% (2012 est.)

industry

15.5% (2012 est.)

services

83.8% (2012 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.6 billion (2012 est.)

Imports

Imports 2019

$2.331 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$1.709 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$1.915 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, perfumes (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 35%, Netherlands 24%, China 5% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

1.59% (2017 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018

2.58% (2018 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

2.62% (2019 est.)

Labor force

73,010 (2013)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

1.2%

industry

16.9%

services

81.8% (2008 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2011

40.6% of GDP (2011 est.)

Public debt 2012

33.2% of GDP (2012 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$3.725 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$3.038 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$3.167 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

-3.37% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-18.44% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.23% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2019

$23,700 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$19,600 (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$20,800 (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$0 (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

16.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2011

9.8% (2011 est.)

Unemployment rate 2013

13% (2013 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.1%

male

38.1%

total

42.2% (2020 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Refined petroleum products - exports

167,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

45,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

189,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

34 (2020 est.)

total

55,000 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019)

Internet country code

.cw

Internet users

percent of population

68.1% (2021 est.)

total

111,956 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

roughly 28 per 100 users for fixed-line and 88 per 100 users for cellular-mobile (2021)

general assessment

fully automatic modern telecommunications system; telecom sector across the Caribbean region continues to be one of the growth areas; given the lack of economic diversity in the region, with a high dependence on tourism and activities such as fisheries and offshore financial services the telecom sector contributes greatly to the GDP (2020)

international

country code - +599, PCCS submarine cable system to US, Caribbean and Central and South America (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

28 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

53,000 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

88 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

170,000 (2021 est.)

Airports

1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

PJ

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 53

total

59 (2022)

National air transport system

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

11

number of registered air carriers

2 (2020)

Ports and terminals

bulk cargo port(s)

Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)

cruise port(s)

Willemstad

major seaport(s)

Willemstad

oil terminal(s)

Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal)

Roadways

total

550 km

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security (2022)

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Curaçao Militia (CURMIL) (2023)

Illicit drugs

northbound transshipment points for cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela; cocaine is transported to the United States, other Caribbean islands, Africa, and Europe

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin)

14,000 (Venezuela) (2022)

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 3 — Curacao does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore Curacao was downgraded to Tier 3; the government took some steps to address trafficking, including providing pre-trial support to three victims participating in legal proceedings against traffickers, awarding restitution to two victims, and extending the national action plan that expired in December 2021; however, authorities did not convict any traffickers or identify any victims, and continued to condition assistance to foreign victims on their cooperation with law enforcement in cases against traffickers; officials conflated trafficking with migrant smuggling, and the lack of funding remained a primary obstacle to anti-trafficking efforts; limited judiciary familiarity with trafficking contributed to frequent acquittals in trafficking cases (2022)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Curacao; undocumented migrants, especially the substantial population of Venezuelans, are vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking; traffickers exploit women and girls, particularly from Curacao, Dominican Republic, and Venezuela, in sex trafficking; migrants from other Caribbean countries, South America, China, and India are subject to forced labor in construction, domestic servitude, landscaping, minimarkets, retail, and restaurants (2022)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

5.39 megatons (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year

Environment - current issues

problems in waste management that threaten environmental sustainability on the island include pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents and agricultural runoff, the mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; the refinery in Sint Anna Bay, at the eastern edge of Willemstad’s large natural harbor, processes heavy crude oil from Venezuela; it has caused significant environmental damage to the surrounding area because of neglect and a lack of strict environmental controls; the release of noxious fumes and potentially hazardous particles causes schools downwind to regularly close

Land use

agricultural land

10% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 10% (2018)

other

90% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

NA

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

89% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

24,704 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

494 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

2% (2013 est.)