Curaçao

Curaçao is an island country in the Caribbean Sea. It is one of the ABC islands and is just a short distance north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula, and it forms a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Willemstad is the capital of Curaçao.

Curaçao
Kòrsou
Country of Curaçao
Land Curaçao  (Dutch)
Pais Kòrsou  (Papiamento)
Official seal of Curaçao
Coat of arms
Anthem: "Himno di Kòrsou"
(English: "Anthem of Curaçao")
Location of Curaçao
Location of Curaçao (circled in red)
StateKingdom of the Netherlands
Before separationNetherlands Antilles
Country status10 October 2010
Capital
and largest city
Willemstad
12°7′N 68°56′W
Official languages
Common languages
Ethnic groups
(2018)
75.4% Curaçao
9% Dutch
3.6% Dominican
3% Colombian
1.2% Haitian
1.2% Surinamese
1.1% Venezuelan
1.1% Aruban
0.9% unspecified
6% other[1]
Demonym(s)Dutch
GovernmentParliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy
 Monarch
Willem-Alexander
 Governor
Lucille George-Wout
 Prime Minister
Eugene Rhuggenaath
LegislatureEstates of Curaçao
Area
 Total
444[2] km2 (171 sq mi)
Highest elevation
375 m (1,230 ft)
Population
 1 January 2019 estimate
163,424[2] (190th)
 Density
358/km2 (927.2/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)2012[3] estimate
 Total
US$4.2 billion (184th)
 Per capita
$25,771 (46th)
GDP (nominal)2019[4] estimate
 Total
US$3.2 billion (149th)
 Per capita
$19,414 (27th)
HDI (2012)0.811[5]
very high
CurrencyNetherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Time zoneUTC-4:00 (AST)
Mains electricity127 V–50 Hz
Driving sideright
Calling code+5999
ISO 3166 code
  • CW
  • NL-CW
Internet TLD.cw

People

Handelskade in Willemstad, Curaçao

The largest ethnic group belongs to the Afro-Caribbean group with about 85% of the entire population (also includes mulattos). The remaining 15% are people of mainly European (mainly Dutch) descent, but there are also Indonesians, Colombians, Venezuelans, and others.

Languages

Papiamentu, Dutch, and English are the three official languages of Curaçao. Papiamentu is by far the most spoken language while sizable minorities speak the other two official languages.

Climate

Curaçao has a tropical climate. The temperatures are usually constant. The trade winds bring cool breeze during the day and the same trade winds bring warmth during the night. The coolest month is January with an average of 26°C in temperature and the warmest month is September with an average temperature of 28.9 °C (84 °F). The year's average maximum temperature is 31°C. The year's average minimum temperature is about 25°C.

The island broke off from the Netherlands Antilles in 2010. It has a very long history set all the way back to the 1800s.

References

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