Curacao

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The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on Curaçao 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. The Dutch seized Curaçao from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao was hard hit economically when the Dutch abolished 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, Curaçao 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 Curaçao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.

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

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12 10 N, 69 00 W

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Central America and the Caribbean

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more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.

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364 km

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

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generally low, hilly terrain

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calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs

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NA

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

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

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

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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.)

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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.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represent most spoken language in household

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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.)

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0.25% (2025 est.)

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12.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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

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144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)

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1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.95 (2025 est.)

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7.4% of GDP (2020 est.)

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waste management, including pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; damage from neglect and a lack of controls at major refinery

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

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parliamentary democracy

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one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs

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<strong>note: </strong>the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten

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based on Dutch civil law

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see the Netherlands

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18 years of age; universal

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Korsou di Nos Tur or KdnT<br>Korsou Esun Miho or KEM<br>Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK<br>Movementu Progresivo or MP<br>Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN<br>Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR<br>Partido Inovashon Nashonal or PIN<br>Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP<br>Pueblo Soberano or PS<br>Trabou pa Kòrsou or TPK<br>Un Korsou Hustu

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none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

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

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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

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King's Day (birthday of King WILLEM-ALEXANDER), 27 April (1967)

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<strong>note:</strong> King's or Queen's Day are observed on the ruling monarch's birthday; celebrated on 26 April if 27 April is a Sunday

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<strong>description:</strong> on a blue field, a horizontal yellow band divides the flag below the center; two five-pointed white stars -- the smaller above and to the left of the larger -- appear in the upper left<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the blue stands for the sky and sea, and yellow for the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited sister island of Klein Curacao (Little Curacao); the star points represent the five continents from which Curacao's inhabitants originate

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laraha (citrus tree)

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blue, yellow, white

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high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$3.281 billion (2023 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

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

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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Armenia 57%, USA 15%, Guyana 5%, Dominican Republic 4%, Netherlands 2% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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diamonds, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, petroleum coke (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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USA 39%, Netherlands 24%, China 6%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 3% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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

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.cw

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PJ

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1 (2025)

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Curaçao Militia (CURMIL); Curaçao Volunteer Corps; Curacao Police Force (Korps Politie Curacao) (2025)

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defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; local security forces are supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)); there are two Dutch naval bases on Cura&ccedil;ao, and the Dutch Army maintains a small unit on a rotational basis (2025)