Curaçao
Curaçao (/ˈkjʊərəsoʊ, -saʊ, ˌkjʊərəˈsoʊ, -ˈsaʊ/ KURE-ə-soh, KURE-ə-sow, kure-ə-SOH, or kure-ə-SOW, Dutch: [kyːraːˈsʌu] ⓘ or [kuːr-], Papiamentu: [ˈkɔrsɔu̯]), officially the Country of Curaçao (Dutch: Land Curaçao; Papiamentu: Pais Kòrsou), is a Lesser Antilles island in the southern Caribbean Sea and the Dutch Caribbean region, about 65 km (40 mi) north of the Venezuela coast. It is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Together with Aruba and Bonaire, it forms the ABC islands. Collectively, Curaçao, Aruba, and other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean. It is the largest of the ABC islands in both area and population as well as the largest of the Dutch Caribbean.
Curaçao Kòrsou (Papiamentu) | |
|---|---|
| Country of Curaçao Land Curaçao (Dutch) Pais Kòrsou (Papiamentu) | |
| Anthem: "Himno di Kòrsou" (English: "Anthem of Curaçao") | |
| Royal anthem: "Wilhelmus" (English: "William of Nassau") | |
Location of Curaçao (circled in red) | |
| Sovereign state | Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Before separation | Netherlands Antilles |
| Country status | 10 October 2010 |
| Capital and largest city | Willemstad 12°7′N 68°56′W |
| Official languages | |
| Ethnic groups (2018) | 75.4% Curaçaoans 9% Dutch 3.6% Dominican 3% Colombian 1.2% Haitian 1.2% Surinamese 1.1% Venezuelan 1.1% Aruban 0.9% unspecified 6% other |
| Religion |
|
| Demonym(s) | Curaçaoan |
| Government | Parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Willem-Alexander |
• Governor | Lucille George-Wout |
• Speaker | Charetti America-Francisca |
| Gilmar Pisas | |
| Legislature | Parliament of Curaçao |
| Area | |
• Total | 444 km2 (171 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation | 372 m (1,220 ft) |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 148,925 (177th) |
• Density | 349.13/km2 (904.2/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $5.5 billion (184th) |
• Per capita | $35,484 (45th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2021 estimate |
• Total | $3.5 billion (149th) |
• Per capita | $22,581 (40th) |
| HDI (2012) | 0.811 very high |
| Currency | Netherlands Antillean guilder (ƒ) (ANG) |
| Time zone | UTC−4:00 (AST) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +599 |
| ISO 3166 code | |
| Internet TLD | .cw |
Curaçao was formerly part of the Curaçao and Dependencies colony from 1815 to 1954 and later the Netherlands Antilles from 1954 to 2010, as Island Territory of Curaçao (Dutch: Eilandgebied Curaçao, Papiamentu: Teritorio Insular di Kòrsou), and is now formally called the Country of Curaçao. It includes the main island of Curaçao and the much smaller, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao"). Curaçao has a population of 158,665 (January 2019 est.), with an area of 444 km2 (171 sq mi); its capital is Willemstad.