Curacao

noun:

Curacaoan

adjective:

Curacaoan; Dutch

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.06 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

1.02 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

0.95 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.69 male(s)/female

total population:

0.99 male(s)/female (2022 est.)

improved:

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

total: 0% of population (2017)

improved:

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

total: 0% of population (2017)

• 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

urban population:

89% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

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

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.)

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

name:

Willemstad

geographic coordinates:

12 06 N, 68 55 W

time difference:

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

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

• 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

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

chief of state:

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

head of government:

Prime Minister Gilmar PISAS (since 14 June 2021)

cabinet:

Cabinet sworn-in by the governor

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;
• last election 19 March 2021 (next to be held in 2025)

description:

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

elections:

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

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

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

• 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]

chief of mission:

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

embassy:

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

mailing address:

3160 Curacao Place, Washington DC 20521-3160

telephone:

[599] (9) 461-3066

FAX:

[599] (9) 461-6489

email address and website:

[email protected]; https://cw.usconsulate.gov/

• 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

name:

"Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao)

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

total World Heritage Sites:

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

selected World Heritage Site locales:

Historic Willemstad

agriculture:

1.2%

industry:

16.9%

services:

81.8% (2008 est.)

total:

42.2%

male:

38.1%

female:

47.1% (2020 est.)

major seaport(s):

Willemstad

oil terminal(s):

Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal)

bulk cargo port(s):

Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)

• 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)

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — Curacao does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but it is making significant efforts to do so;
• the government prosecuted and convicted more traffickers than in the previous reporting period;
• however, authorities identified fewer victims, and assistance to victims was contingent upon their cooperation with law enforcement in prosecuting traffickers;
• victims who were in the country illegally, including Venezuelans, were at risk of deportation if they did not participate in trials against their traffickers;
• the government did not operate centers for trafficking victims but provided some funding to NGOs and international organizations to care for victims (2020)

trafficking profile:

• human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims in Curacao;
• undocumented migrants, including the growing population of Venezuelans, are vulnerable to sex and labor trafficking;
• Curacaoan and foreign women and girls, mostly Dominican and Venezuelan, are exploited 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

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