Curacao

noun:

Curacaoan

adjective:

Curacaoan; Dutch

total:

37.8 years (2024 est.)

male:

35.5 years

female:

40.2 years

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.05 male(s)/female

15-64 years:

0.98 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.67 male(s)/female

total population:

0.93 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

total:

7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male:

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

6.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

79.9 years (2024 est.)

male:

77.6 years

female:

82.3 years

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;
• election last held on 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 27.8%, PAR 13.9%, PNP 12.5%, MAN 6.4%, KEM 5.4%, TPK 5.2%;
• seats by party - MFK 9, PAR 4, PNP 4, MAN 2, KEM 1, TPK 1;
• composition - men 15, women 6, percent of women 28.6%

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

chief of mission:

Consul General Margy BOND (since 20 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

• 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

agriculture:

0.3% (2022 est.)

industry:

11.2% (2022 est.)

services:

73.4% (2022 est.)

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

total:

42.2% (2020 est.)

male:

38.1%

female:

47.1%

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)

domestic:

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

international:

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

total ports:

4 (2024)

large:

0

medium:

2

small:

1

very small:

1

ports with oil terminals:

3

key ports:

Bullenbaai, Caracasbaai, Sint Michelsbaai, Willemstad

• no regular military forces;
• Curacao Militia (CURMIL);
• Police Department for local law enforcement, 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)) (2024)

• 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 (2024)

tier rating:

• Tier 2 Watch List — Curaçao does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Curaçao was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List;
• for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/curacao/

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