The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on the island 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. Curacao was seized by the Dutch from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the Dutch abolition of 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, Curacao 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 Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
land: 444 sq km
water: 0 sq km
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
arable land: 10% (2018)
other: 90% (2018 est.)
152,849 (2023 est.)
noun: Curacaoan
adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
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.)
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.)
note: data represent most spoken language in household
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.)
0-14 years: 19.3% (male 15,107/female 14,390)
15-64 years: 62.7% (male 47,299/female 48,538)
65 years and over: 18% (2023 est.) (male 11,096/female 16,419)
total dependency ratio: 47
youth dependency ratio: 25.6
elderly dependency ratio: 21.4
potential support ratio: 4.7 (2021 est.)
total: 37.5 years (2023 est.)
male: 35.3 years
female: 40 years
0.3% (2023 est.)
13.1 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)
-1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)
largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest
urban population: 89% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
total: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 8.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 6.9 deaths/1,000 live births
total population: 79.7 years (2023 est.)
male: 77.3 years
female: 82.1 years
1.97 children born/woman (2023 est.)
0.96 (2023 est.)
NA
improved: total: 100% of population
unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017)
NA
NA
improved: total: 100% of population
unimproved: total: 0% of population (2017)
NA
49.7% (2023 est.)
7.4% of GDP (2020 est.)
total: 17 years
male: 18 years
female: 18 years (2013)
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
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
agricultural land: 10% (2018 est.)
arable land: 10% (2018)
other: 90% (2018 est.)
urban population: 89% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
0% of GDP (2018 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 5.39 megatons (2016 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.)
NA
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
$3.167 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$3.038 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$3.725 billion (2019 est.)
4.23% (2021 est.)
-18.44% (2020 est.)
-3.37% (2019 est.)
$20,800 (2021 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$19,600 (2020 est.) note: data are in 2017 dollars
$23,700 (2019 est.)
$5.6 billion (2012 est.)
2.62% (2019 est.)
2.58% (2018 est.)
1.59% (2017 est.)
agriculture: 0.7% (2012 est.)
industry: 15.5% (2012 est.)
services: 83.8% (2012 est.)comparison rankings:
household consumption: 66.9% (2016 est.)
government consumption: 33.6% (2016 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 19.4% (2016 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2016 est.)
exports of goods and services: 17.5% (2016 est.)
imports of goods and services: -37.5% (2016 est.)
aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services
NA
73,010 (2013)
13% (2013 est.)
9.8% (2011 est.)
total: 42.2% (2020 est.)
male: 38.1%
female: 47.1%
-0.4% (of GDP) (2012 est.)
33.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
40.6% of GDP (2011 est.)
16.6% (of GDP) (2012 est.)
-$596.437 million (2021 est.)
-$688.805 million (2020 est.)
-$540.731 million (2019 est.)
$1.28 billion (2021 est.)
$1.014 billion (2020 est.)
$1.775 billion (2019 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Switzerland 27%, United States 17%, Spain 14%, Ecuador 7%, India 7%, Antigua and Barbuda 5% (2019)
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, petroleum coke, frozen fish, fishing ships (2021)
$1.915 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.709 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$2.331 billion (2019 est.)
United States 35%, Netherlands 24%, China 5% (2019)
refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, packaged medicines, perfumes (2019)
$0 (31 December 2017 est.)
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1.79 (2021 est.)
1.79 (2020 est.)
1.79 (2019 est.)
1.79 (2018 est.)
1.79 (2017 est.)
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
189,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
167,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
45,800 bbl/day (2015 est.)
number of registered air carriers: 2 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 11
PJ
1 (2021)
1
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
total: 550 km
total: 59 (2022)
by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 53
major seaport(s): Willemstad
oil terminal(s): Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal)
cruise port(s): Willemstad
bulk cargo port(s): Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)
manyapis