ARCHIVE // CW // 2013

Curacao

2013 Edition — territory

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Communications
Broadcast media [time series]
government-run Telecuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; several privately-owned radio stations
Internet country code [time series]
.cw
Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]
NA
Internet users [time series]
NA
Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]
international: country code - 599
Economy
Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]
aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]
-0.9% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 62
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP grew slightly during the past decade, the island enjoys a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Curacao has an excellent natural harbor that can accommodate large oil tankers. Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA leases the single refinery on the island from the government; most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela; most of the refined products are exported to the US. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. The government is attempting to diversify its industry and trade and has signed an Association Agreement with the EU to expand business there. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and education systems. Pension system reforms are pending. A new basic health package was implemented in 2013.
Exchange rates [time series]
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2011) 1.79 (2011 est.) 1.79 (2010 est.) 1.79 (2009) 1.79 (2008) note: the Netherland Antillean guilder was replaced by the newly created Caribbean guilder in 2013
Exports [time series]
$1.5 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 145 $1.4 billion (2010 est.)
Exports - commodities [time series]
petroleum products
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$5.08 billion (2008 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$2.838 billion (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 183 $2.606 billion (2007 est.) $2.452 billion (2006 est.) note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]
agriculture: 0.7% industry: 15.5% services: 83.8% (2012 est.)
Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]
$15,000 (2004 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
0% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 181 3.5% (2008) 2.2% (2007)
Imports [time series]
$2.5 billion (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 155 $2.648 billion (2009 est.)
Imports - commodities [time series]
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment facilities, light manufacturing
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
2.3% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 55 1.3% (2010 est.)
Labor force [time series]
62,040 (2011) country comparison to the world: 186
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 1.2% industry: 16.9% services: 81.8% (2008 est.)
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
10.8% of GDP (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 207
Unemployment rate [time series]
9.8% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 104 10.3% (2008 est.)
Energy
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2011 es) country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - consumption [time series]
968 million kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 151
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 174
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 167
Electricity - production [time series]
1.167 billion kWh (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 143
Natural gas - consumption [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 126
Natural gas - exports [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 170
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 111
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2011 es) country comparison to the world: 121
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
72,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 90
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
211,100 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 30
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
291,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 23
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
531.1 bbl/day (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 112
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 444 sq km country comparison to the world: 200 land: 444 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative [time series]
more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Climate [time series]
tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year
Coastline [time series]
364 km
Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mt. Christoffel, 372m
Environment - current issues [time series]
NA
Geographic coordinates [time series]
12 10 N, 69 00 W
Geography - note [time series]
Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group
Irrigated land [time series]
NA
Land boundaries [time series]
0 km
Land use [time series]
arable land: 10% permanent crops: 0% other: 90% (2011)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
Map references [time series]
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims [time series]
territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Natural hazards [time series]
Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Natural resources [time series]
calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Terrain [time series]
generally low, hilly terrain
Total renewable water resources [time series]
NA
Government
Administrative divisions [time series]
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Capital [time series]
name: Willemstad geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution [time series]
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 constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (2013)
Country name [time series]
Dutch long form: Land Curacao Dutch short form: Curacao Papiamentu long form: Pais Korsou Papiamentu short form: Korsou former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies
Dependency status [time series]
constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]
chief of mission: Consul General James R. Moore (since June 2013); note - also accredited to Aruba and Sint Martin consulate(s) general: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Willemstad, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 4613066 FAX: [599] (9) 4616489
Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Executive branch [time series]
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 Ivar ASJES (since 7 June 2013) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party is usually elected prime minister by the parliament; next election is scheduled for 2016
Flag (Flag description) [time series]
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
Government type [time series]
parliamentary
Independence [time series]
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Judicial branch [time series]
highest court(s):
Legal system [time series]
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Legislative branch [time series]
unicameral Estates of Curacao (21 seats; members elected by popular vote for four year terms) elections: last held 19 October 2012 (next to be held in 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - PS 22.6%, MFK 21.2%, PAR 19.7%, PAIS 17.7%, MAN 9.5%, PNP 5.9%, other 3.4%; seats by party - PS 5, MFK 5, PAR 4, PAIS 4, MAN 2, PNP 1
National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]
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
National holiday [time series]
Queen's Day (Birthday of Queen-Mother JULIANA and accession to the throne of her oldest daughter BEATRIX), 30 April (1909 and 1980)
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Frente Obrero Liberashon (Workers' Liberation Front) or FOL [Anthony GODETT] Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gerrit SCHOTTE] Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN [Eunice EISDEN] Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Emily DE JONGH-ELHAGE] Partido pa Adelanto I Inovashon Soshal or PAIS [Alex ROSARIA] Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP [Humphrey DAVELAAR] Pueblo Soberano or PS [Helmin WIELS]
Suffrage [time series]
18 years of age; universal
Introduction
Background [time series]
Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the 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 oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions 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.
Military
Military - note [time series]
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]
no regular military forces; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy (2012)
Military service age and obligation [time series]
no conscription (2010)
People and Society
Age structure [time series]
0-14 years: 20.6% (male 15,342/female 14,645) 15-24 years: 15.4% (male 11,599/female 10,790) 25-54 years: 38.5% (male 26,869/female 29,348) 55-64 years: 12.6% (male 8,059/female 10,259) 65 years and over: 13% (male 7,833/female 11,090) (2013 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
NA
Death rate [time series]
8 deaths/1,000 population (2009) country comparison to the world: 100
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 50.1 % youth dependency ratio: 29 % elderly dependency ratio: 21 % potential support ratio: 4.8 (2013)
Ethnic groups [time series]
Afro-Caribbean majority; Dutch, French, Latin American, East Asian, South Asian, Jewish minorities
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]
NA
Languages [time series]
Papiamentu (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 81.2%, Dutch (official) 8%, Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total: NA males: 72.4 years females: 80.1 years (2009)
Median age [time series]
total: 36.2 years male: 32.7 years female: 39.9 years (2013 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Curacaoan adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
Net migration rate [time series]
1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008) country comparison to the world: 52
Population [time series]
146,836 (July 2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 189
Population growth rate [time series]
NA
Religions [time series]
Roman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 11.2% (Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.2%, other Protestant 5.5%), none 4.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3% (2001 census)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.15 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female 25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 55-64 years: 0.79 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2013 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.09 children born/woman (2013 est.) country comparison to the world: 115
Transportation
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Willemstad oil/gas terminal(s): Bullen Baai (Curacao Terminal) bulk cargo port(s): Fuik Bay (phosphate rock)
Roadways [time series]
total: 550 km country comparison to the world: 192