ARCHIVE // CW // 2015

Curacao

2015 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 [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]
-0.4% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 51
Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]
Tourism, petroleum refining and bunkering, offshore finance, and transportation and communications are the mainstays of this small island economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP grew only slightly during the past decade, Curacao 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, and the Port of Willemstad hosts a free trade zone and a dry dock. Venezuelan state oil company PdVSA, under a contract in effect until 2019, leases the single refinery on the island from the government, directly employing some 1,000 people; most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela; most of the refined products are exported to the US and Asia. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands and Venezuela 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. Most of Curacao’s GDP results from services. Curacao has limited natural resources, poor soil, and inadequate water supplies, and budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and education systems. In 2013, the government implemented changes to the sales tax and reformed the public pension and health care systems, including increasing the sales tax from 5% to as high as 9% on some products, raising the age for public pension withdrawals to 65, and requiring citizens to pay higher premiums.
Exchange rates [time series]
Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - | 1.79 (2014) | 1.79 (2013) | 1.79 (2012 est.) | 1.79 (2011 est.) | 1.79 (2010 est.)
Exports [time series]
$1.607 billion (2011 est.) | $1.44 billion (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 152
Exports - commodities [time series]
petroleum products
GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]
$5.6 billion (2012 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]
$3.128 billion (2012 est.) | $3.02 billion (2011 est.) | $2.96 billion (2010 est.) | note: data are in 2012 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 184
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: 105
Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]
3.6% (2012 est.) | 2% (2011 est.) | 0.1% (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 88
Imports [time series]
$1.285 billion (2011 est.) | $1.275 billion (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174
Imports - commodities [time series]
crude petroleum, food, manufactures
Industrial production growth rate [time series]
NA%
Industries [time series]
tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services
Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]
2.6% (2013 est.) | 2.8% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 117
Labor force [time series]
73,010 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 185
Labor force - by occupation [time series]
agriculture: 1.2% | industry: 16.9% | services: 81.8% (2008 est.)
Public debt [time series]
33.2% of GDP (2012 est.) | 40.6% of GDP (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 128
Taxes and other revenues [time series]
16.6% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 183
Unemployment rate [time series]
13% (2013 est.) | 9.8% (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 140
Energy
Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]
0 bbl (1 January 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115
Electricity - consumption [time series]
968 million kWh (2008 est.) | country comparison to the world: 153
Electricity - exports [time series]
0 kWh (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 116
Electricity - imports [time series]
0 kWh (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127
Electricity - production [time series]
1.785 billion kWh (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 142
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: 73
Natural gas - imports [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173
Natural gas - production [time series]
0 cu m (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 167
Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]
0 cu m (1 January 2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121
Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]
72,000 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 87
Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]
211,100 bbl/day (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 33
Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]
291,700 bbl/day (2009 est.) | country comparison to the world: 25
Refined petroleum products - production [time series]
531.1 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 110
Geography
Area [time series]
total: 444 sq km | land: 444 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 200
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 60 cm/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]
agricultural land: 10% | arable land 10%; permanent crops 0%; permanent pasture 0% | forest: 0% | other: 90% (2011 est.)
Location [time series]
Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 30 nm 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)
Citizenship [time series]
see the Netherlands
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
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 | 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 Bernard WHITEMAN (1 September 2015); Prime Minister Ivar ASJES resigned 31 August 2015 | cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the governor | 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): Common Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (consists of judges from the subordinate courts) | judge selection and terms of office: NA | subordinate courts: first instance courts, appeals court; specialized courts
Legal system [time series]
based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Legislative branch [time series]
description: unicameral Estates of Curacao or Staten van Curacao (21 seats; members directly elected by proportional representation vote to serve 4-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]
King's Day, 27 April 1967
National symbol(s) [time series]
laraha (citrus tree); national colors: blue, yellow, white
Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]
Movementu Futuro Korsou or MFK [Gerrit SCHOTTE] | Movishon Antia Nobo or MAN [Hensley KOEIMAN] | Partido Antia Restruktura or PAR [Zita JESUS-LEITO] | Partido pa Adelanto I Inovashon Soshal or PAIS [Alex ROSARIA] | Partido Nashonal di Pueblo or PNP [Humphrey DAVELAAR] | Pueblo Soberano or PS [Ivar ASJES]
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: 20.3% (male 15,334/female 14,739) | 15-24 years: 14.7% (male 11,356/female 10,448) | 25-54 years: 37.6% (male 27,125/female 28,716) | 55-64 years: 13.2% (male 8,545/female 11,150) | 65 years and over: 14.2% (male 8,698/female 12,340) (2015 est.)
Birth rate [time series]
NA 13.8 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
Death rate [time series]
8.2 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 98
Dependency ratios [time series]
total dependency ratio: 51.1% | youth dependency ratio: 28.7% | elderly dependency ratio: 22.4% | potential support ratio: 4.5% (2015 est.)
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
Infant mortality rate [time series]
total: 7.9 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 8.5 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
Languages [time series]
Papiamentu (official) (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 81.2%, Dutch (official) 8%, Spanish 4%, English (official) 2.9%, other 3.9% (2001 census)
Life expectancy at birth [time series]
total population: 78.2 years | male: 75.9 years | female: 80.6 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 62
Major urban areas - population [time series]
WILLEMSTED (capital) 145,000 (2014)
Median age [time series]
total: 36.1 years | male: 33 years | female: 39.9 years (2015 est.)
Nationality [time series]
noun: Curacaoan | adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
Net migration rate [time series]
-1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 59
Population [time series]
148,406 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189
Population growth rate [time series]
0.43% (2015 est.)
Religions [time series]
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.)
Sex ratio [time series]
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 1.09 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.77 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female | total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
Total fertility rate [time series]
2.07 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 107
Urbanization [time series]
urban population: 89.3% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
Transportation
Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]
major seaport(s): Willemstad | oil 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: 193