World · permanent entity record · CW
Curaçao
Thirty-second orientation
Curaçao at a glance
- Capital
- name: Willemstad geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "William's Town" in Dutch; named after Prince WILLEM of Orange (1533-84), the first stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Population
- total: 153,289 (2024 est.) male: 73,755 female: 79,534
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Area
- total : 444 sq km land: 444 sq km water: 0 sq km
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Nationality / demonym
- noun: Curacaoan adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
- Languages
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of 2026-01-08
Claims are attributed · classifications are dated
Claims and contested status
Maintained classification
Dependency or area of special sovereignty
Netherlands
U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · as of 2026-03-31A claim’s appearance records that the cited source reports it. It does not constitute an Almanac ruling on sovereignty.
Maintained profile
- Classification
- Dependency or area of special sovereignty
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty · Federal classification and wording follow the current State Department register.
- Sovereignty or administration
- Netherlands
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
- Administrative center
- Willemstad
- U.S. Department of State, Dependencies and Areas of Special Sovereignty ·
Preserved public-domain record · not maintained current data
Final CIA World Factbook profile
This is the preserved historical baseline from the Factbook’s final public snapshot. It is presented as the CIA stated it, not as a current Standard American Almanac finding. Current, independently maintained facts appear above when available.
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · profile updated · pinned source record · commit d81154954b8b
Introduction1 fields
- Background
- The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on Curaçao 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. The Dutch seized Curaçao from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao was hard hit economically when the Dutch abolished 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, Curaçao 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 Curaçao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Geography17 fields
- Location
- Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Map references
- Central America and the Caribbean
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Area
- total : 444 sq km land: 444 sq km water: 0 sq km
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Area - comparative
- more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Maritime claims
- territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Climate
- tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Elevation
- highest point: Mt. Christoffel 372 m lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural resources
- calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Natural hazards
- Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Geography - note
- Curaçao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group in the Lesser Antilles
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
People and Society21 fields
- Population
- total: 153,289 (2024 est.) male: 73,755 female: 79,534
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Nationality
- noun: Curacaoan adjective: Curacaoan; Dutch
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Ethnic groups
- 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.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Languages
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Religions
- 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.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Age structure
- 0-14 years: 19.2% (male 15,069/female 14,337) 15-64 years: 62.3% (male 47,258/female 48,217) 65 years and over: 18.5% (2024 est.) (male 11,428/female 16,980)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Dependency ratios
- total dependency ratio: 60.6 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.8 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 29.8 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 3.4 (2024 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Median age
- total: 38.1 years (2025 est.) male: 35.5 years female: 40.2 years
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Birth rate
- 12.71 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Death rate
- 8.91 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Net migration rate
- -1.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Population distribution
- largest concentration on the island is Willemstad; smaller settlements near the coast can be found throughout the island, particularly in the northwest
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Urbanization
- urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Major urban areas - population
- 144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Sex ratio
- 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.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Infant mortality rate
- total: 7.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.7 deaths/1,000 live births
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Life expectancy at birth
- total population: 79.9 years (2024 est.) male: 77.6 years female: 82.3 years
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Total fertility rate
- 1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Environment5 fields
- Environmental issues
- waste management, including pollution of marine areas from domestic sewage, inadequate sewage treatment facilities, industrial effluents, agricultural runoff, mismanagement of toxic substances, and ineffective regulations; damage from neglect and a lack of controls at major refinery
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Climate
- tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Land use
- agricultural land: 0% (2022 est.) arable land: 10% (2018) forest: 0.2% (2022 est.) other: 99.8% (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Urbanization
- urban population: 89% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.57% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Waste and recycling
- municipal solid waste generated annually: 24,700 tons (2024 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Government22 fields
- Country name
- conventional long form: Country of Curacao conventional short form: Curacao local long form: Land Curacao (Dutch)/ Pais Korsou (Papiamento) local short form: Curacao (Dutch)/ Korsou (Papiamento) former: Netherlands Antilles; Curacao and Dependencies etymology: the origin of the name is disputed; many historians now agree that the name derives from a similar-sounding word the original inhabitants used to describe themselves
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Dependency status
- one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch government responsible for defense and foreign affairs note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Aruba, and Sint Maarten
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Capital
- name: Willemstad geographic coordinates: 12 06 N, 68 55 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: the name means "William's Town" in Dutch; named after Prince WILLEM of Orange (1533-84), the first stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Constitution
- 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)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Executive branch
- 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 election/appointment process: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the legislature usually elects the leader of the majority party as prime minister most recent election date: 21 March 2025 expected date of next election: 2029
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Legislative branch
- legislature name: Parliament of Curacao legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 (directly elected) electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 3/19/2021 parties elected and seats per party: MFK (9); PAR (4); PNP (4); MAN (2); KEM (1); TPK (1) percentage of women in chamber: 28.6% expected date of next election: 2025
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Judicial branch
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Political parties
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation in the US
- none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Diplomatic representation from the US
- chief of mission: Consul General Ramón “Chico” NEGRÓN (since 9 June 2025); 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: ACSCuracao@state.gov https://cw.usconsulate.gov/
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- International organization participation
- ACS (associate), Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, ITU, UNESCO (associate), UPU
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Independence
- none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National holiday
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Flag
- description: on a blue field, a horizontal yellow band divides the flag below the center; two five-pointed white stars -- the smaller above and to the left of the larger -- appear in the upper left meaning: the blue stands for the sky and sea, and yellow for the sun; the stars symbolize Curacao and its uninhabited sister island of Klein Curacao (Little Curacao); the star points represent the five continents from which Curacao's inhabitants originate
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National anthem(s)
- title: "Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao) lyrics/music: Guillermo ROSARIO, Mae HENRIQUEZ, Enrique MULLER, Betty DORAN/Frater Candidus NOWENS, Errol "El Toro" COLINA history: adapted 1978; the lyrics, originally written in 1899, were rewritten in 1978 to remove colonial references
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- National heritage
- total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the Netherlands entry selected World Heritage Site locales: Historic Willemstad
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Economy19 fields
- Economic overview
- high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
- $4.312 billion (2023 est.) $4.138 billion (2022 est.) $3.834 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Real GDP growth rate
- 4.2% (2023 est.) 7.9% (2022 est.) 4.2% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Real GDP per capita
- $27,700 (2023 est.) $27,600 (2022 est.) $25,200 (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $3.281 billion (2023 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Inflation rate (consumer prices)
- 2.6% (2019 est.) 2.6% (2018 est.) 1.6% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- GDP - composition, by sector of origin
- agriculture: 0.3% (2023 est.) industry: 11.7% (2023 est.) services: 73.3% (2023 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- GDP - composition, by end use
- household consumption: 73.2% (2018 est.) government consumption: 14.5% (2018 est.) investment in fixed capital: 34% (2018 est.) investment in inventories: 7.1% (2018 est.) exports of goods and services: 63.2% (2018 est.) imports of goods and services: -92% (2018 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Agricultural products
- aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Industries
- tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Remittances
- 5.4% of GDP (2023 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 5.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Current account balance
- -$654.688 million (2023 est.) -$822.667 million (2022 est.) -$508.758 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports
- $2.107 billion (2023 est.) $2.046 billion (2022 est.) $1.363 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - partners
- Armenia 57%, USA 15%, Guyana 5%, Dominican Republic 4%, Netherlands 2% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exports - commodities
- diamonds, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, petroleum coke (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports
- $2.764 billion (2023 est.) $2.891 billion (2022 est.) $1.91 billion (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - partners
- USA 39%, Netherlands 24%, China 6%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 3% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Imports - commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Exchange rates
- Netherlands Antillean guilders (ANG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Energy1 fields
- Electricity access
- electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Communications6 fields
- Telephones - fixed lines
- total subscriptions: 51,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Telephones - mobile cellular
- total subscriptions: 173,926 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 94 (2023 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Broadcast media
- government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Internet users
- percent of population: 68% (2017 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Broadband - fixed subscriptions
- total: 61,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2022 est.)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Transportation4 fields
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- PJ
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Merchant marine
- total: 57 (2023) by type: general cargo 5, oil tanker 1, other 51
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Ports
- 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
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Military and Security2 fields
- Military and security forces
- Curaçao Militia (CURMIL); Curaçao Volunteer Corps; Curacao Police Force (Korps Politie Curacao) (2025)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
- Military - note
- defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; local security forces are 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)); there are two Dutch naval bases on Curaçao, and the Dutch Army maintains a small unit on a rotational basis (2025)
- CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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