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Curacao
Overview:
CuracaoandBonairearegroupedwiththeLeewardIslandslocatedoffthenorthcoastofVenezuelaintheCarribeanSea.They,andtheWindward
islands:SintMaarten,Saba,andSt.EustatiuswhichlieeastoftheUSVirginIslands,formtheNetherlandsAntillesajurisdictionoftheKingdomofthe
Netherlands.FifteenmilesoffthecoastofCuraçao,tothesoutheast,liesthesmall,uninhabitedislandofKleinCuraçao("LittleCuraçao").
Territory:
Land:444squarekilometres(171squaremiles).ThelargestoftheNetherlandsAntillesislands.Length62kmxWidth14km;4kmatthenarrowest
point.Lowestelevation:CaribbeanSea0mHighestelevation:MountScenery862m.
Location:
40mi.offthenorthcoastofVenezuela,38mi.westofBonair,42mi.eastofAruba.
LatitudeandLongitude:
1206N,6856W
TimeZone:
GMT-4
TotalLandArea:
444
EEZ:
12
Climate:
Locatedinthetropics,just12°northoftheEquator,theaveragetemperatureisabout27°C.Tradewindsblowconstantlyfromtheeastameliorating
theweather.Curaçaoisoutsidethehurricanebelt.Therainyseason:OctobertoFebruary.
NaturalResources:
Phosphatedeposits.ThefloraofCuraçaodiffersfromthetypicaltropicalislandvegetation.Xericscrublandsarecommon,withvariousformsofcacti,
thornyshrubs,evergreens,andtheisland'ssymbolicdivi-divis.CuraçaoChristoffelpark,areservedwildlifepark,liesintheisland'snorthwestarea.
ECONOMY:
TotalGDP:
PerCapitaGDP:
%ofGDPperSector:
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
%ofPopulationEmployedbySector
Primary
Secondary
Tertiary
ExternalAid/Remittances:
InajointstatementissuedbytheHeadsofStateandGovernmentparticipatingintheJune2007ConferenceontheCaribbean,keyissuesconfronting
policymakersinthe21stcenturyare:regionalcooperationonimmigration,nationalsecurity,traffickinginpersons,reintegrationofdeportees,disaster
preparedness,thespreadofHIV/AIDS,andindividualrights.
Growth:
HighdebtledtheGovernmentoftheNetherlandsAntillestoseekassistancefromtheIMFandtheDutchGovernment,throughtheIMF'sStructural
AdjustmentProgram.ThecurrentadministrationseekstolessendependencyontheIMF.ThesegovernmentdecisionsreflectheavilyontheIslandof
Curacao.
LabourForce:
2006
53,797
2005
51,342
2004
51,474
Unemployment
Year:
UnemploymentRate(%ofpop.)
2006
12%
Industry:
Tourism,petroleumrefining,petroleumtransshipmentfacilities,andlightmanufacturing.ShippingandotheractivitiesrelatedtotheportofWillemstad
alsomakesaconsiderablecontributiontotheeconomy.
NicheIndustry:
Tourism:DivingandSnorkeling.
Tourism:
Oneofthemaindrivingforcesoftheeconomy.
ImportsandExports:
FreeZone-ImportsbyCommodity(Excludingoilproducts).SITC-Section1.
0Foodandliveanimals432,000NAf.
1Beveragesandtobacco39,361,000NAf
2Crudematerials,inedible,exceptfuels161,000NAf.
5Chemicalsandrelatedproductsn.e.s.56,082,000.
6Manufacturedgoodsclassifiedchieflybymaterial26,947,000NAf.
7Machineryandtransportequipment149,544,000NAf.
8Miscellaneousandotherarticles505,011,000NAf.
9CommoditiesandtransactionsnotclassifiedelsewhereintheSITC39,000NAf.
TotalImportsFreeZone:777,577,000NAf.
Tot.ValueofImports
2.00NAf(2005)
FromEu:
ImportPartners(EU:)
PartnersOutsideEU:
Venezuela
ImportPartners:
Tot.ValueofExports
984NAf(2005)
ToEu:
Bahamas
ExportPartners:
PartnersOutsideEU::
U.S.Panama,Mexico,Haiti,Singapore
ExportPartners:
MainImports:
ImportsbyStandardInternationalTradeClassification(SITC),
excludingoilproducts:
SITCSection0Foodandliveanimals299,000,000.
SITCSection1Crudematerials,inedible,exceptfuels
18,000,000.
SITCSection4Animalandvegetableoils,fats,waxes7,000,000.
SITCSection5Chemicalsandrelatedproducts,n.e.s.
193,000,000.
SITCSection6Manufacturedgoodsclassifiedchieflybymaterial
198,000.000.
SITCSection8/9Miscellaneous280,000,000.
TotalIMPORTSbySITCSection1,504,000,000NAf(2005).
MainExports:
ExportsbySITCSection(excludingoilproducts)NAf2005:
145,000,000.
ExportsFreeZone-exportsbyCommodity(exceptoilproducts)
SITC-Section1.Total:984,549,000.
TRANSPORTATION/ACCESS
External:
NumberofAirports:1
TotalCommerciallandings(2004)15,669TotalNon-Commerciallandings(2003)2836.Wilenstaad/HatoInternationalAirport(CUR),pavedcustoms
runway11,100ft.long.
NumberofMainPorts:
Internal:
Air
Road:
Sea:
OtherFormsofTransportation:
EconomicZones:
Legislatedin2001,CuraçaoIndustrialandInternationalTradeDevelopmentCo.N.V.(CURINDE)isthegovernmentownedcompanymanagingthetwo
economicfreezonesontheisland:Harboure-zone:53acres;andAirporte-zone:5,500sqmeters.
EnergyPolicy:
Cable:ARCO,amulti-nationalcorporation,connectsCurcototheUSand14otherCaribbeancountriesandjurisdictions.
Totalelectricityandwaterproductionincreasedoverthesameperiodin2003.Electricitydemand2004increased:1)anexpansioninthecommercial
sectorduetoanincreaseinsmallbusinessesand2)thedropinair-conditioningpriceswhichledtoanincreaseinpurchasesaswellaselectricity
usage.
Type
Sector
Total
TotalEnergy
Public
Public
Energy
Thermic Geothermic Other
Domestic Commercial
Industry
Year
Consumption
Service
Lighting
Production (Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
(Mwh)
2005 848,500,000 0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
OfficialCurrency:
NetherlandsAntilleanGuilder
BankingandInsurance:
NumberofBanksandCreditUnions:12
NumberofAgriculturalCreditUnions:
NumberofInsuranceCompanies:16
Well-developedNetherlandsAntillesbankingsystem.EuropeanandNorthAmericanbankbranches.Mostbankshaveinternationalties.
FinancialServices:
Locallyestablishedinsurancecompaniesassubsidiariesorrepresentativesofinternationalinsurancecompanies.
Communications/E-Commerce:
Openandoutward;encouragedbyGovernment(CURINDE)andextensiveprivatewebsitesoneconomyandtourism.Englishand/orDutch.
PublicOwnership:
Thepublictransportnetworkofbusescoversthewholeisland.
LandUse:
Agriculture/Forestry:
Agriculturalproducts:aloes,sorghum,peanuts,vegetables,tropicalfruit.Poorsoilsandinadequatewatersupplieshamperthedevelopmentof
agriculture.
MarineActivity:
Fishing:
Territorialsea:12nmExclusivefishingzone:12nm
MarineLife:
SeaTurtles,coralreefs,tropicalfish.
CriticalIssues:
SeaTurtlesareontheendangeredlist.
ThecoralreefssurroundingCuracaoareendangeredduetoglobalwarmingandimproperdredgingtodeepenports.Oilspillsintheportareasarea
publichealthconcern.
PortoMariebeach(ReefCareCuracao)isexperimentingwithartificialcoralreefsinordertoimprovethereef'scondition.
JURISDICTIONALRESOURCES
Capital:
Willemstad:IslandandNetherlandsAntilliescapital
PoliticalSystem:
Parliamentary.
NetherlandsAntilleshastwolevelsofgovernment,IslandandCentral.Curaçaogainedlimitedself-governmentonJanuary1,1954asanisland
territoryoftheOverseasTerritoryoftheKingdomoftheNetherlands.
NetherlandsAntilles(CentralGovernment)TheCentralGovernmentsituatedinCuraçaohasjurisdictionoverstateaffairsandincludesjustice,police,
customs,immigration,communications,publichealth,education,money,bankingandforeigncurrency.Electionsareheldeveryfouryearsorwhena
Governmentfalls.
Theexecutivebranchofgovernment,theExecutiveCouncil,isderivedfromtheIslandCouncils.AtleasttwomembersoftheExecutiveCouncilmust
comefromtheIslandCouncil.ExecutiveCouncilmembersarecalledCommissioners.TheyaretheheadsofgovernmentdepartmentslikePublic
Works,Finance,Education,Sanitation,PublicUtilitiesandtheEnvironment.
Legislativebranch:unicameralStatesorStaten(22seats-Curacao14,Bonaire3,St.Maarten3,St.Eustatius1,Saba1;membersareelectedby
popularvotetoservefour-yearterms).
TheCharter:TheadministrativerelationshipbetweentheNetherlandsandtheNetherlandsAntillesandArubaisgovernedbythe1954Charterforthe
KingdomofNetherlands,thehighestconstitutionalinstrument(takingprecedenceovertheConstitution).Eachcountrypartnerrunsitsownaffairs
exceptasrelatesto“Kingdomaffairs”.
TheNetherlandsAntillesisalsoanUltra-PeripheralRegionoftheEuropeanUnion.KingdomoftheNetherlands(KingdomAffairs)
PoliticalParties:
OntheIsland:DemocraticPartyofCuracaoorDP;ProCuracaoPartyorPPK;
ImportantLegislation:
InthereferendumheldonApril8,2005onCuracao,thecitizensoftheislandexpressedthemselvesinfavorofanautonomouspositionforCuraçaoin
theDutchKingdom.
Aweekafter,onApril15,2005theIslandCounciloftheIslandTerritoryofCuraçaoformallyratifiedtheresultsofthereferendumandpointedoutthat
therealizationofthepositionofCuraçaoasanautonomouscountryhastobeatleastthesameasthestatusapartofAruba.Ina2005nonbinding
referendum,68%ofvotersinCuracaochosestatusaparte--independencefromthefederationwithintheKingdomoftheNetherlands.However,on28
November2006,theIslandCouncilrejectedaclarificatorymemorandumontheprocess,therebypostponingit.
PrincipalTaxes:
E-Zonecompaniestaxedat2%(surtaxinc.)/thoughnoapplicableonprofitsonsales/ser.toN.A.clients.Noimportorturnovertaxongoods/ser.inezoneoroutsideN.A.WagetaxcanbecalculatedonnetsalaryifemployeeslivedoutsideN.A.formorethan5yearsorhaveex-patriatestatus.
AssociatedPower:
KingdomoftheNetherlands.
Citizenship:
DutchAntillean.EUpassport.
Paradiplomacy:
AlthoughCuracaohasnoaffiliationswithothernationsexceptthroughgoverningbodyTheNetherlandsAntilles,itcanmakelocalgovernmental
decisions.TheN.A.belongsto:Caricom(observer),ILO,IMF,Interpol,IOC,UNESCO(associate),UNWTO(associate),UPU,WCL,WCO,WMO.
HUMANRESOURCES
Population:137,094.Males:62,734;Females:74,360.Area:444sq.km.Populationpersq.km.:309(Dec.2004).
2004
Island
Area(kmsq.)
Population
%ofTotalPopulation
Curacao
444
137,094
71.5%
Almostallconsumerandcapitalgoodsareimported,theUSandMexicobeingthemajorsuppliers.89%-98%ofhouseholddwellingsusewaterfrom
desalinationplants.Waterwateristreatedintreatmentsplants(2001Census).
Population:
Year
ResidentPopulation
AgeofPopulation:
0-14
15-24
25-49
50-64
65andup
2007
30398
18,229
48,340
24,410
15,717
Migration:
Immigration:(2004)5,918;Emigration:(2004)3952.
CrudeBirthRate:
LifeExpedctancy:
totalpopulation:76.24yearsmale:73.96yearsfemale:78.65years(2007est.)crudemortality:7.5deathsper1000
CrudeDeathRate:
2007
6.39%
Ethnicity:
mixedblack85%,other15%(includesCaribAmerindian,white,EastAsian)
ClassDivision:
Thehighestincomeinequality,coupledwiththelowestmedianhouseholdincome,wasfoundonCuraçao,wherethe20%ofhouseholdswiththe
highestincomehadanincome14timeshigherthanthatfoundamongthepoorest20%ofhouseholds.
Languages:
Papiamento65.4%(aSpanish-Portuguese-Dutch-Englishdialect),
English15.9%(widelyspoken),Dutch7.3%(official),Spanish6.1%,
Creole1.6%,other1.9%,unspecified1.8%(2001census)
Religion:
RomanCatholic72%,Pentecostal4.9%,Protestant3.5%,Seventh-DayAdventist3.1%,Methodist2.9%,Jehovah'sWitnesses1.7%,otherChristian
4.2%,Jewish1.3%,otherorunspecified1.2%,none5.2%(2001census)
Literacy:
age15andovercanreadandwrite
totalpopulation:96.7%
male:96.7%
female:96.8%(2003est.)
EducationSystem:
Dutcheducationalsystem.
TotalPre-schools:(2007)
48
TotalPrimarySchools
FirstLevel:
70
SecondLevel:
29
ThirdLevel:
22
TotalSecondarySchools:
3
TotalProfessionalSchools
7
Universities:
2
NumberofSchoolsperIsland:
Pre-school
Pub
Curacao
Priv
48
Elementary High-school Prof. University
1
2
98
3
Pub
22
3
Priv
Pub Priv
7
1
StudentsEnrolled:
Year:
Pre-School
Elementary
High-school
Prof.
University
2007
4,382
22,218
1,891
243
2,132
High-School
Prof.
University
Teachers
Year
Pre-School
Elementary
1
2
3
BilingualprimaryeducationinPapiamentuandDutch.TheUniversityofNetherlandsAntilleshasafewcoursesinPapiamentu.TheUniversityofDutch
CarribeanholdsclassesinDutchandEnglish.TheCBSNAonlycollectsdataforpublicschools.
MedicalServices:
CuraçaoprovidesthetertiarycareforalltheislandsintheNetherlandsAntilles.TherearehospitalfacilitieslocatedinWilhelmstad.Budgetary
problemshamperreformofthehealthandpensionsystemsofanagingpopulation.Curacaohas88%ofN.A.medicalbeds:1,343(2001).
HISTORYANDCULTURE
History:
TheoriginalinhabitantsofCuraçao,theArawakAmerindians,weredecimatedbytheSpanish.TheislandwasnextoccupiedbytheDutchin1634.
TheDutchWestIndiaCompanyfoundedthecapitalofWillemstadandmadeCuraçaoacenterforslavetradeuntilitsabolishmentin1863.Its
prosperitywasrestoredintheearly20thcenturywiththeconstructionofoilrefineriestoservicethenewlydiscoveredVenezuelanoilfields.
Referenda:
TheNetherlandsAntillesistobedisbandedbyDecember15,2008.
RecentSignificantEvents:
CuraçaofeaturesarchitecturethatblendsvariousDutchandSpanishcolonialstyles.Thewiderangeofotherhistoricbuildingsinandaround
WillemstadearnedthecapitalaplaceonUNESCO'sworldheritagelist.
Music,Dance,HandicraftandPatrimony:
February2007isthe10thAnniversaryofthe"Kaya-9MusicFestival"acelebrationoflocalCarribeanmusic.ThefirstpublishedworkinPapiamento
wasapoembyJoesphSickmanCorsenentitledAtardi,publishedintheLaCruznewspaperin1905.ThroughoutCuraçaoanliterature,narrative
techniquesandmetaphorsbestcharacterizedasmagicrealismtendtopredominate.
Sources:
AutonomousStatusforCuracaohttp://www.curacao-gov.an/extranet/government.nsf/Main?
OpenFrameSet&Frame=Content&Src=%2Fextranet%2Fgovernment.nsf%NetherlandsDept.oftheEnvironmentandHealth.
http://www.mina.vomil.an/biodiversity/marine_mammal/curacao.phpReefCareCuracaohttp://www.reefcare.org/CIAFactbookNetherlandsAntilles
http://www.faqs.org/docs/factbook/print/nt.htmlDebrot,A.O.andL.P.J.J.Pors.1995.SeaTurtleNestingActivityonNortheastCoastBeachesof
Curacao,1993.CaribbeanJournalofScience,Vol.31,No.3-4,333-338.(PDF,251Kb)PanAmHO.
http://www.paho.org/HIA/archivosvol2/paisesing/Netherlands%20Antilles%20English.pdf.Karel'sLegalBlog:SpigthoffAtty&Taxadvisors:
http://www.curacao-law.com/about/.USFCC:http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/International/Orders/1999/da991312.txt.PublictransportonCuracao:
http://www.curacao-actief.com/index.php?id=867.CentralBureauofStatisticeNetherlandsAntilles:http://www.cbs.an/.AirportsinNetherlandsAntilles:
http://www.aircraft-charter-world.com/airports/centralamerica/nethantilles.htm.
UsefulLinks:
IslandStudies.ca
www.upei.ca
www.google.ca Pleaseaddressqueriesto:
InstituteofIslandStudies
UniversityofPrinceEdwardIsland(UPEI)
550UniversityAve
Charlottetown,PE,Canada,C1A4P3
Copyright2007.InstituteofIsland
Studies,UPEI.Educationaland
Non-CommercialUseOnly