General facts of Curaçao

 Flag

Capital

Willemstad

Location

Southern Caribbean sea, 65 km (40mi) north of the Venezuelan coast

Time zone

UTC -4: AST: Atlantic Standard Time

Currency

Antillean Guilder (ANG)

Official languages

Papiamentu, Dutch, English

Area

444 km/ 171.4 sq.mi

Highest point

372 m (Mount St. Christopher)

Total population

(1 January 2023)  

148.925

male67.613 (45.4%)
female81.312 (54.6%)

Population density

335/km² (January 1st, 2023)

History:

1499

Discovered by Alonso de Ojeda. Spaniards settle on Curaçao

1634

The Dutch conquer Curaçao from Spain

1795A slave revolt took place in the Dutch colony of Curaçao in 1795, led by Tula, a local slave, and resulted in a month-long conflict on the island between escapees and the colonial government.


1800-1803

First British occupation

1807-1816

Second British occupation

1863

Slavery abolished

1954

The Netherlands Antilles (Curaçao, Aruba, Bonaire, St.Maarten, St.Eustatius
end Saba) are granted internal autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

2010

The Netherlands Antilles (Curaçao, Bonaire, St.Maarten, St.Eustatius and Saba) became autonomous states within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a similar status as that of Aruba, whereas the smaller islands Bonaire, Saba and St.Eustatius
became special Dutch municipalities

Government

Unitary parliamentary representative democracy under constitutional monarchy.