Curaçao

Country Curaçao

Represented by Governor Frits Goedgedrag

Curaçao [ kyʀasa ː o] ( Papiamentu: Kòrsou ) is an approximately 444 km ² island in the Caribbean. Since October 10, 2010, she forms an autonomous part of the country in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, previously it was the largest island of the former Netherlands Antilles. Curacao is one of the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao ) belonging geographically to South America.

• 6.1 currency
• 6.2 traffic
• 6.3 Tourism
• 6.4 Specialty

• 9.1 Newspapers
• 9.2 radio stations
• 9.3 television

Geography

The island is located (north of Venezuela and north-east of Columbia ) in about 60 km distance to the mainland. West of Curacao is the island of Aruba, which also belonged until 1986 to the Netherlands Antilles, east of the island of Bonaire. Along with these Curacao belongs geographically to the Leeward Islands. Southeast is Klein Curaçao, is a popular activity for divers uninhabited island, is home to the only lighthouse.

The highest elevation is the Sint- Christoffel mountain with an altitude of 375 m.

The islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are grouped based on their first letter as the ABC islands called.

Population

In 2008, a total of 140 794 people lived on Curaçao. The majority of the population is concentrated in the capital city of Willemstad and the urban space around the Schottegat in the central-eastern part of the island.

The population of Curaçao consists of a variety of different ethnicity people. Most of them are descendants of former African slaves. Around 6 % of the population is of Dutch ancestry. Few inhabitants of the islands come from Arawak Indians from the natives in the European discovery of the island. There are also descendants of Sephardic Jews who had fled in the 17th century from Spain and Portugal before the Inquisition, and recruited by the oil industry guest workers from Asia, South America and the Caribbean.

A family with two children on average; Men are about 73 years, women about 77 years old (compared to a total of Netherlands: about 77 men / women about 82 years). The literacy rate is high, about 96 % of the population over 15 years of age can read and write.

Languages

The Dutch language is the official language, but Papiamento ( a creole language with Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch and English elements ) is also an official language, and there is, in practice, largely as the dominant language spoken before. The Papiamentu is highly developed, there are for example many works of literature. English and Spanish language skills are common.

History

The island has been inhabited since about 4000 BC by Native Americans. Another, more sophisticated Native American culture was formed after a second colonization wave by about 1500 BC The drawings are still on the Hatohöhle visible.

The European discovery of the island in 1499 by the Spaniard Alonso de Ojeda led within a few years to the fact that the Native Americans were deported to the mainland for forced labor. 1527 already started the Spaniards with the re- colonization. The next several decades remained the island spanish. 1634 an expedition conquered by Johan van Walbeeck Curaçao for the Dutch West India Company. Under General Jacob Pieters Tolck the island became the center for the Caribbean slave trade and remained so until 1863 when slavery was abolished by the Netherlands. The island remained Dutch until the British the island during the Napoleonic wars - like South Africa - occupied. In 1816 they came back to the Netherlands.

From the 1860s Curacao lost its economic importance, they could only improve with the oil discoveries of the 1930s again. Today the economy is based on five pillars: oil, port, tourism, offshore banking, and limited local production.

The military importance of the strategic location of the island, which has the largest natural inner harbor in the Western Hemisphere, was placed in June 2006 once again demonstrated, as a great military landing maneuvers on the island took place. At the Joint Caribe Lion 2006 ( J- CL06 ) exercise was attended by soldiers from France, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain and the United States.

In 2005, the population of Curaçao voted in a referendum on the future status of the island, where the majority opted for the status as an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands:

On 15 May 2009 a renewed non-binding referendum was held, in which the population of Curaçao was called to vote on the negotiated outcome. A slight majority of 52 % voted for the proposal that Curacao is to be within the Kingdom of the Netherlands an independent country. On 10 October 2010 the National Association of the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved. This Curaçao became an independent state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, along with the Netherlands, Aruba and Sint Maarten.

Policy

The government Gerrit Schotte was only a caretaker in office since 3 August 2012. The parliamentary election was brought forward to 19 October 2012. However, a majority of MPs called for a replacement of the bulkhead by an interim government. The Deputy Governor Adèle van der Pluijm - Vrede called then on September 29, 2012 Stanley Betrian as the new head of government. Scot wanted his dismissal not initially accept and talked of a " coup ", which was controlled by the Netherlands. While the population of Curaçao is split in light of the government crisis, the Dutch Parliament, a possible desire for full independence signaled want to meet. At the same time the competent Minister Liesbeth Spies Hague could be explained that the new government is carried out in full conformity with the Constitution.

Climate

Curacao is located in the direct area of ​​influence of the northeast trade winds. Since the island is too shallow slope for rain, bring the air masses relatively little rain on the island and because the rainfall in Curaçao done regularly, there are no permanent rivers on the island. There is a semi-arid climate with daytime an average annual precipitation of 550 mm and a mean annual temperature of almost 28 ° C. The annual rainfall is, however, subject to values ​​200-1200 mm while quite strong fluctuations.

Economy and infrastructure

The major industries of the island are tourism and the oil refinery. Further, the role as an offshore financial center of great importance. Since 2010, the Netherlands Antilles, however, are no longer available in the U.S. on the "black list" of tax havens.

Unemployment on the island is 10.3% ( October 2008). Since October 2005, when unemployment had reached 18.2 % from its peak level, the economic situation of the island has recovered significantly. This also means that more and more Antillianen return from the Netherlands leads.

Currency

Official currency is the Caribbean guilder, may be paid due to the fixed exchange rate is usually even with the U.S. dollar. With the 2010 dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles carried out the end of the currency is decided. For the special municipalities of Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius, the national currency on 1 January 2011 was replaced by the U.S. dollar. End of August 2009 was discussed at a busy conference with experts in Willemstad also for Curaçao and Sint Maarten, dollarization. This solution would necessarily abolish the Antilles Guilder result. 2012, the conversion was completed by the Caribbean guilder. Instead of banknotes to 25 and 250 guilders banknotes is there to 20 and 200 guilders. In the tourism sector, the euro is accepted often.

Traffic

Made from Hato airport daily direct flights to Amsterdam, Miami, Sint Maarten, various islands in the Caribbean, various places in Venezuela and Bogota in Colombia.

KLM flies daily among other things with a Boeing 747 (May 2013) from Amsterdam to Curacao. Also, part of the TUI Airlines ArkeFly offers several times a week flights from Amsterdam to Curacao.

Since November 2011, Air Berlin flies weekly nonstop from Dusseldorf to Curacao with a machine of the type Airbus A330 -200. The planes take off every Tuesday and Dusseldorf be reached on Wednesday. For this connection is considered the only connection to Curacao from Germany without landing.

Tourism

In 2007, a total of 299 784 tourists visited the island of Curaçao. Of these, 33.6 % came with the largest part of the Netherlands, 20.4 % came from neighboring Venezuela and 15.5 % from the USA. The number of German tourists in Curaçao with 5,516 or 1.3% (2008 ) is very low, but is growing in recent years, with growth rates of up to 18.5% (2008). Air Berlin flies to Curacao weekly. Even the Scandinavian (especially Swedish ) market is becoming increasingly important for Curacao.

More than 20 years of the underwater world has been turned around the island a nature reserve. This has turned into a world-renowned diving destination Curaçao and its neighboring islands. For divers there is next to soft and hard corals, numerous sponges, anemones, gorgonians, sea horses, scorpion fish, rays, barracuda, sharks, sea turtles and cuttlefish observed. Also located off the coasts of the island some shipwrecks that are easily accessible to divers.

Specialty

From the peel of bitter oranges ( Seville oranges ) that grow on the island, named after the island of Curaçao liqueur is produced. The shells are macerated and thereby preserved in alcohol, which dissolves out flavoring and coloring agents. The liqueur there are red either in clear form or in the colors, orange, green and blue. Also you can get mixes with coffee, chocolate and rum in the liquor factory next to the pure liqueur. The liqueur produced on the island is not to be compared with the referred to in Europe mostly " Blue Curacao ".

Willemstad

The capital of Curacao is Willemstad. The city center of Willemstad with the neighborhoods Punda ( German: the point - the Dutch " de punt " ) and Otrabanda ( German: the other side ), Scharloo and Pietermaai home to many historic buildings of the Dutch colonial architecture. These four districts are almost completely under the protection of UNESCO World Heritage. The two districts of Punda and Otrobanda links for pedestrians and cyclists a pontoon bridge, the " Queen Emmabrug " ( Queen Emma Bridge ), which is opened several times for entering and exiting vessels from the port on the day. The traffic must detour through the 55 m high " Koningin Julianabrug " ( Queen Juliana Bridge ) take that crosses just north of the historic city, the " Sint Annabaai " ( St. Anna Bay ).

Willemstad has suburbs around 120,000 inhabitants, which lies around 85 % of the inhabitants of Curaçao, Willemstad. The political center is located in and around the historic government district in Fort Amsterdam in Punda. Punda and Otrobanda are also the centers for national holidays. So the Queen is a big celebration on April 30. On this day, take the island, dressed in orange, in the city center, where a queens market takes place with entertainment and many local artisans offer their wares. On 2 July, the island celebrates its flag day, with similar activities, only this time dressed in blue. The Kura Hulanda Museum, integrated into the same hotel, documented in Otrabanda the centuries-old history of slavery in the West Indies.

In the north of the capital, on the northern edge of the district Biesheuvel, the Egilio Hato lies stadium where the national football team of Curaçao denies their home games.

Football

The national football team of Curaçao dissolved after dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles from the national team of the Netherlands Antilles. It is organized by the Federashon Futbol Kòrsou ( Papiamentu for: Football Association Curaçao), the ( Dutch for: Football Union of the Netherlands Antilles ) in September 2010 from the Dutch Antillean Voetbal Unie emerged.

Media

Newspapers

Dutch-

• Antilliaans Dagblad
• Amigoe
• De Telegraaf (Caribbean Edition)

Papiamentusprachig

• Bala
• Boletin
• Extra
• La Prensa
• Nobo
• Ultimo Noticia
• Vigilante

Radio stations

Dutch-

• Radio One
• Radio Hoyer II
• Paradise FM
• Dolfijn FM
• Radio Nederland ( Radio Nederland Wereldomroep )

Papiamentusprachig

• Radio Hoyer I
• Kòrsou FM
• Top FM
• Radio Krioyo
• Wed 95
• Rock Korsov
• Radio mas 99
• Radio New Song
• Hit 100.3
• Radio direct
• Radio Delta

English-speaking

• Clazz FM
• Easy FM

TV

• Dutch TV: Nederland 1, Nederland 2 and Nederland 3
• BVN of Radio Nederland Wereldomroep ( Dutch-speaking )
• TeleCuraçao ( papiamentusprachig )
• TV11 ( papiamentusprachig, with Dutch- local talk show Drayer & Campman (Tuesday and Sunday 21.00 clock time) and other Dutch-language broadcasts )
• Venezuelan channels ( free Spanish speaking)
• More American channels ( via satellite, not free, in English)
• Channel 24 (not free, in English)

Sons and daughters of the island

• Vurnon Anita, football player
• Frank M. Arion ( Frank Efraim Martinus ), author
• Charlison Benschop, Footballer
• Izaline Calister, singer
• Diangelo Cicilia, guitarist
• Roland Colastica, writer, director
• Randal Corsicans, jazz pianist and composer
• Daisy Dee, singer and presenter
• Nydia Ecury, author
• Elijah Isenia, Musician
• Andruw Jones, baseball player
• Kizzy, singer and actress in America
• Tania Kross, mezzo- soprano
• Pierre Lauffer, author
• Jurswailly Luciano, Women's Handball
• Guillermo Marchena, drummer and pop singer
• Robby Müller, cinematographer
• January Gerard Palm (1831-1906), composer
• Wendell Roche, martial artists, MMA Fighter
• Jean -Julien Rojer ( born 1981 ), tennis player
• Orlando Smeekes, football player
• Martin Verdonk, Jazzperkussionist
• Roelly Winklaar, professional bodybuilder, winner of the contest New York Pro 2010
• Danny Yanga, singer, actor and model