Curaçao
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Not to be confused with Curacoa (disambiguation), Curassow, or Carriacou.
This article is about the island country. For the former colony/territory comprising Curaçao and five other islands, see Curaçao and Dependencies. For the liqueur, see Curaçao (liqueur).
Country of Curaçao
Land Curaçao (Dutch)
Pais Kòrsou (Papiamento)
Flag
Coat of arms
Anthem: Himno di Kòrsou
Anthem of Curaçao
Location of Curaçao (circled in red)
in the Caribbean (light yellow)
Capital
and largest city
Willemstad
12°7'N 68°56'W
Official languages
Dutch[1]
Papiamentu[citation needed]
Demonym
Curaçaoan
Government
Constitutional monarchy
-
Monarch
Queen Beatrix
-
Acting Governor
A. van der Pluijm-Vrede
-
Prime Minister
Daniel Hodge[2]
Legislature
Estates of Curaçao
Autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
-
Established
10 October 2010
Area
-
Total
444 km2
171.4 sq mi
Population
-
2010 census
142,180
-
Density
319/km2 (39th)
821/sq mi
GDP (PPP)
2008[3] estimate
-
Total
US$2.838 billion (177th)
-
Per capita
US$20,567 (2009)
Currency
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG)
Time zone
AST (UTC-4)
Drives on the
right
Calling code
+599 9
ISO 3166 code
CW
Internet TLD
.cw, .an c
a.
Interim cabinet.[4]
b.
Ranked as Kingdom of the Netherlands.
c.
To be discontinued.
Curaçao (pron.: /'kj??r?sa?/ KEWR-?-sow; Dutch: Curaçao;[5][6] Papiamentu: Kòrsou) is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao (Dutch: Land Curaçao,[7] Papiamentu: Pais Kòrsou),[8] which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao"), is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Its capital is Willemstad.
Prior to 10 October 2010, when the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, Curaçao was administered as the Island Territory of Curaçao[9] (Dutch: Eilandgebied Curaçao, Papiamentu: Teritorio Insular di Kòrsou), one of five island territories of the former Netherlands Antilles.
Contents
[hide] 1 Etymology
2 History 2.1 Forts
3 Geography 3.1 Flora
3.2 Climate
3.3 Geology
4 Politics
5 Economy 5.1 Tourism
5.2 Aerospace
5.3 Trade
5.4 Prostitution
6 Demographics 6.1 Languages
6.2 Ethnicities
6.3 Religion
7 Education
8 Culture 8.1 Literature
8.2 Cuisine
9 Sports
10 Infrastructure 10.1 Bridges
11 Notable residents 11.1 Arts and culture
11.2 Politics and government
11.3 Sports
12 See also
13 Notes
14 External references
15 External links
[edit] Etymology
Map from 1562 with Curaçao indicated as Qúracao.
The origin of the name Curaçao is debated. The explanation gathering more consensus among the Portuguese and the Spanish is that the word derives from the Portuguese word for the state of becoming cured (curação).[citation needed] The reason for this is that sailors traveling for months in the sea would often contract scurvy. It appears that in one of such long travels, a group of Portuguese sailors landed for the first time in Curação and were cured from scurvy, probably after eating fruit with vitamin C. The island was known from then on as Ilha da Curação (Island of Healing). Another explanation is that it is derived from the Portuguese word for heart (coração), referring to the island as a centre in trade. Spanish traders took the name over as Curaçao, which was followed by the Dutch. Another explanation is that Curaçao was the name the indigenous peoples of Curaçao had used to label themselves.[10]
This theory is supported by early Spanish accounts, which refer to the indigenous peoples as "Indios Curaçaos" which means "Healing Indians" as the aboriginals were likely already aware of the disease called scurvy and its cure from past experience as in North American natives.[citation needed][clarification needed].
The island was known from then on as Ilha da Curação (Island of Healing). Another explanation is that it is derived from the Portuguese word for heart (coração), referring to the island as a centre in trade. Spanish traders took the name over as Curaçao, which was followed by the Dutch. Another explanation is that Curaçao was the name the indigenous peoples of Curaçao had used to label themselves.[11]
This theory is supported by early Spanish accounts, which refer to the indigenous peoples as "Indios Curaçaos" which means "Healing Indians" as the aboriginals were likely already aware of the disease called scurvy and its cure from past experience as in North American natives.[citation needed][clarification needed]
After 1525, the island appeared on Spanish maps as "Curaçote", "Curasaote", and "Curasaore". By the 17th century, the island was known on maps as "Curaçao" or "Curazao".[citation needed]
On a map created by Hieronymus Cock in 1562 in Antwerp, the island was referred to as Qúracao.[12]
Four British Royal Navy ships have been named after the Island between 1809 and 1942. All have used the unusual spelling HMS Curacoa. The last of these was a C-class light cruiser of 1917.
The name "Curaçao" has become associated with a shade of blue, because of the deep-blue version of the liqueur named Curaçao (also known as Blue Curaçao). Today, locally, the island is known as "Dushi Korsou" (Sweet Curaçao).
[citation needed]
[edit] History
Map of Curaçao in 1836.
Main article: History of Curaçao
The original inhabitants of Curaçao were Arawak Amerindians. The first Europeans to see the island were members of a Spanish expedition under the leadership of Alonso de Ojeda in 1499. The Spaniards enslaved most of the indigenous population and forcibly relocated the survivors to other colonies where workers were needed. The island was occupied by the Dutch in 1634.
The Dutch West India Company founded the capital of Willemstad on the banks of an inlet called the 'Schottegat'. Curaçao had been ignored by colonists, because it lacked many things that colonists were interested in such as gold deposits. However, the natural harbour of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade. Commerce and shipping — and piracy—became Curaçao's most important economic activities. In addition, the Dutch West India Company made Curaçao a centre for the Atlantic slave trade in 1662.
In the Franco-Dutch War, Count Jean II d'Estrées planned to attack Curaçao. His fleet — 12 men of war, 3 fireships, 2 transports, a hospital ship, and 12 privateers — met with disaster, losing 7 men of war and 2 other ships when they struck reefs off the Las Aves archipelago due to a navigational error on 11 May 1678, a week after setting sail from Saint Kitts. On Curaçao, a Day of Thanksgiving was observed until far into the 18th century to commemorate the island's fortunate escape from being ravaged by the French.
Although a few plantations were established on the island by the Dutch, the first profitable industry established on Curaçao was salt mining. The mineral was a lucrative export at the time and became one of the major factors responsible for drawing the island into international commerce. Curaçao also became a centre for slave trade during the 17th and 18th centuries.[citation needed] Dutch merchants brought slaves from Africa under a contract with Spain called Asiento. Under this agreement, large numbers of slaves were sold and shipped to various destinations in South America and the Caribbean.
Dutch architecture along Willemstad's harbour.
The slave trade made the island affluent, and led to the construction of impressive colonial buildings. Curaçao features architecture that blends Dutch and Spanish colonial styles. The wide range of historic buildings in and around Willemstad earned the capital a place on UNESCO's world heritage list. Landhouses (former plantation estates) and West African style "kas di pal'i maishi" (former slave dwellings) are scattered all over the island and some of them have been restored and can be visited.
In 1795, a major slave revolt took place under the lead of the Negroes Tula Rigaud, Louis Mercier, Bastian Karpata, and Pedro Wakao. Up to 4000 slaves on the northwest section of the island revolted. Over a thousand of the slaves were involved in heavy gunfights and the Dutch feared for their lives. After a month, the rebellion was crushed.[13]
Curaçao's proximity to South America produced a long-standing influence from the nearby Latin American coast. This is reflected in the architectural similarities between the 19th century parts of Willemstad and the nearby Venezuelan city of Coro in Falcón State, the latter also being a UNESCO world heritage site. In the 19th century, Curaçaoans such as Manuel Piar and Luis Brión were prominently engaged in the wars of independence of Venezuela and Colombia. Political refugees from the mainland (like Bolivar himself) regrouped in Curaçao and children from affluent Venezuelan families were educated on the island.
Luis Brión, a Curaçao-born Venezuelan admiral.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the island changed hands among the British, the French, and the Dutch several times. Stable Dutch rule returned in 1815, at the end of the Napoleonic wars, when the island was incorporated into the colony of Curaçao and Dependencies. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863, creating a change in the economy. Many inhabitants of Curaçao emigrated to other islands, such as Cuba to work in sugar cane plantations.
Other former slaves had no place to go and remained working for the plantation owner in the tenant farmer system.[14] This was an instituted order in which the former slave leased land from his former master. In exchange the tenant promised to give up most of his harvest to the former slave master. This system lasted until the beginning of the 20th century.
In the 19th century, phosphate mining also became significant. All the while, Curaçao's fine deep water ports and ideal location in the Caribbean were crucial in making it a significant centre of commerce.[citation needed]
When in 1914, oil was discovered in the Maracaibo Basin town of Mene Grande, the fortunes of the island were dramatically altered. Royal Dutch Shell and the Dutch Government had built an extensive oil refinery installation on the former site of the slave-trade market at Asiento, thereby establishing an abundant source of employment for the local population and fuelling a wave of immigration from surrounding nations. Curaçao was an ideal site for the refinery as it was away from the social and civil unrest of the South American mainland, but near enough to the Maracaibo Basin oil fields. It had an excellent natural harbor that could accommodate large oil tankers.
The company brought affluence to the island. Large scale housing was provided and Willemstad developed an extensive infrastructure. However, discrepancies appeared among the social groups of Curaçao. The discontent and the antagonisms between Curaçao social groups culminated in rioting and protest on 30 May 1969. The civil unrest fueled a social movement that resulted in the local Afro-Caribbean population attaining more influence over the political process (Anderson and Dynes 1975).
The island developed a tourist industry and offered low corporate taxes to encourage many companies to set up holdings in order to avoid higher taxes elsewhere.
In the mid 1980s Royal Dutch Shell sold the refinery for a symbolic amount to a local government consortium. The aging refinery has been the subject of lawsuits in recent years, which charge that its emissions, including sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, far exceed safety standards.[15] The government consortium currently leases the refinery to the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA.
In recent years, the island had attempted to capitalize on its peculiar history and heritage to expand its tourism industry. On 2 July 1984, the Island Council of Curaçao inaugurated the National Flag and the official anthem of the island. This date was significant as the 30th anniversary of the institution of the first elected island council. Since then, the movement to separate the island from the Antillean federation has steadily become stronger.
Due to an economic slump in recent years, emigration to the Netherlands has been high.[16] Attempts by Dutch politicians to stem this flow of emigration have exacerbated already tense[citation needed] Dutch-Curaçao relations. Immigration from surrounding Caribbean islands, Latin American countries and the Netherlands has taken place.
[edit] Forts
When the Dutch arrived in 1634, they built forts at key points around the island to protect themselves from foreign powers, privateers and pirates. Five of the best preserved forts can still be seen today:
Fort Waterfort (1634)[17]
Fort Amsterdam (1635)[18]
Fort Beekenburg (1703)[19]
Fort Nassau (1797)[20]
Riffort (1828)[21]
Four of these forts are placed in a 2 miles (3.2 km) radius, protecting the island primary natural harbor that once was the center of the slave trade. Waterfort, Fort Amsterdam and Riffort are less than 300 yards (270 m) apart, protecting the entrance to the harbor.
In 1957 Hotel Van der Valk Plaza Curaçao was built on top of the Waterfort.[22] The hotel was sold in 2005 and is now called the Plaza Hotel.[citation needed] Fort Amsterdam now houses government offices, its ministry and the Governor of Curacao.[citation needed] Fort Nassau was built 58 metres (190 ft) above the harbor and now houses the harbor signal and control tower, alongside a restaurant.[citation needed]
The Riffort contains restaurants, and shops. It is located on the opposite side of the Waterfort across the entrance to the harbor. In 2009 the Renaissance Curacao Resort and Casino opened next to the Riffort.[23][24]
[edit] Geography
A map of Curaçao.
Like Aruba and Bonaire, Curaçao is a transcontinental island that is geologically part of South America but is also considered to be part of West Indies and one of the Leeward Antilles. Curaçao's climate, geology, flora and fauna are similar to nearby Paraguaná Peninsula, Guajira Peninsula, Isla Margarita, Araya and the nearby Venezuelan areas of the Coro region and Falcón State.[clarification needed]
The southern coast has calm waters. The coastline has bays and inlets.
The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code CUW and the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code CW has been assigned to Curaçao.[25]
[edit] Flora
The flora of Curaçao differs from the typical tropical island vegetation. Xeric scrublands are common, with various forms of cacti, thorny shrubs, evergreens, and the island's national tree, divi-divis. Curaçao's highest point is the Sint Christoffelberg 375 m (1,230 ft). 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) off the coast of Curaçao, to the south-east, lies the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao").
[edit] Climate
Curaçao has a tropical savannah climate with a dry season from January to September and a wet season from October to December. The temperatures are relatively constant with small differences throughout the year. The trade winds bring cooling during the day and the same trade winds bring warming during the night. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of 26.5 °C (80 °F) and the warmest month is September with an average temperature of 28.9 °C (84 °F). The year's average maximum temperature is 31.2 °C (88 °F). The year's average minimum temperature is 25.3 °C (78 °F).
Curaçao lies outside the hurricane belt, but is still occasionally affected by hurricanes, as for example Hazel in 1954, Anna in 1961 Felix in 2007 and Omar in 2008. A landfall of a hurricane in Curaçao has not occurred since the National Hurricane Center started tracking hurricanes. Curaçao has, however, been directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storms several times; the latest which did so were Tomas in 2010, Cesar in 1996, Joan-Miriam in 1988, Cora and Greta in 1978, Edith and Irene in 1971 and Francelia in 1969. The latest, Tomas, brushed Curaçao as a tropical storm, dropping as much as 265 mm (10.4 in) of precipitation on the territory, nearly half of the annual precipitation in one day.[26] This made Tomas one of the wettest events in the island's history,[27] as well as one of the most devastating; its flooding killed two people and caused over NAƒ60 million (US$28 million) in damage.[28][29]
[hide]Climate data for Curaçao
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
32.8
(91.0)
33.2
(91.8)
33.0
(91.4)
34.7
(94.5)
35.8
(96.4)
37.5
(99.5)
35.0
(95.0)
37.7
(99.9)
38.3
(100.9)
36.0
(96.8)
35.6
(96.1)
33.3
(91.9)
38.3
(100.9)
Average high °C (°F)
29.7
(85.5)
30.0
(86.0)
30.5
(86.9)
31.1
(88.0)
31.6
(88.9)
32.0
(89.6)
31.9
(89.4)
32.4
(90.3)
32.6
(90.7)
31.9
(89.4)
31.1
(88.0)
30.1
(86.2)
31.2
(88.2)
Average low °C (°F)
24.3
(75.7)
24.4
(75.9)
24.8
(76.6)
25.5
(77.9)
26.3
(79.3)
26.4
(79.5)
26.1
(79.0)
26.3
(79.3)
26.5
(79.7)
26.2
(79.2)
25.6
(78.1)
24.8
(76.6)
25.6
(78.1)
Record low °C (°F)
20.3
(68.5)
20.6
(69.1)
21.0
(69.8)
22.0
(71.6)
21.6
(70.9)
22.6
(72.7)
22.4
(72.3)
21.3
(70.3)
21.7
(71.1)
21.9
(71.4)
22.2
(72.0)
21.1
(70.0)
20.3
(68.5)
Precipitation mm (inches)
44.7
(1.76)
25.5
(1.004)
14.2
(0.559)
19.6
(0.772)
19.6
(0.772)
19.3
(0.76)
40.2
(1.583)
41.5
(1.634)
48.6
(1.913)
83.7
(3.295)
96.7
(3.807)
99.8
(3.929)
553.4
(21.787)
Mean monthly sunshine hours
254.2
245.8
266.6
237.0
241.8
255.0
282.1
288.3
255.0
244.9
228.0
232.5
3,031.2
Source #1: [30]
Source #2: Hong Kong Observatory (sun only).[31]
[edit] Geology
The northern sea floor drops steeply within 200 feet (61 m) of the shore. This drop-off is known as the "blue edge".
[edit] Politics
The Groot Davelaar, one of approximately 100 plantation houses on the island.
Curaçao
This article is part of the series:
Politics and government of
Curaçao
Constitution
Acting Governor Adèle van der Pluijm-Vrede
Prime Minister Daniel Hodge
Estates
Political parties
Elections: 2010, 2012
Referendums: 1993, 2005, 2009
Other countries ·
Atlas
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Main article: Politics of Curaçao
Curaçao gained self-government on 1 January 1954, as an island territory of the Netherlands Antilles. Despite this, the islanders did not fully participate in the political process until after the social movements of the late 1960s. In the 2000s, the political relationship with the other islands of the Netherlands Antilles, and with the Netherlands, came under discussion again.
In a referendum held on 8 April 2005, the residents voted for separate status outside the Netherlands Antilles, similar to Aruba, rejecting the options for full independence, becoming part of the Netherlands, or retaining the status quo. In 2006, Emily de Jongh-Elhage, a resident of Curaçao, was elected as the new prime minister of the Netherlands Antilles.
On 1 July 2007, the island of Curaçao was due to become a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. On 28 November 2006, the island council rejected a clarification memorandum on the process. On 9 July 2007, the new island council of Curaçao ratified the agreement previously rejected in November 2006.[32] On 15 December 2008, Curaçao was scheduled to become a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (like Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles that time). A non-binding referendum on this plan took place in Curaçao on 15 May 2009, in which 52 percent of the voters supported these plans.[33]
The Dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles came into effect on 10 October 2010.[34] Curaçao became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with the Kingdom retaining responsibility for defence and foreign policy. The Kingdom was also to oversee the island's finances under a debt-relief arrangement agreed between the two.[35] Curaçao's first Prime Minister was Gerrit Schotte. He was succeeded in 2012 by Stanley Betrian, ad interim. After elections in 2012 Daniel Hodge became the third prime minister on 31 December 2012.[2]
[edit] Economy
Main article: Economy of Curaçao
Curaçao has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean, with a GDP per capita of US$ 20,500 (2009 est.)[clarification needed] and a well-developed infrastructure. The main industries of the island include oil refining, tourism and financial services. Shipping, international trade, and other activities related to the port of Willemstad (like the Free Zone) make a contribution to the economy. To achieve the government's aims to make its economy more diverse, significant efforts are being made to attract more foreign investments. This policy, called the 'Open Arms' policy, has as one of its main features a heavy focus on information technology companies.[36][37][38] The island has a diverse economy which does not rely mostly on tourism alone.
[edit] Tourism
There are coral reefs, used for scuba diving, which can be reached without a boat. The southern coast has calm waters and therefore the majority of diving locations. The coastline of Curaçao also features many bays and inlets, where boats are moored.
Some of the coral reefs are affected by tourism. Porto Marie Beach is experimenting with artificial coral reefs in order to improve the reef's condition. Hundreds of artificial coral blocks that have been placed are now home to a large array of tropical fish.
Seaquarium Beach
The most well-known beaches of Curaçao are:[39]
Baya Beach
Blue Bay (Blauwbaai)
Daaibooi
Grote Knip (Playa Abou)
Kleine Knip (Kenepa Chiki)
Playa Forti
Playa Gipy
Playa Jeremi
Playa Kalki
Playa Kanoa
Playa Lagun
Playa Porto Marie
Playa Santa Cruz
Santa Barbara Beach
Seaquarium Beach
Westpunt
[edit] Aerospace
Beginning in January 2014, the Lynx rocketplane is expected to be flying suborbital space tourism flights and scientific research missions from a new spaceport on Curaçao.[40][41]
[edit] Trade
Curaçao has business ties with the United States, Venezuela, and the European Union. It has an Association Agreement with the European Union which allows companies which do business in and via Curaçao to export many products to European markets,[42] free of import duties and quotas. It is also a participant in the US Caribbean Basin Initiative allowing it to have preferential access to the US market.[43]
[edit] Prostitution
Prostitution is legal. A large open-air brothel called "Le Mirage" or "Campo Alegre" operates near the airport since the 1940s. Curaçao monitors, contains and regulates the industry. The government states that the workers in these establishments are thereby given a safe environment and access to medical practitioners.[44]
The U.S. State Department has cited anecdotal evidence claiming that,"Curaçao...[is a] destination island... for women trafficked for the sex trade from Peru, Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, according to local observers. At least 500 foreign women reportedly are in prostitution throughout the five islands of the Antilles, some of whom have been trafficked."[45] The US state department also claims that the government of Curaçao frequently underestimates the extent of human trafficking problems.[45]
[edit] Demographics
[edit] Languages
Curaçao is a polyglot society. As part of the Netherlands, the official language is Dutch.[46] Historically Dutch was not widely spoken on the island outside of colonial administration; its use increased in the late 19th and early 20th century.[47] According to the 2001 Census, it is the primary language of 8% of the population.[48] The most widely spoken language is Papiamentu, the main language of 81.2% of the populace.[48] A creole language thought to have evolved to facilitate communication among slaves from different parts of Africa, it is spoken in all levels of society.[46] Papiamentu was introduced as a language of primary school education in 1993, making Curaçao one of a handful of places where a creole language is used as a medium to acquire basic literacy.[49]
Spanish and English also have a long historical presence in Curaçao. Spanish became an important language in the 18th century due to the close economic ties with Spanish colonies in what are now Venezuela and Colombia.[47] Today it is the primary language of 4% of the people.[48] English use dates to the early 19th century, when the British took Curaçao and Bonaire. When Dutch rule resumed in 1815, officials already noted wide use of the language.[47] Today, it is the primary language of 2.9% of the populace.[48]
[edit] Ethnicities
A Bulawaya dance.
Because of its history, the island's population comes from many ethnic backgrounds. There is an Afro-Caribbean majority of African descent, and also sizeable minorities of Dutch, Latin American, French, South Asian, East Asian, Portuguese and Levantine people. The Sephardic Jews who arrived from the Netherlands and then-Dutch Brazil since the 17th century have had a significant influence on the culture and economy of the island. The years before and after World War II also saw an influx of Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe, many of whom were Romanian Jews.
In the early 19th century, many Portuguese and Lebanese migrated to Curaçao attracted by the financial possibilities of the island. East and South Asian migrants arrived during the economic boom of the early 20th century. There are also many recent immigrants from neighbouring countries, most notably Venezuela, but also from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, the Anglophone Caribbean and Colombia. In recent years the influx of Dutch pensioners has increased significantly, dubbed locally as pensionados.
[edit] Religion
According to the 2001 census, the majority of the inhabitants of Curaçao are Roman Catholic (85%). This includes a shift towards the Charismatic Renewal or Charismatic movement since the mid-seventies. Other major denominations are the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the Methodist Church. Alongside these Christian denominations, some inhabitants practice Montamentu, and other diaspora African religions. Like elsewhere in Latin America, Pentecostalism is on the rise. There are also practising Muslims and Hindus.
Though small in size, Curaçao's Jewish community has a significant impact on history. Curaçao is home to the oldest active Jewish congregation in the Americas, dating to 1651. The Curaçao synagogue is the oldest synagogue of the Americas in continuous use, since its completion in 1732 on the site of a previous synagogue. The Jewish Community of Curaçao also played a key role in supporting early Jewish congregations in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries, including in New York City and the Touro Synagogue.[citation needed]
[edit] Education
Historically, education on Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire had been predominantly in Spanish up until the late 19th century. There were also efforts to introduce bilingual popular education in Dutch and Papiamentu in the late 19th century (van Putte 1999). Dutch was made the sole language of instruction in the educational system in the early 20th century to facilitate education for the offspring of expatriate employees of Royal Dutch Shell (Romer, 1999). Papiamentu was tentatively re-introduced in the school curriculum during the mid-1980s. Recent political debate has centered on the issue of Papiamentu becoming the sole language of instruction. Proponents of making Papiamentu the sole language of instruction argue that it will help preserve the language and will improve the quality of primary and secondary school education. Proponents of Dutch-language instruction argue that students who study in Dutch will be better prepared for the university education offered to Curaçao residents in the Netherlands.
Public education is based on the Dutch educational system and besides the public schools, private and parochial schools are also available. Since the introduction of a new public education law in 1992, compulsory primary education starts at age six and continues six years, secondary lasts for another five.[50]
The main institute of higher learning is the University of Curaçao, enrolling 2,100 students.[50]
[edit] Culture
[edit] Literature
Despite the island's relatively small population, the diversity of languages and cultural influences on Curaçao have generated a remarkable literary tradition, primarily in Dutch and Papiamentu. The oral traditions of the Arawak indigenous peoples are lost. West African slaves brought the tales of Anansi, thus forming the basis of Papiamentu literature. The first published work in Papiamentu was a poem by Joseph Sickman Corsen entitled Atardi, published in the La Cruz newspaper in 1905. Throughout Curaçaoan literature, narrative techniques and metaphors best characterized as magic realism tend to predominate. Novelists and poets from Curaçao have made an impressive contribution to Caribbean and Dutch literature. Best known are Cola Debrot, Frank Martinus Arion, Pierre Lauffer, Elis Juliana,Guillermo Rosario, Boeli van Leeuwen and Tip Marugg.
[edit] Cuisine
Local food is called Kriyoyo (pronounced the same as criollo, the Spanish word for "Creole") and boasts a blend of flavours and techniques best compared to Caribbean cuisine and Latin American cuisine. Dishes common in Curaçao are found in Aruba and Bonaire as well. Popular dishes include: stobá (a stew made with various ingredients such as papaya, beef or goat), Guiambo (soup made from okra and seafood), kadushi (cactus soup), sopi mondongo (intestine soup), funchi (cornmeal paste similar to fufu, ugali and polenta) and a lot of fish and other seafood. The ubiquitous side dish is fried plantain. Local bread rolls are made according to a Portuguese recipe. All around the island, there are snèk's which serve local dishes as well as alcoholic drinks in a manner akin to the English public house.
The ubiquitous breakfast dish is pastechi: fried pastry with fillings of cheese, tuna, ham, or ground meat. Around the holiday season special dishes are consumed, such as the hallaca and pekelé, made out of salt cod. At weddings and other special occasions a variety of kos dushi are served: kokada (coconut sweets), ko'i lechi (condensed milk and sugar sweet) and tentalaria (peanut sweets). The Curaçao liqueur was developed here, when a local experimented with the rinds of the local citrus fruit known as laraha. Surinamese, Chinese, Indonesian, Indian and Dutch culinary influences also abound. The island also has many Chinese restaurants that serve mainly Indonesian dishes such as satay, nasi goreng and lumpia (which are all Indonesian names for the dishes). Dutch specialties such as croquettes and oliebollen are widely served in homes and restaurants.
[edit] Sports
In 2004, the Little League Baseball team from Willemstad, Curaçao, won the title game against the United States champion from Thousand Oaks, California. The Willemstad lineup featured Jurickson Profar, the standout shortstop prospect who now plays for the Texas Rangers organization of the MLB.
In the 2006 World Baseball Classic, Curaçaoans played for the Netherlands team. Shairon Martis, born in Willemstad, provided the highlight of the tournament for the Dutch team by throwing a seven-inning no-hitter against Panama (the game was stopped due to the mercy rule).
The 2010 documentary film, Boys of Summer,[51] details Curaçao's Pabao Little League All-Stars winning their country's eighth straight championship at the 2008 Little League World Series, then going on to defeat many formidable teams, including Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and earning a spot in Williamsport.
The prevailing trade winds and warm water make Curaçao a location for windsurfing.[52][53] One factor is that the deep water around Curaçao makes it difficult to lay marks for major windsurfing events, thus hindering the island's success as a windsurfing destination.
There is warm, clear water around the island. Scuba divers and snorkelers may have visibility up to 30m (98 ft) at the Curaçao Underwater Marine Park, which stretches along 20 km (12.43 mi) of Curaçao's southern coastline.[54]
[edit] Infrastructure
[edit] Bridges
The Queen Emma and Queen Juliana bridges.
The Queen Emma pontoon bridge, 67 metres (220 ft) long, connects pedestrians between the Punda and Otrobanda districts.[55] This swings open to allow the passage of ships to and from the port.[56]
The Queen Juliana Bridge connects mobile traffic between the same two districts. At 185 feet (56 m) above the sea, it is one of the highest bridges in the world.[56]
[edit] Notable residents
People from Curaçao include:
[edit] Arts and culture
Izaline Calister, singer/songwriter
Peter Hartman, CEO of KLM
Ingrid Hoffman, American television personality and restaurateur, chef on Food Network
Kizzy McHugh, a singer songwriter and television personality based in the United States
Robby Müller, cinematographer, closely associated with Wim Wenders and Jim Jarmusch
Pernell Saturnino, a graduated percussionist of Berklee College of Music
[edit] Politics and government
Luis Brión, admiral in the Venezuelan War of Independence
Moises Frumencio da Costa Gomez, first Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles
Daniel De Leon, a socialist leader
George Maduro, a war hero and namesake of Madurodam in The Hague
Manuel Carlos Piar, general and competitor of Bolivar during the Venezuelan War of Independence
Tula, leader of the 1795 slave revolt
[edit] Sports
Baseball
See also: Netherlands Antilles national baseball team
Players in Major League Baseball:
Wladimir Balentien, outfielder recently playing for the Cincinnati Reds now in Tokyo Yakult Swallows
Roger Bernadina, outfielder as of 2011 playing for the Washington Nationals
Didi Gregorius, plays for the Arizona Diamondbacks[citation needed]
Kenley Jansen, pitcher currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Andruw Jones, outfielder currently playing for the New York Yankees
Jair Jurrjens, pitcher currently playing for the Atlanta Braves
Shairon Martis, pitcher, as of 2011 playing for the Washington Nationals
Jurickson Profar, infielder for the Texas Rangers
Jonathan Schoop, top prospect infielder for the Baltimore Orioles
Andrelton Simmons, shortstop currently playing for the Atlanta Braves
Former players:
Hensley Meulens, former player and current hitting coach for the San Francisco Giants
Randall Simon, former first baseman
Football
See also: Curaçao national football team
Vurnon Anita, a football player for Newcastle United in the British Premier League
Roly Bonevacia, a footballer who currently plays for Ajax Amsterdam in the Dutch Eredivisie
Timothy Cathalina, football player currently playing for SV Spakenburg in the Dutch Eerste Divisie
Angelo Cijntje, footballer who currently plays for SC Veendam in the Dutch Eerste Divisie
Dyron Daal, a footballer who currently plays for KGF in the Vietnamese V-League
Raily Ignacio, footballer who played for SV Spakenburg in the Dutch Eerste Divisie
Tyrone Maria, footballer who currently plays for SV Bubali in the Aruban Division di Honor
Cuco Martina, footballer who plays for RKC Waalwijk in the Dutch Eredivisie
Javier Martina, footballer who plays for FC Dordrecht in the Dutch Eerste Divisie
Rihairo Meulens, footballer who currently plays for Almere City in the Dutch Eerste Divisie
Gregory van der Wiel, footballer currently playing for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Ligue 1
Jetro Willems, footballer currently playing for PSV in the Dutch Eredivisie
Other sports Marc de Maar, professional cyclist
Churandy Martina, gold medalist 100m at the Pan American Games 2007
Jean-Julien Rojer, professional tennis player
[edit] See also
Geography portal
North America portal
Caribbean portal
Netherlands portal
Caribbean Sea
Curaçao (liqueur)
Aron Mendes Chumaceiro
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Leeward Antilles
Rodents of Curaçao
[edit] Notes
1.^ "CIA The World Factbook Curaçao". cia.gov. Retrieved 2011-12-17.
2.^ a b "Curacao heeft een tussenkabinet, dat vooral moet bezuinigen" (in Dutch). 31 December 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
3.^ COUNTRY COMPARISON GDP PURCHASING POWER PARITY, Central Intelligence Agency.
4.^ (Dutch) Crisis na benoeming op Curaçao, Nederlandse Omroep Stichting.
5.^ Dutch pronunciation: [kyr?'s?u?]
6.^ Mangold, Max (2005). "Curaçao". In Dr. Franziska Münzberg. Aussprachewörterbuch. Mannheim: Duden Verlag. ISBN 978-3-411-04066-7. Retrieved 2011-06-16.
7.^ Formal name according to Art. 1 para 1 Constitution of Curaçao (Dutch version)
8.^ Formal name according to Art. 1 para 1 Constitution of Curaçao (Papiamentu version)
9.^ English name used by government of Curaçao and Government of Netherlands Antilles (English is official language of Netherlands Antilles and Island Territory of Curaçao)
10.^ Joubert and Van Buurt, 1994
11.^ Joubert and Van Buurt, 1994
12.^ Cock's 1562 map at the Library of Congress website
13.^ "Curaçao History". Papiamentu.net. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
14.^ Called "Paga Tera"
15.^ "Curaçao refinery sputters on, despite emissions". Reuters. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
16.^ [www.wodc.nl/images/ob299-summary_tcm44-402600.pdf]
17.^ Waterfort
18.^ Fort Amsterdam
19.^ Fort Beekenburg
20.^ Fort Nassau
21.^ Riffort
22.^ "on top of the Waterfort"
23.^ (2011) GEA Curacao. Ref. AR 48811 - Aqua Spa B.V. vs Renaissance Curacao Resort & Casino (Riffort Village N.V.) - Riffort Village Exploitatie Maatschappij N.V. - Aruba Bank N.V.
24.^ Lien on Renaissance Bank Accounts. Amigoe Newspaper, 31 May 2011
25.^ "ISO 3166-1 decoding table". International Organization for Standardization. Retrieved 2010-12-16.
26.^ (Dutch) "Doden door noodweer op Curaçao". Netherlands National News Agency. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 1 November 2010.
27.^ (Dutch) Staff Writer (2 November 2010). "Damdoorbraken in Curaçao door storm Tomas". Nieuws.nl. Retrieved 2 November 2010.
28.^ (Dutch) Elisa Koek (6 November 2010). "50 miljoen schade". versgeperst.com.
29.^ Redactie Aworaki (2 November 2010). "Twee doden op Curaçao door Tropische Storm Tomas". Aworaki.nl.
30.^ "Climatological Summary for Curaçao". Meteorological service of Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. May 2011.
31.^ Climatological Information for Curacao, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba, accessed 26 March 2012.
32.^ The Daily Herald St. Maarten (2007-07-09). "Curaçao IC ratifies 2 November accord". Archived from the original on 11 July 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-13.
33.^ "Curaçao referendum approves increasing autonomy". Newser. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
34.^ "NOS Nieuws – Antillen opgeheven op 10-10-2010". Nos.nl. 2009-11-18. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
35.^ "Status change means Dutch Antilles no longer exists". BBC News. 2010-10-10.
36.^ "1609_1_DEZ_Manual_binnenw.qxd" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-10-10.
37.^ Mindmagnet.com (2001-03-01). "Ecommerce at Curaçao Corporate". Ecommerceatcuracao.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
38.^ "Economic Data Overview". Investcuracao.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
39.^ By Frommer'S (2006-11-20). "Curaçao Beaches, New York Times". Travel.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2011-12-17.
40.^ Staff writers (October 6, 2010). "Space Experience Curaçao Announces Wet Lease of XCOR Lynx Suborbital". Space Media Network Promotions. Space-Travel.com. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
41.^ "Space Experience Curaçao". Home. Space Experience Curaçao. 2009-2010. Retrieved 2010-10-06.
42.^ EU Trade Program[dead link]
43.^ "USTR – Caribbean Basin Initiative". Ustr.gov. 2000-10-01. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
44.^ "Curacao's X-Rated Resort". Global Writes. 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2012.
45.^ a b "Trafficking in Persons Report". U.S. State Dept.. 2010-05-01. pp. 192.
46.^ a b "Language: Curacao Languages". curacao.com. Curaçao Tourist Board. 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
47.^ a b c Dede pikiña ku su bisiña: Papiamentu-Nederlands en de onverwerkt verleden tijd. van Putte, Florimon., 1999. Zutphen: de Walburg Pers
48.^ a b c d "Households by the most spoken language in the household Population and Housing Census 2001". Central Bureau of Statistics.
49.^ Anthony Liddicoat (15 June 2007). Language planning and policy: issues in language planning and literacy. Multilingual Matters. p. 149. ISBN 978-1-85359-977-4. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
50.^ a b South America, Central America and the Caribbean 2003 – Page 593. Books.google.com. Retrieved 2011-12-17.
51.^ Boys of Summer
52.^ Curaçao's Caribbean sister islands, Aruba and Bonaire, are well known in the windsurfing world. Curaçao, which receives the same Caribbean trade winds as its siblings, has remained undiscovered by traveling windsurfers
53.^ Motion Magazine, June 2005
54.^ "Frommers Guide to Curaçao water sports". New York Times. 20 November 2006.
55.^ [1]
56.^ a b [2]
[edit] External references
Habitantenan di Kòrsou, sinku siglo di pena i gloria: 1499–1999. Römer-Kenepa, NC, Gibbes, FE, Skriwanek, MA., 1999. Curaçao: Fundashon Curaçao 500.
Social movements, violence, and change: the May Movement in Curaçao. WA Anderson, RR Dynes, 1975. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
Stemmen uit het Verleden. Van Buurt, G., Joubert, S., 1994, Curaçao.
Het Patroon van de Oude Curaçaose Samenleving. Hoetink, H., 1987. Amsterdam: Emmering.
Dede pikiña ku su bisiña: Papiamentu-Nederlands en de onverwerkt verleden tijd. van Putte, Florimon., 1999. Zutphen: de Walburg Pers
[edit] External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Curaçao
Halman, Johannes and Robert Rojer (2008). Jan Gerard Palm Music Scores: Waltzes, Mazurkas, Danzas, Tumbas, Polkas, Marches, Fantasies, Serenades, a Galop and Music Composed for Services in the Synagogue and the Lodge. Amsterdam: Broekmans en Van Poppel.
Halman, Johannes I.M. and Rojer, Robert A. (2008). Jan Gerard Palm: Life and Work of a Musical Patriarch in Curaçao (In Dutch language). Leiden: KITLV.
Palm, Edgar (1978). Muziek en musici van de Nederlandse Antillen. Curaçao: E. Palm.
Boskaljon, Rudolph (1958). Honderd jaar muziekleven op Curaçao. Anjerpublicaties 3. Assen: Uitg. in samenwerking met het Prins Bernhard fonds Nederlandse Antillen door Van Gorcum.
Curaçao-gov.an Official website of the government of Curaçao
Curacao general information
Curaçao entry at The World Factbook
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Coordinates: 12°11'N 69°00'W
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