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Curacao |
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The largest and most populous of the five Leeward Antilles islands; Curacao and Bonaire are located off the north coast of Venezuela, and St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius lie east of the US Virgin Islands |
| Country Fact Sheet |
| Capital
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Willemstad |
| Surface
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444 sq km |
| Currency
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The Netherlands Antilles Guilder or Florin (ANG or NAFl). 1 ANG = 0.56 USD = 0.31 GBP. US currency is accepted |
| GDP
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Purchasing power parity - $1.6 billion |
| GDP/Capita
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Purchasing power parity - $11,500 |
| Language
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Papiamento (mixture of African, Spanish, Dutch and English), Dutch is the official language, English and Spanish are spoken |
| Religion
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Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Jewish |
| Government
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Curacao is an autonomous state within the kingdom of the Netherlands. Governor: Frits Goedgedrag |
| Time Zone
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GMT -4 hours |
| Telecom Code
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+599 |
| Airport
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Curacao Airport (CUR) |
| Driving
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On right hand side of the road, license required |
| Electrical
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110~130 volts, 50 Hz |
| Political Climate
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Stable country |
| Population
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150,000 people |
| History |
The Arawaks are recognized as the first human civilization to inhabit the Netherlands Antilles. A Spanish expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda discovered the island of Curaçao for Spain in 1499, and it remained under the Spanish until the Dutch took control in 1634. Curaçao was a strategically important point for Dutch military advances against the Spanish and as the center of the Caribbean slave trade. Curaçao became the host of the Netherlands Antilles Government in 1954. Island rivalries are at least as important as ideological ones in Netherlands Antilles politics. The most recent election in January 2002 returned no party with more than five seats (out of 22) in the Staten. The present Government is a six-party coalition led by the FOL under the premiership of Mirna Louisa-Godett. Of the main parties, only the PAR, still led by the veteran politician and former Premier Miguel Fournier, is excluded. In the referendum held in April 2005 on Curaçao, the citizens of the island expressed themselves in favor of an autonomous status for Curaçao in the Dutch Kingdom. The Island Council of the Island Territory of Curaçao formally ratified the results of the referendum a week later. Efforts will be made to realise the status of an autonomous state for Curaçao by July 2007.
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| Local Business & Service Providers |
| Accommodation |
| Automotive services |
| Business travel |
| Corporate incentives |
| Financial services |
| Financial Technology |
| Intellectual Property |
| Legal and fiduciary |
| Lifestyle |
| Technology |
| Local Radio |
| » 1440 Radio Kelkoboom |
| » 93.0 Radio Caruso Booy (Aruba) |
| Local Weather Forecast |
| Government Agencies |
| » Curacao Chamber of Commerce & Industry |
| » Curacao Government |
| » Invest Curacao |
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