Countries
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Military branches: no regular military forces; the Dutch government controls foreign and defence policy; Dutch Caribbean Coastguard (DCCG) provides coastline defense; one battalion of Dutch marines provide land forces
Military service age and obligation: no conscription
Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Airports: 1
country comparison to the world: 216
Roadways: total: 550 km
country comparison to the world: 191
Ports and terminals: Bullen Baai, Fuik Bay, Willemstad
Broadcast media:government-run Telecuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; several privately-owned radio stations
Internet country code: .cw
Tourism, petroleum refining, and offshore finance are the mainstays of this small economy, which is closely tied to the outside world. Although GDP grew slightly during the past decade, the island enjoys a high per capita income and a well-developed infrastructure compared with other countries in the region. Curacao has an excellent natural harbor that can accommodate large oil tankers. The Venezuelan state oil company leases the single refinery on the island from the government; most of the oil for the refinery is imported from Venezuela; most of the refined products are exported to the US. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, Brazil, Italy, and Mexico being the major suppliers. The government is attempting to diversify its industry and trade and has signed an Association Agreement with the EU to expand business there. Poor soils and inadequate water supplies hamper the development of agriculture. Budgetary problems complicate reform of the health and pension systems for an aging population.
Dependency status: constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs granted in 2010; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Government type: parliamentary
Administrative divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system with some English common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Languages: Papiamentu (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 81.2%, Dutch (official) 8%, Spanish 4%, English 2.9%, other 3.9%
Religions: Roman Catholic 80.1%, Protestant 11.2% (Pentecostal 3.5%, Seventh-Day Adventist 2.2%, other Protestant 5.5%), none 4.6%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.7%, Jewish 0.8%, other 1.3%, not reported 0.3%
Population: 145,834
country comparison to the world: 187
Net migration rate: 1.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 48
Life expectancy at birth:
males: 72.4 years
females: 80.1 years
Total fertility rate: 2.09 children born/woman
country comparison to the world: 116
Location: Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 364 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Climate: tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semi-arid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year
Terrain: generally low, hilly terrain
Natural resources: calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
Land use: arable land: 10%, permanent crops: 0%, other: 90%
Natural hazards: Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Geography - note: Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group
Originally settled by Arawak Indians, Curacao was seized by the Dutch in 1634 along with the neighboring island of Bonaire. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curacao was hard hit economically by the abolition of slavery in 1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in the early 20th century with the construction of the Isla Refineria to service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. In 1954, Curacao and several other Dutch Caribbean possessions were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curacao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in October 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
Curaçao
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