Curaçao
Curaçao defies simple categorization. It ranks #18 in co2 emissions, yet surprisingly lags in forest coverage. Test your assumptions about Curaçao.
Curaçao is a country in North America with a population of 153.3K and an area of 444 km². Life expectancy is 76.8 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
CO2 Per Capita
12.344How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
Population Density
348.32How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
GDP Per Capita
$27.7KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
32.7KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Expectancy
76.8 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Life Expectancy
76.8 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🌱CO2 Per Capita
12.344How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
🌱Electricity Access (%)
100.0%The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
👥Population Density
348.32How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
🚀Education Spending (% GDP)
5.4%Government spending on education as a percentage of GDP.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #209 in forest area
Forest Area: 0.70
Total forest area in square kilometers, including natural and planted trees at least 5 meters tall.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #215 in airports
Airports: 1.00
Total airports from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #192 in land area
Land Area: 444
Total land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
World Bank 2023Ranks #27 globally in electricity access (%)
Electricity Access (%): 100.0%
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
World Bank 2023Ranks #32 globally in population density
Population Density: 348.32
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Curaçao Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Curaçao
The original Arawak Indian settlers who arrived on Curaçao from South America in about A.D. 1000 were largely enslaved by the Spanish early in the 16th century and forcibly relocated to other colonies where labor was needed. The Dutch seized Curaçao from the Spanish in 1634. Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade, Curaçao was hard hit economically when the Dutch abolished 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 oilfields. In 1954, Curaçao and several other Dutch Caribbean colonies were reorganized as the Netherlands Antilles, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In referenda in 2005 and 2009, the citizens of Curaçao voted to become a self-governing country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The change in status became effective in 2010 with the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles.
- Location
- Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, 55 km off the coast of Venezuela
- Climate
- tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semiarid with average rainfall of 60 cm/year
- Terrain
- generally low, hilly terrain
- Natural Resources
- calcium phosphates, protected harbors, hot springs
- Natural Hazards
- Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
- Size Comparison
- more than twice the size of Washington, D.C.
- Languages
- Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 72.8%, Pentecostal 6.6%, Protestant 3.2%, Adventist 3%, Jehovah's Witness 2%, Evangelical 1.9%, other 3.8%, none 6%, unspecified 0.6% (2011 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Curacaoan 75.4%, Dutch 6%, Dominican 3.6%, Colombian 3%, Bonairean, Sint Eustatian, Saban 1.5%, Haitian 1.2%, Surinamese 1.2%, Venezuelan 1.1%, Aruban 1.1%, other 5%, unspecified 0.9% (2011 est.)
- Major Cities
- 144,000 WILLEMSTAD (capital) (2018)
- Government Type
- parliamentary democracy
- Capital
- Willemstad
- Capital Coordinates
- 12 06 N, 68 55 W
- Capital Timezone
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Country of Curacao
- Name Origin
- the origin of the name is disputed; many historians now agree that the name derives from a similar-sounding word the original inhabitants used to describe themselves
- Independence
- none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- National Symbols
- laraha (citrus tree)
- National Anthem
- "Himmo di Korsou" (Anthem of Curacao)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 1 (cultural); note - excerpted from the Netherlands entry
- Overview
- high-income island economy; developed infrastructure; tourism and financial services-based economy; investing in information technology incentives; oil refineries service Venezuela and China
- Industries
- tourism, petroleum refining, petroleum transshipment, light manufacturing, financial and business services
- Agricultural Products
- aloe, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit
- Export Partners
- Armenia 57%, USA 15%, Guyana 5%, Dominican Republic 4%, Netherlands 2% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- diamonds, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, petroleum coke (2023)
- Import Partners
- USA 39%, Netherlands 24%, China 6%, Colombia 5%, Brazil 3% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, cars, garments, plastic products, packaged medicine (2023)
- Military Forces
- Curaçao Militia (CURMIL); Curaçao Volunteer Corps; Curacao Police Force (Korps Politie Curacao) (2025)
- Broadcast Media
- government-run TeleCuracao operates a TV station and a radio station; 2 other privately owned TV stations and several privately owned radio stations (2019)
Deep Dive
36 of 41 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Aruba
Venezuela
Puerto RicoCountries with Similar GDP
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Anguilla
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Barbados
BelizeShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Curaçao!
How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
Frequently Asked Questions about Curaçao
Curaçao has a population of 153.3K, ranking #185 globally by population.
Curaçao is located in North America. It has an area of 444 km².
Life expectancy in Curaçao is 76.8 years, ranking #83 globally.
Curaçao's GDP per capita (PPP) is 32.7K, ranking #75 globally.
Curaçao ranks particularly high in CO2 Per Capita (#18), Population Density (#32), GDP Per Capita (#75).
Curaçao has a population density of 348.3 people per km², ranking #32 globally.
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