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Curaçao
World Heritage
Part of Willemstad is on the Unesco World Heritage List. The Dutch have left their lasting mark on Curaçao in many areas,
but perhaps none is as striking as the architecture. Nowhere else in the world are there so many exquisite 17th and 18th century
Dutch colonial buildings. The city of Willemstad dates from the Dutch conquest of 1634.
Population
About 130,000 and is made up of about 50 nationalities.
Climate
Located in the tropics, just 12° north of the Equator. Curaçao has a warm, sunny climate year round. The average temperature
is about 27° C ( mid 80s F). Refreshing trade winds blow constantly from the east, picking up in the spring months.
Location
Curaçao is located in the southwestern Caribbean. The largest of the Netherlands Antilles, it is 38 miles (60 km) long
and from 2 to 7.5 miles ( 3-12 km) wide. It is located just 35 miles (56 km) north of Venezuela and only 2 1/2 hours by air
from Miami, 8 hours flying time from Amsterdam.
Curaçao is outside the hurricane belt, making it a sure holiday destination for good weather year round. Take sensible
precautions against the tropical sun, especially between 10 AM and 3 PM. Sun screen, sunglasses and a hat are recommended,
as well as a light beach cover-up. Neither the trade winds nor clouds will protect you from sunburn.
Government
Curaçao, Bonaire and St. Maarten, St. Eustatius, Saba (three islands in the north eastern Caribbean), form the Netherlands
Antilles, an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (The Netherlands, The Netherlands Antilles and Aruba).
Nationality
Curaçaoans are Dutch nationals and carry European Union passports.
Language
Papiamento, but Dutch is the official language. Curaçaoans also speak English and Spanish.
Capital
Willemstad is the island's capital and only city.
The Flag
Curaçao's flag portrays the blue sea and sky, bisected by the yellow sun. The two stars represent Curaçao and its uninhabited
sister island Klein Curaçao; their five points symbolize the five continents from which the varied local population originates.
The flag next to the Curaçao flag on the map is from The Netherlands and next to this flag is the flag of The Netherlands
Antilles
Time Zone
Curaçao is on Atlantic Standard Time (GMT -4 hours) and no daylight saving: one hour earlier than US Eastern Standard
Time (the same time as Eastern Daylight Savings Time).
Water
Curaçaoans distill their tap water directly from the sea, making it very pure, and very nice to drink.
Electricity
127/220 Volt 50 Hertz, 3 fase electricity net, which means standard wall-outlet is 127 Volt/50 Hertz. By the end of 2005
the island will be on the European standard of 230/400 Volt 50 Hertz.
Money
The Netherlands Antillean guilder (also called the florin), abbreviated Naf or ANG is the national currency. It is pegged
to the US dollar at a stable rate of US$ 1 = NAf 1.77 for cash, 1.78 for traveler's checks.
Beaches
Curaçao has some 30 public and private beaches, ranging from intimate rocky coves to long strands bustling with activity.
Underwater world
Curacao's waters are teeming with underwater life: multicolored parrot fish, silvery barracuda, spotted French angelfish
and colorful butterfly fish are just some of the varieties youre apt to see.
Museum
There are several museum on the island, especially Museum Kura Hulanda, with a permanent exhibition on Africa and slavery
on Curaçao.
Welcome
Bon Bini in Papiamento
Curaçao Tourism Bureau
For more information about Curaçao visit the
Curaçao Tourism Bureau web-site:
www.curacao.com
www.curacaofreaks.nl
Nature Curaçao
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