Curacao
With an area of 470 km2, Curaçao is an island that stretches over sixty km from south-east to north-west, a width of 16 km. This makes it the largest island in the Dutch Caribbean island group. Its coastline which lies along the south is irregular, dotted with small bays and coves which are simply magnificent. They offer a hallucinatory setting and a landscape worthy of a fairy tale. The largest bays are located along the east-central and eastern end of the island, where the capital and main port of Willemstad is located. Its population is 130,000 inhabitants.
Climatology and land mapping
The long northern coast of the island, swept by the constant northeast trade winds, is characterized by a rugged coastline, limestone cliffs set on ancient volcanic rocks, and weather beaten terrain. It is generally less inhabited than the south coast, but you will find smaller villages and many historic sites like the old plantation houses on the island. In the far west of the island you will find extensive hilly terrain, most of which is surrounded by Christoffel Park. The latter is an area of nearly 1900 hectares containing Mount Christoffel which is the highest peak in Curaçao (377 km). In the east of the island you will discover a flat and almost sterile plain, with few dwellings and a few secondary roads leading to its coastal coves.
Tradition and culture
The Arawak Indians were the first to settle in Curaçao, as evidenced by the cave paintings in Christoffel National Park. The Spaniards arrived on the scene around the 1400s. With its pastel-colored buildings and two-way signs, one of the island's strengths is the wealth of its festivals, which welcome a wide variety of people. island home to a majority of African-Caribbean, as well as Dutch, French, Latin Americans and Asians. There is also an important Jewish contribution. Although English is widely spoken, the native language is Creole.
