Curacao

Curacao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea. It is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Curacao is famous for the colorful painted buildings in its capital, Willemstad. The island also gave its name to the bright blue Curacao liqueur. The historic waterfront is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Land and People

About 150,000 people live in Curacao. The capital is Willemstad. The island is about 40 miles long. It has a dry, sunny climate with cactus-covered hills and beautiful beaches. The waters around the island have coral reefs teeming with fish.

Culture and Fun Facts

Willemstad's colorful buildings were painted bright colors because a governor in the 1800s said the white buildings gave him headaches. Papiamentu, a Creole language, is spoken alongside Dutch. The island has over 35 beaches. Curacao has one of the oldest Jewish communities in the Americas.

Fun Facts

• The colorful buildings of Willemstad were painted bright colors because a governor complained that white buildings gave him headaches.
• Blue Curacao liqueur gets its flavor from the dried peels of a bitter orange that grows only on the island.
• Curacao has one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere, built in 1732.

Did You Know?

The famous blue Curacao liqueur is made from the peels of the laraha, a bitter orange that grows only on Curacao. The fruit is too bitter to eat, but the dried peels create a wonderful flavor.