Curaçao, Caribbean island in Lesser Antilles, Netherlands.
Curaçao is an island nation in the southern Caribbean within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located roughly 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of the Venezuelan coast. The island extends 38 miles (61 kilometers) from northwest to southeast with a maximum width of nine miles (14 kilometers) and displays rocky coastlines, sheltered bays, and offshore coral reefs.
After Alonso de Ojeda arrived in 1499, the island remained under Spanish rule until 1634, when the Dutch West India Company captured it. The location enabled the establishment of a large slave trading center in the 18th century, which lasted until the Netherlands abolished slavery in 1863.
Dutch and Papiamentu serve as everyday languages in shops, restaurants, and government offices. Over 55 nationalities live permanently on the island and bring their kitchens, faiths, and holidays, so markets, galleries, and churches of different origins exist side by side.
The Hato airfield connects the island directly to Amsterdam, Miami, New York, and several South American cities, with Dutch and US citizens not requiring a visa for tourist stays up to 90 days. Rental cars and taxis serve as the main means of getting around, since public buses cover only limited routes.
The Shete Boka National Park shoreline shows natural tunnels and caves in limestone, where seawater enters through underground channels and shoots fountains through openings up to 50 feet (15 meters) high. The island sits outside the main Atlantic hurricane path and has recorded only three direct hits from tropical storms in the past 150 years.
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