Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuelan. It is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands (the Antilles islands). Its capital is Willemstad. It has a land area of 171 square miles.
The original inhabitants of Curaçao were Arawak American indians. The first Europeans to see the island were members of a Spanish expedition. The island was later occupied by the Dutch in 1634. The natural harbour of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade. Commerce, shipping, and piracy became Curaçao's most important economic activities. The Dutch made Curaçao a center for the Atlantic slave trade in 1662. Dutch merchants brought slaves from Africa who were sold and shipped to various destinations in South America and the Caribbean.
In 1795 a major slave revolt took place. Up to 4,000 black slaves on the northwest section of the island revolted, and the Dutch feared for their lives. After a month the rebellion was crushed.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the island was controlled by the British, the French, and the Dutch several times. But Dutch rule returned in 1815, at the end of the Napoleonic wars.
The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. The end of slavery caused economic hardship, causing many inhabitants of Curaçao to emigrate to other islands, such as Cuba, to work in sugarcane plantations. Other former slaves had no place to go and remained working for the plantation.
Curaçao gained self-government on January 1, 1954 as an island territory of the Netherlands Antilles. Despite this, the islanders did not all have a political say until after the social movements of the late 1960s.
The majority of the inhabitants of Curaçao are Roman Catholic (85%).
On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Curaçao became an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The original inhabitants of Curaçao were Arawak American indians. The first Europeans to see the island were members of a Spanish expedition. The island was later occupied by the Dutch in 1634. The natural harbour of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade. Commerce, shipping, and piracy became Curaçao's most important economic activities. The Dutch made Curaçao a center for the Atlantic slave trade in 1662. Dutch merchants brought slaves from Africa who were sold and shipped to various destinations in South America and the Caribbean.
In 1795 a major slave revolt took place. Up to 4,000 black slaves on the northwest section of the island revolted, and the Dutch feared for their lives. After a month the rebellion was crushed.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the island was controlled by the British, the French, and the Dutch several times. But Dutch rule returned in 1815, at the end of the Napoleonic wars.
The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. The end of slavery caused economic hardship, causing many inhabitants of Curaçao to emigrate to other islands, such as Cuba, to work in sugarcane plantations. Other former slaves had no place to go and remained working for the plantation.
Curaçao gained self-government on January 1, 1954 as an island territory of the Netherlands Antilles. Despite this, the islanders did not all have a political say until after the social movements of the late 1960s.
The majority of the inhabitants of Curaçao are Roman Catholic (85%).
On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved and Curaçao became an independent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.