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''Curaçao'' (Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamentu: Kòrsou | The Country of ''Curaçao'' (Dutch: '''Land Curaçao''', Papiamentu: '''Pais Kòrsou''' which includes the main island of '''Curaçao''' plus the small, uninhabited island of ''Klein Curaçao'' ("Little Curaçao") is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. | ||
Curaçao is the largest and most populous of the three [[ABC Islands]] (for [[Aruba]], [[Bonaire]], and [[Curaçao]]) of the [[Lesser Antilles]], specifically the [[Leeward Antilles]]. It has a land area of 444 square kilometres (171 square miles). | |||
As of 1 January 2009, it had a population of 141,766. | |||
Its capital is Willemstad. | |||
Prior to October 2010, when the [[Netherlands Antilles]] was dissolved, Curaçao was administered as the Island Territory of Curaçao, one of five island territories of the former Netherlands Antilles. | |||
The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code CUW and the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code CW has been assigned to Curaçao, but the .cw Internet ccTLD is not yet in use. | |||
The origin of the name "Curaçao" is debated. The explanation gathering more consensus among the Portuguese and the Spanish is that the word derives from the Portuguese word for the state of becoming cured (curação). The reason for this is that sailors travelling for months in the sea would often contract scurvy. It appears that in one of such long travels, a group of Portuguese sailors landed for the first time in Curação and were cured from scurvy, probably after eating fruit with vitamin C. The island was known from then on as '''Ilha da Curação''' (Island of Healing). Another explanation is that it is derived from the Portuguese word for heart ('''coração'''), referring to the island as a centre in trade. Spanish traders took the name over as Curaçao, which was followed by the Dutch. Another explanation is that Curaçao was the name the indigenous peoples of Curaçao had used to label themselves (Joubert and Van Buurt, 1994). This theory is supported by early Spanish accounts, which refer to the indigenous peoples as "Indios Curaçaos". | |||
After 1525 the island appeared on Spanish maps as '''Curaçote''', '''Curasaote''', and '''Curasaore'''. By the 17th century the island was known on maps as '''Curaçao''' or '''Curazao'''. On a map created by Hieronymus Cock in 1562 in Antwerp, the island was referred to as '''Quracao'''. | |||
The name "Curaçao" has become associated with a shade of blue, because of the deep-blue version of the liqueur named Curaçao (also known as Blue Curaçao). Today, locally, the island is known as '''Dushi Korsou''' ('''Sweet Curaçao'''). | |||
There is an excellent Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao | There is an excellent Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao | ||
Revision as of 15:19, 11 August 2011
The Country of Curaçao (Dutch: Land Curaçao, Papiamentu: Pais Kòrsou which includes the main island of Curaçao plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao") is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Curaçao is the largest and most populous of the three ABC Islands (for Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao) of the Lesser Antilles, specifically the Leeward Antilles. It has a land area of 444 square kilometres (171 square miles).
As of 1 January 2009, it had a population of 141,766.
Its capital is Willemstad.
Prior to October 2010, when the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, Curaçao was administered as the Island Territory of Curaçao, one of five island territories of the former Netherlands Antilles.
The ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 country code CUW and the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code CW has been assigned to Curaçao, but the .cw Internet ccTLD is not yet in use.
The origin of the name "Curaçao" is debated. The explanation gathering more consensus among the Portuguese and the Spanish is that the word derives from the Portuguese word for the state of becoming cured (curação). The reason for this is that sailors travelling for months in the sea would often contract scurvy. It appears that in one of such long travels, a group of Portuguese sailors landed for the first time in Curação and were cured from scurvy, probably after eating fruit with vitamin C. The island was known from then on as Ilha da Curação (Island of Healing). Another explanation is that it is derived from the Portuguese word for heart (coração), referring to the island as a centre in trade. Spanish traders took the name over as Curaçao, which was followed by the Dutch. Another explanation is that Curaçao was the name the indigenous peoples of Curaçao had used to label themselves (Joubert and Van Buurt, 1994). This theory is supported by early Spanish accounts, which refer to the indigenous peoples as "Indios Curaçaos".
After 1525 the island appeared on Spanish maps as Curaçote, Curasaote, and Curasaore. By the 17th century the island was known on maps as Curaçao or Curazao. On a map created by Hieronymus Cock in 1562 in Antwerp, the island was referred to as Quracao.
The name "Curaçao" has become associated with a shade of blue, because of the deep-blue version of the liqueur named Curaçao (also known as Blue Curaçao). Today, locally, the island is known as Dushi Korsou (Sweet Curaçao).
There is an excellent Wikipedia article at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cura%C3%A7ao