Curaçao Ports Authority > Our Ports > Curaçao > Key Data

Key Data

Location

Curaçao is situated 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela,
12o North latitude and 69o West longitude.

Distance from major ports in nautical route miles:

  • 1,771 miles from New York City, New York
  • 1,147 miles from Miami, Florida
  • 150 miles from La Guaira, Venezuela
  • 450 miles from Cartagena, Colombia
  • 742 miles from the Panama Canal
  • 486 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico

Size

Curaçao is 61 km (38 miles) long, and ranges from 5 to 14 km wide and has a total area of 444 km2.

Coastline

Curaçao is partly hilly, the coastline is mainly low with a sandy coral bottom. Close to the coastline there is deep water on all sides without submerged rocks, reefs or shallows.

Time

Curaçao time (EST) is four hours behind Greenwich Time (GMT).

Temperature

  • The average annual temperature is 82˚ F/ 28˚ C
  • The average seawater temperature is 80.3˚ F/ 27˚ C
  • Specific Gravity of the seawater is 1.025 (28˚C)

Wind

The prevailing trade wind directions vary slightly ENE to ESE, with an average velocity of 11 to 16 knots.

Hurricanes

Curaçao lies outside the main hurricane belt.

Rainfall

The average rainfall is 553.6 mm per year.

Tides

The tidal range in the ports of Curaçao never exceeds two feet. As a rule, tide and tidal current may be disregarded.

Currents

The current usually sets about WNW near the shores of Curaçao, with a maximum velocity of three miles per hour for short periods. The regular velocity is not more than half a mile per hour. Sometimes an easterly current occurs, but is of lesser strength. Near the St. Anna Bay entrance of Willemstad, in open sea, a current indicator is posted. Colored lights continuously indicate the direction and strength of the current at the harbor entrance.

Local holidays

  • Carnival Monday (the Monday after the carnival parade-February/March)
  • 27 April: King’s day
  • 1 May: Labor Day
  • 2 July: Flag Day
  • 10 October: Curaçao Day

Health Services

Curaçao’s medical facilities include the St. Elisabeth Hospital with 600 beds, a skilled medical staff and specialized units such as intensive care, dialysis, premature baby center, as well as decompression facilities.

Ambulance service is manned on a 24 hour basis. There are about seventy active general practitioners on the island and many specialists on the hospital staff.