Villa Paulina

In the middle of the Caribbean ocean lie the five islands called: Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius en St. Maarten. The 61 kilometre long and 5 to 14 kilometres wide island, is the largest island of the Antilles. The surface is 444 square kilometres. Curaçao lies in the Caribbean ocean 90 kilometres from Venezuela and is situated only 12 degrees from the equator.

Climate on Curacao

due to the proximity to the equator, the climate on the island is warm and sunny throughout the entire year. The average temperature is 27 degrees Celsius. The rainseason,(which lasts from October until February), is well known because of its short but heavy rain showers. These showers occur mostly in the night and the early morning and are followed by sunny weather during the day.

Population on Curacao

Curaçao is an excellent example of a multicultural society. The island holds about 170.000 inhabitants which originate from 40 different countries. The population from before 1916 consisted of mainly Dutch, Portuguese, Jews and descendants of African slaves. Since 1916, the oil industry made sure that Curaçao was an economical success. This resulted in making Curacao an attractive destination for immigrants from all over the world. The typical "Antillean" culture originates from a mixture of Caribbean, European, African and Latin American influences. Some distinct parts of Antillean culture is the language (Papiamento), de Antillean music and the traditional Antillean dishes.

Willemstad

Willemstad, next to the capital, is the only real city the island holds. It has been the economical and cultural centre of the island for quite some time. The two oldest districts of Willemstad; Punda (‘the point‘) and Otrobanda (‘the other side‘) are separated by the Santa Ana bay, a small channel that leads to the busy port of Schottegat. Around 1880 an American business man built a floating pontoon, named the Queen Emma Bridge. From this floating bridge there is a lovely view to the Queen Juliana Bridge. This bridge towers over the bay at an amazing height of 56 meters.