Location Curacao is situated 35 miles off the coast of Venezuela, 12o North latitude and 69o West longitude. Distance from major ports in nautical route miles: 1771 miles from New York City, New York 1147 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 Curacao is 61 km (38 miles) long, and ranges from 5 to 14 km wide and has a total area of 444 km2. Time Curacao time (EST) is four hours behind Greenwich Time (GMT) Local holidays Carnival Monday (the Monday after the carnival parade-February/March) 30 April: Queen’s day 1 May: Labor Day 2 July: Flag Day 21 October: Antilles Day Health Services Curacao’s up-to-date medical facilities include the St. Elisabeth Hospital with 600 beds. The services at this hospital are considered to be of high quality with 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. | Tides The tidal range in the Ports of Curacao 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 Curacao, 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. Coastline Curacao 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. Temperature The average yearly 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 Curacao lies outside the main hurricane belt. Rainfall The average rainfall is 553.6 mm per year. |
