History of Curaçao in Timeline

Curaçao is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the southern Caribbean Sea. It lies approximately 65 km north of Venezuela and 80 km southeast of Aruba. The country consists of the main island of Curaçao and the smaller, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao.

1905: First published work in Papiamentu

In 1905, the first published work in Papiamentu was a poem by Joseph Sickman Corsen entitled Atardi, published in the La Cruz newspaper.

1911: Rebuilt street tramway in Punda

In 1911, the Punda line was rebuilt, regauged to metre gauge, and the horse-drawn trams replaced by petrol engined ones.

1914: Discovery of Oil

In 1914, the discovery of oil in the Maracaibo Basin transformed Curaçao into a major refinery location.

1914: Oil Discovery Transforms Curaçao's Economy

In 1914, the discovery of oil in the Venezuelan Maracaibo Basin dramatically altered Curaçao's economy.

1920: Closure of the Punda tramway line

In 1920, the Punda tramway line closed.

1925: Division of Curaçao districts

In 1925, Curaçao was reduced to the two outer districts of Bandabou and Bandariba and the city district of Willemstad.

1926: White-tailed Deer Protection

Since 1926, the white-tailed deer has been a protected species on Curaçao.

1929: Attack by Venezuelan Rebels

In 1929, Curaçao was attacked by Venezuelan rebel commander Rafael Simón Urbina, who captured the fort, plundered weapons and the island's treasury, and kidnapped the Governor.

1936: Oil Fire in Schottegat

In 1936, a fire broke out in the Schottegat harbor when a burning bale of cotton ignited oil floating on the water, causing evacuations but no casualties.

1939: Installation of the current Queen Emma Bridge

The current Queen Emma Bridge was installed in 1939, allowing pedestrians to walk between the Punda and Otrobanda districts.

1940: British Occupation of Curaçao

In 1940, before the invasion of the Netherlands, British forces occupied Curaçao.

1941: US Troops Occupy Curaçao

In 1941, US troops occupied Curaçao and built the "Hato" military airport to counter potential Axis threats.

August 1942: German Submarine Attack on Curaçao

In August 1942, German submarines attacked a tanker off the coast of Curaçao before being driven away by Dutch shore batteries.

1954: Formation of Netherlands Antilles

In 1954, Curaçao and other Dutch Caribbean colonies joined to form the Netherlands Antilles.

1954: Hurricane Hazel

In 1954, Curaçao was affected by Hurricane Hazel.

1957: Construction of Van der Valk Plaza Curaçao

In 1957, the hotel Van der Valk Plaza Curaçao was built on top of the Waterfort.

1961: Hurricane Anna

In 1961, Curaçao was affected by Hurricane Anna.

1969: Hurricane Francelia

In 1969, Curaçao was directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storm Francelia.

1969: Riots in Curaçao

In 1969, riots erupted in Curaçao due to discontent with the Netherlands, racial discrimination, and unemployment, leading to a state of emergency and reforms.

1971: Hurricanes Edith and Irene

In 1971, Curaçao was directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storms Edith and Irene.

1972: Death of Leonardus Albertus Fruytier

In 1972, Leonardus Albertus Fruytier, the former Governor of Curaçao, died. He had been kidnapped by Venezuelan rebels in 1929 and later resigned.

1974: Opening of the Queen Juliana Bridge

The Queen Juliana Bridge's 1974 opening allowed the Queen Emma Bridge to become a pedestrian-only bridge.

1975: Shell Refinery Losses

From 1975 to 1979, Shell's refinery on Curaçao operated with significant losses.

1978: Hurricanes Cora and Greta

In 1978, Curaçao was directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storms Cora and Greta.

1979: Shell Refinery Losses

From 1975 to 1979, Shell's refinery on Curaçao operated with significant losses.

1982: Shell Refinery Losses

From 1982 to 1985, Shell's refinery on Curaçao operated with significant losses.

1985: Shell Ends Operations

In 1985, Royal Dutch Shell decided to end its activities on Curaçao after 70 years due to persistent losses and global overproduction.

1988: Hurricane Joan

In 1988, Curaçao was directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storm Joan.

1992: New Public Education Law

Since the introduction of a new public education law in 1992, compulsory primary education starts at age six and continues for six years; secondary lasts for another four.

1993: Papiamentu introduced in primary school education

In 1993, Papiamentu was introduced as a language of primary school education, making Curaçao one of a handful of places where a creole language is used as a medium to acquire basic literacy.

1996: Hurricane Cesar

In 1996, Curaçao was directly affected by pre-hurricane tropical storm Cesar.

1997: End of Military Conscription

Since 1997, there has been no military conscription in Curaçao; a form of civil conscription has replaced it for underprivileged youth.

1999: USAF F-16 Operations Cease

Until 1999, the USAF operated a small fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft from the Forward Operating Location at Curaçao International Airport.

2000: Jewish population on the island

As of 2000, there were approximately 300 Jewish people living on the island.

April 2002: Tax Information Exchange Agreement signed

In April 2002, the Tax Information Exchange Agreement was signed in Washington, D.C. between the US and the Kingdom of the Netherlands includes Curaçao.

2004: Little League World Series win

In 2004, the Little League Baseball team from Willemstad, Curaçao, won the world title against the United States champion from Thousand Oaks, California.

November 2006: Island Council Rejects Memorandum

On 28 November 2006, the island council rejected a clarification memorandum, delaying Curaçao becoming a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

July 2007: Delayed Country Status

On 1 July 2007, Curaçao's planned transition to a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands was delayed.

2007: Hurricane Felix

In 2007, Curaçao was affected by Hurricane Felix.

2007: Royal Netherlands Navy Air Base Closure

Until 2007, a Royal Netherlands Navy air base operated at Curaçao International Airport, but it closed after the decision to sell off Orion aircraft.

December 2008: Rescheduled Country Status

On 15 December 2008, Curaçao was again scheduled to become a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

2008: Hurricane Omar

In 2008, Curaçao was affected by Hurricane Omar.

2008: Curaçao Little League All-Stars win championship

In 2008, Curaçao's Pabao Little League All-Stars won their country's eighth straight championship at the Little League World Series.

May 2009: Referendum on Country Status

In May 2009, a referendum was held in Curaçao, with 52% of voters supporting the move to become a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

2009: Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino Opens

In 2009, the Renaissance Curaçao Resort and Casino opened next to the Rif Fort.

October 2010: Curaçao Becomes Autonomous Country

In October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, and Curaçao became a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

2010: Autonomy Achieved

In 2010, Curaçao achieved autonomy, becoming a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

2010: Hurricane Tomas

In 2010, Curaçao was affected by Hurricane Tomas, resulting in flooding, two deaths, and significant damage.

2010: Dissolution of Netherlands Antilles

In 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, with Curaçao becoming an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

2010: Release of Boys of Summer documentary film

The 2010 documentary film Boys of Summer details Curaçao's Pabao Little League All-Stars winning their country's eighth straight championship at the 2008 Little League World Series.

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2011: Religious Breakdown of the Population

In 2011, Curaçao had a religious breakdown of the population.

December 2012: Daniel Hodge Becomes Prime Minister

On 31 December 2012, Daniel Hodge became the third prime minister of Curaçao.

2012: NuCuraçao opens wind farms

In 2012, the power generation company NuCuraçao opened wind farms in Tera Kora and Playa Kanoa.

June 2013: Ivar Asjes Sworn In

On 7 June 2013, a new cabinet under the leadership of Ivar Asjes was sworn in as the government of Curaçao.

2013: Participation in CARIFTA Games

Curaçao participated in the 2013 CARIFTA Games where Kevin Philbert stood third in the under-20 male Long Jump and Vanessa Philbert stood second in the under-17 female 1,500 metres.

2013: Cruise passenger growth and airport investments

In 2013, Curaçao experienced significant growth in cruise ship tourism, with 610,186 cruise passengers, a 41.4% increase over the previous year. Hato International Airport also received 1,772,501 passengers in 2013.

June 2014: Inter-Governmental Agreement with the United States

In June 2014, Curaçao was deemed to have an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with the United States of America with respect to the "Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act" of the United States of America.

2015: Expansion of Tera Kora wind farm

In 2015, NuCuraçao expanded the wind farm in Tera Kora.

2016: Unemployment and Employment Rates

In 2016, a Labour Force Survey (LFS) indicated that the unemployment rate in Curaçao was 13.3%. The employment rate for residents ages 15–64 was 70.4%.

2016: Updated Tax Information Exchange Agreement takes effect

In 2016, the Tax Information Exchange Agreement signed in 2002 was updated with respect to Curaçao, and took effect.

2016: Decreased exports and increased domestic demand

Since 2016, reduced foreign demand for goods due to the ongoing unrest and political uncertainty in Venezuela has led to decreased exports and increased domestic demand for goods and services, resulting in economic stagnation. While many economic sectors contracted, expansion took place in the construction, financial intermediation, and utilities sectors.

June 2017: Curaçao named Top Cruise Destination

In June 2017, Curaçao was named the Top Cruise Destination in the Southern Caribbean by Cruise Critic due to positive comments from cruise passengers.

July 2017: Prime Minister Seeks Cooperation

In July 2017, Curaçaoan Prime Minister Eugene Rhuggenaath requested increased cooperation and assistance from the Netherlands.

2017: Curaçao wins Caribbean Cup

In 2017, the Curaçao national football team won the Caribbean Cup by defeating Jamaica in the final, qualifying for the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

2018: Hato International Airport regional hub transformation

By 2018, Hato International Airport aimed to transform into a regional hub with capital investments totalling US$48 million.

2018: High Carbon Dioxide Emissions

In 2018, Curaçao's average carbon dioxide emissions per person were 52 tonnes, the second highest globally.

January 2019: Curaçao Population Estimate

In January 2019, Curaçao's population was estimated to be 158,675, with an area of 444 square kilometers.

2019: Curaçao wins King's Cup

In 2019, Curaçao participated in the King's Cup in Thailand for the first time, eventually winning the tournament by beating Vietnam in the final.

2019: PDVSA's oil refinery lease expired

In 2019, Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA's lease on the island's oil refinery expired. The refinery employs 1,000 people, refining oil from Venezuela for export to the United States and Asia.

June 2020: Civil Servant Riot

On 24 June 2020, a demonstration by civil servants and waste collectors in Curaçao turned into a riot, leading to looting and a curfew in Willemstad.

2020: Closure of Campo Alegre

In 2020, Campo Alegre, Curaçao's largest open-air brothel, closed after 71 years of operation, leading to discussions about its future.

2022: CIA Data on Sex Ratio

According to 2022 data from the CIA, Curacao has a total of only 92 men for every 100 women.

2023: Language Spoken at Home

According to the 2023 census, 78% reported that Papiamentu was the language they most spoke at home; 8.4% reported Spanish, 7.9% Dutch, 3.8% English and 2% other languages.