Curacao is an island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela
Curacao (in Dutch: Curaçao) is an island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the coast of Venezuela.Curacao is the most populated and largest by area of all the Dutch possessions in the Caribbean Sea and is an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Geographically, the island is a part of South America but is also considered as part of the Caribbean. The main town on the island - Willemstad - is the administrative center and the seat of the governor, representing the monarch (Willem-Alexander).
The area of Curacao is 444 km2. The population is about 140 000 people with an average density of about 294 people per km2. Curacao is built of coral reefs.
The highest peak on the island is Mount Christoffel, 375 meters high and located in the northwest part of the island.
Curaçao International Airport, also known as Hato Airport or Aeropuerto Hato, is the international airport of Curacao. The runway is 3400 meters long and 60 meters wide, suitable for all types of aircraft. The airport is located on the north coast of the island, 12 km from Willemstad. The airport serves as a hub for regional and international transport. Since 31 July 2006 a new passenger terminal with bridges is operational. The airport is known as Hato Airport, named on the nearby area of Hato. The airport has been known in the past decades under the name Albert Plesman Airport. The official name is Dr. Albert Plesman Airport.
Hato was especially in the Second World War one of the most important and busiest airports in the Caribbean. The airfield was used by the U.S. Air Force for patrolling against submarines.
Near the airport and the village you can find the Hato Caves, one of the tourist attractions of the island. The caves were already there around the year 500 AD. They have been used by the Arawak Indians, the original inhabitants of Curaçao. They were also inhabited In the time of slavery, when they were used by runaway slaves.
