Geography of Curacao

Location: Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea - 55 km off the coast of Venezuela.

Geographic coordinates: 12 10 N, 69 00 W

Area: total: 444 sq km; land: 444 sq km; water: 0 sq km

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 364 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine climate, ameliorated by northeast trade winds, results in mild temperatures; semi-arid with average rainfall of 600 mm/year

Terrain: generally low, hilly terrain

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mt. Christoffel, 372m

Natural resources: calcium phosphates, aloes, sorghum, peanuts, vegetables, tropical fruit

Land use: arable land: 10%; permanent crops: 0%; other: 90%

Irrigated land: NA

Total renewable water resources: NA

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural): NA

Natural hazards: Curacao is south of the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: Curacao is a part of the Windward Islands (southern) group.