Curaçao

Curaçao (/ˈkʊrəsaʊ/ KUR-ə-sow or /ˈkjʊərəsaʊ/ KEWR-ə-sow; Dutch: Curaçao;Papiamentu: Kòrsou) is an island country in the southern Caribbean Sea, approximately 65 kilometres (40 mi) north of the Venezuelan coast, that is a constituent country (Dutch: land) of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formally called the Country of Curaçao, (Dutch: Land Curaçao;Papiamento: Pais Kòrsou), it includes the main island and the uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao ("Little Curaçao"). It has a population of over 150,000 on an area of 444 km² (171 sq mi) and its capital is Willemstad.

Before the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010, Curaçao was administered as the "Island Territory of Curaçao" (Dutch: Eilandgebied Curaçao, Papiamentu: Teritorio Insular di Kòrsou), one of five island territories of the former Netherlands Antilles.

Etymology

According to Edgard Otero, author of "Origins of countries' names", the island was discovered by Spaniards, who left in the island members of their crew who had become ill during the trip. When the ships returned to the island one year later, expecting to find the sick already dead, they found their old crew members healthy and healed. For that reason, the island was baptized as "Isla de la Curación" (Island of the Cure, or Island of Healing). In 1520 the island would figure for the first time in a map - which was nonetheless designed by the Portuguese, in whose language the island was called "Ilha da Curação" (Curação still means healing in Portuguese).

Curaçao (disambiguation)

Curaçao is an island in the Caribbean Sea which is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Curaçao may also refer to:

See also

Curaçao (liqueur)

Curaçao (/ˈkjʊərəsaʊ/ KEWR-ə-sow) is a liqueur flavored with the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit, grown on the island of Curaçao.

A non-native plant similar to an orange, the laraha developed from the sweet Valencia orange transplanted by Spanish explorers. The nutrient-poor soil and arid climate of Curaçao proved unsuitable to Valencia cultivation, resulting in small, bitter fruit of the trees. Although the bitter flesh of the laraha is hardly edible, the peels are aromatic and flavorful, maintaining much of the essence of the Valencia orange.

Curaçao liqueur was first developed and marketed by the Senior family in the 19th century. To create the liqueur the laraha peel is dried, bringing out the sweetly fragranced oils. After soaking in a still with alcohol and water for several days, the peel is removed and other spices are added. The liqueur has an orange-like flavor with varying degrees of bitterness. It is naturally colorless, but is often given artificial coloring, most commonly blue or orange, which confers an exotic appearance to cocktails and other mixed drinks. Blue color is achieved by adding a food colorant, most often E133 Brilliant Blue.