Willemstad

Willemstad

Willemstad on Curaçao
Willemstad
Coordinates: 12°7′N 68°56′W / 12.117°N 68.933°W / 12.117; -68.933Coordinates: 12°7′N 68°56′W / 12.117°N 68.933°W / 12.117; -68.933
State  Kingdom of the Netherlands
Country  Curaçao
Established 1634
Quarters Punda, Otrobanda, Scharloo, Pietermaai Smal
Population
 • Total 150,000
  2013 Estimated
UNESCO World Heritage site
Official name Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao
Criteria Cultural: ii, iv, v
Reference 819
Inscription 1997 (21st Session)
Area 86 ha
Buffer zone 87 ha

Willemstad (/ˈwɪləmˌstɑːt/; Dutch pronunciation: [ˈʋɪləmstɑt]) is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formerly the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to its dissolution in 2010, it has an estimated population of 150,000. The historic centre of the city consists of four quarters: the Punda and Otrobanda, which are separated by the Sint Anna Bay, an inlet that leads into the large natural harbour called the Schottegat, as well as the Scharloo and Pietermaai Smal quarters, which are across from each other on the smaller Waaigat harbour. Willemstad is home to the Curaçao synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas. The city centre, with its unique architecture and harbour entry, has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

History

Punda was established in 1634, when the Dutch captured the island from Spain. The original name of Punda was de punt in Dutch. Otrobanda, which was founded in 1707, is the newer section of the city and is considered to be the cultural centre of Willemstad. Its name originated from the Papiamentu otro banda, which means "the other side."

The Curaçao synagogue was built by Sephardic Portuguese Jews from Amsterdam and Recife, Brazil.

Willemstad in the late afternoon.

Economy

Aviation

Insel Air, the national airline of Curaçao, has its corporate head office in Maduro Plaza.[1]

Tourism

Penha Building, built in 1708
Fort Amsterdam as seen from sea

Tourism is a major industry and the city has several casinos. The city centre of Willemstad has an array of colonial architecture that is influenced by Dutch styles. Archaeological research has also been developed there.[2]

Industry

Owing to its location near the Venezuelan oilfields, its political stability and its natural deep water harbour, Willemstad became the site of an important seaport and refinery. Willemstad's harbour is one of the largest oil handling ports in the Caribbean. The refinery, at one point the largest in the world, was originally built and owned by Royal Dutch Shell in 1915.[3]

The four companies comprising the Royal Dutch Shell[4] refining operation; the actual refinery, oil bunkering, the tugboat company (KTK) and the local distribution of refined products (CurOli/Gas) were each sold to the government Curaçao in 1985[5] for the symbolic sum of one guilder per company, or a total of 4 guilders[6] and is now leased to PDVSA, the state owned Venezuelan oil company. Schlumberger, the world's largest oil field services company is incorporated in Willemstad.[7]

Financial services

Numerous financial institutions are incorporated in Willemstad due to Curaçao's favourable tax policies.

Education

The Avalon University School of Medicine is located in Willemstad. The Caribbean Medical University [8] is also located in Willemstad, close to the city centre.

Sports

Major League Baseball players Jair Jurrjens, Wladimir Balentien, Jurickson Profar, Andruw Jones, Ozzie Albies, Kenley Jansen and Jonathan Schoop are from Willemstad.

Pabao Little League has appeared in five Little League World Series, winning in 2004. In 2008, another Pabao Little League team won the Junior League World Series, after winning the Latin America Region, then defeating the Asia-Pacific Region and Mexico Region champions to become the International champion, and finally defeating the U.S. champion (West Region), Hilo American/National LL (Hilo, Hawaii), 5-2.

Infrastructure

Queen Emma bridge

Airport

Willemstad is served by Hato International Airport, which is annually used by about two million passengers.

Bridges

Punda and Otrobanda are connected by Queen Emma Bridge, a long pontoon bridge. Although it is still in use, these days most road traffic now uses the Queen Juliana Bridge built in 1967 (rebuilt 1974) which arches high over the bay further inland. Nearby is also the now non-functioning Queen Wilhelmina drawbridge.

Geography

Climate

Willemstad has a tropical savannah climate (Köppen classification As).

Climate data for Willemstad (Hato Airport) 1981–2010
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33.3
(91.9)		 33.2
(91.8)		 33.0
(91.4)		 34.7
(94.5)		 36.0
(96.8)		 37.5
(99.5)		 35.0
(95)		 37.4
(99.3)		 38.3
(100.9)		 36.0
(96.8)		 35.6
(96.1)		 33.3
(91.9)		 38.3
(100.9)
Average high °C (°F) 29.9
(85.8)		 30.1
(86.2)		 30.7
(87.3)		 31.4
(88.5)		 32.0
(89.6)		 32.1
(89.8)		 32.1
(89.8)		 32.7
(90.9)		 32.8
(91)		 32.1
(89.8)		 31.1
(88)		 30.3
(86.5)		 31.4
(88.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 26.6
(79.9)		 26.7
(80.1)		 27.2
(81)		 27.8
(82)		 28.4
(83.1)		 28.6
(83.5)		 28.5
(83.3)		 28.9
(84)		 29.1
(84.4)		 28.6
(83.5)		 28.0
(82.4)		 27.2
(81)		 28.0
(82.4)
Average low °C (°F) 24.4
(75.9)		 24.5
(76.1)		 24.9
(76.8)		 25.6
(78.1)		 26.3
(79.3)		 26.5
(79.7)		 26.1
(79)		 26.5
(79.7)		 26.6
(79.9)		 26.2
(79.2)		 25.6
(78.1)		 24.9
(76.8)		 25.7
(78.3)
Record low °C (°F) 21.5
(70.7)		 20.6
(69.1)		 21.3
(70.3)		 22.0
(71.6)		 21.6
(70.9)		 22.4
(72.3)		 22.3
(72.1)		 21.3
(70.3)		 21.7
(71.1)		 21.9
(71.4)		 22.0
(71.6)		 21.6
(70.9)		 20.6
(69.1)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 46.0
(1.811)		 28.8
(1.134)		 14.1
(0.555)		 19.4
(0.764)		 21.3
(0.839)		 22.4
(0.882)		 41.3
(1.626)		 39.7
(1.563)		 49.1
(1.933)		 102.0
(4.016)		 122.4
(4.819)		 95.5
(3.76)		 602.0
(23.701)
Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.5 5.5 2.5 2.4 2.2 3.3 6.3 4.6 4.7 8.1 10.9 11.4 70.4
Average relative humidity (%) 78.5 78.2 77.3 78.2 77.9 77.5 78.1 77.8 78.1 79.6 80.6 79.5 78.4
Mean monthly sunshine hours 264.7 249.6 271.8 249.4 266.3 266.7 290.4 302.5 261.7 247.8 234.7 247.1 3,152.7
Percent possible sunshine 73.8 75.2 72.8 67.0 67.9 70.8 73.3 78.2 71.6 67.4 67.6 69.8 71.3
Source: Meteorological Department Curaçao[9]

Notable residents

References

  1. ↑ "General conditions" (Archive) Insel Air. Retrieved on 21 March 2014. "Our Registered Address is Dokweg 19, Maduro Plaza, Willemstad, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles."
  2. ↑ "Willemstad : a road to a methodical way of conducting archaeological research for Curaçao by Amy Victorina". Manioc.org. 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
  3. ↑ "Curaçao Investment Corp page describing the refinery". Retrieved 1 April 2008.
  4. ↑ Shell, Willemstad page.
  5. ↑ "Refinery deal in Curaçao". New York Times. 1985-09-26.
  6. ↑ Op 23 september van dat jaar deed Shell, na maandenlange onderhandelingen met de Antilliaanse en Nederlandse regeringen, de raffinaderij aan de Buscabaai alsmede de tankopslag, het sleepbootbedrijf en de lokale verkoopmaatschappij voor een gulden per bedrijf, dus in totaal vier gulden, 'met alle lusten en lasten' over aan de Nederlandse Antillen en Curaçao. nrc.ln/nieuws
  7. ↑ "Schlumberger N.V. - Company Information".
  8. ↑ Caribbean Medical University, official website.
  9. ↑ "Summary of Climatological Data, Period 1981-2010" (PDF). Meteorological Department Curaçao. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Andruw Jones Stats, Fantasy & News MLB.com".
  11. ↑ "Kenley Jansen - Wikipedia".
  12. ↑ "Ozzie Albies - Wikipedia".
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