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CURACAO, or CURACOA

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Originally appearing in Volume V07, Page 636 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CURACAO, or CURACOA , an See also:island in the Dutch See also:West Indies. It lies 40 M. from the See also:north See also:coast of See also:Venezuela, in 120 N. and 69° W., being 40 M. See also:long from N.W. to S.E., with an See also:average width of ro m. and an See also:area of 212 sq. m. The See also:surface is generally fiat, but in the See also:south-west there are hills attaining an See also:elevation of 1200 ft. The shores are in places deeply indented, forming several natural harbours, the See also:chief of which is that of St See also:Anna on the south-west coast. Curacao consists of eruptive rocks, chiefly See also:diorite and See also:diabase, and is surrounded by See also:coral reefs. Streams are few and the rainfall is scanty, averaging only 16 in. per annum. Although the plains are for the most See also:part arid wastes, See also:sugar, aloes, See also:tobacco and divi-divi are produced with much toil in the more fertile glens. See also:Salt, See also:phosphates and See also:cattle are exported. The See also:commerce is mainly with the See also:United States, and there is a large carrying See also:trade with Venezuela. The famous Curacoa liqueur (see below) was originally made on the island from a See also:peculiar variety of See also:orange, the Citrus Aurantium curessuviensis. Willemstad (pop. about 8000), on the See also:harbour of St. Anna, is the See also:principal See also:town.

It bears a strong resemblance to a Dutch town, for the houses are built in the See also:

style of those of See also:Amsterdam, and the narrow channel separating it from its western suburb of Overzijde and the See also:waters of the Waigat, which intersect it, recall the canals. The narrow entrance leading to the Schottegat or Inner Harbour is protected by forts. The negroes of the island speak a curious See also:dialect called Papaimento, composed of See also:Spanish, Dutch, See also:English and native words. Curacao gives name to the See also:government of the Dutch West Indies, which consists of Aruba, an island lying W. of Curacao, with an area of 69 sq. m. and a See also:population of 9591; Buen Ayre, lying 20 M. N.E., with an area of 95 sq. m. and a population of 4926; together with St Eustatius, Saba and part of St See also:Martin. The See also:governor is assisted by a See also:council of four members and a colonial council of eight members nominated by the See also:crown. The island of Curacao has a population of 30,119; and altogether the Dutch West Indies have a population of 51,693. Curacao was discovered by Hojeda about 1499 and occupied by the Spaniards in 1527. In 1634 it See also:fell into the hands of the Dutch, who have held it ever since, except during the See also:year 1798 and from 18o6 to 1814 when it passed into the See also:possession of See also:Great See also:Britain. See Wynmalen, " See also:Les Colonies neerlandaises dans les See also:Antilles," Revue See also:colon. internat. (1887), ii. p. 391; K.

Martin, West-Indische Skizzen (See also:

Leiden, 1887); De Veer, La Colonie de Curacoa (Les Pays Bas, 1898). Also several articles on all the islands in Tijdschrift v. h. Ned. Aardr. Genootschap (1883-1886). CURAcOA, a liqueur, chiefly manufactured in See also:Holland. It is relatively See also:simple in See also:composition, the predominating flavour being obtained from the dried See also:peel of the Curacoa orange. The method of preparation is in principle as follows. The peel is first softened by maceration; then a part of the softened peel is distilled with spirit and See also:water, and the See also:remainder is macerated in a portion of the distillate so obtained. After two or three days the infusion is strained and added to the remainder of the See also:original distillate. This simple method is subject to See also:variations in manufacture, and the addition of a small quantity of See also:Jamaica See also:rum, in particular, is said to much improve the flavour. Dry Curacoa contains about 39%, the sweet variety about 36% of See also:alcohol.

End of Article: CURACAO, or CURACOA

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