Curaçao

Curaçao's beaches may be nubbled with coral or strewn with imported grains and the local liqueur may be a first rate gut-rot, but it more than makes up for these niggles with high comfort levels, guaranteed balminess and a friendliness that constantly threatens to bubble over into a party.

The island's scrubby landscape is strewn with cacti, keening divi-divi trees and lizards looking glibly at weirdos with oxygen strapped to their backs. The capital, Willemstad, manages to be both dinky and grand while serving up the food, shopping and slickness of a town much less manageable.

Full country name: Curaçao

Area: 171 sq km
Population: 170,000


People: African descent, mixed African and European descent, Dutch


Language: Dutch, Papiamento, English, Spanish; Castilian

Religion: Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and Jewish

Government: autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Head of State: Governor (Netherlands Antilles) Frits Goedgedrag
Head of Government: Prime Minister (Netherlands Antilles) Etienne Ys

GDP: US$1.6 billion

GDP per capita: US$11,500

Inflation: 3.3%
Major Industries: Oil refining and bunkering, tourism, offshore banking, phosphates

Major Trading Partners: USA, EU, Venezuela, Mexico