Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Central America and the Caribbean

total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km

slightly larger than Washington, DC

0 km

68.5 km

territorial sea: 12 nm

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

NEGL; white sandy beaches

arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2005)

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

NA

a flat, river less island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)

71,891 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 19.5% (male 7,175/female 6,849)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,894/female 25,140)
65 years and over: 12.3% (male 3,616/female 5,217) (2006 est.)

total: 38.5 years
male: 36.4 years
female: 40.3 years (2006 est.)

0.44% (2006 est.)

11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 79.28 years
male: 75.95 years
female: 82.78 years (2006 est.)

1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.)

NA

NA

NA

noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish

Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

definition: NA
total population: 97%
male: NA%
female: NA%

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defence and foreign affairs

parliamentary democracy

Oranjestad

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Flag Day, 18 March

1 January 1986

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 2005 (next to be held by 2009)
election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by in 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1

Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)

Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]

NA

ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate)

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner

Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The newly re-elected government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.

$2.13 billion (2004 est.)

NA

3.5% (2004 est.)

$21,800 (2004 est.)

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

41,500 (2004 est.)

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

7.3% (2004 est.)

NA%

lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

3.8% (2005 est.)

revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

aloes; livestock; fish

tourism, transhipment facilities, oil refining

NA%

770 million kWh (2003)

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

716.1 million kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

0 kWh (2003)

2,363 bbl/day (2003)

6,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)

NA bbl/day

NA bbl/day

0 cu m (2003 est.)

0 cu m (2003 est.)

$80 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil re-exports (2004 est.)

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.4%, Venezuela 14.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4% (2004)

$875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and re-export, chemicals; foodstuffs

US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004)

$453 million (2005 est.)

$17.4 million (2004)

Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

AWG

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001)

calendar year

37,100 (2002)

53,000 (2001)

general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed
international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive inter-island microwave radio relay links

AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)

50,000 (1997)

1 (1997)

20,000 (1997)

.aw

5,420 (2005)

NA

24,000 (2002)

1 (2005)

total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

total: 800 km
paved: 513 km
unpaved: 287 km

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard

males age 18-49: 16,278 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49: 13,219 (2005 est.)

males age 18-49: 520 (2005 est.)

defence is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

none

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity