1992 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1992 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
68.5 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Disputes
none
Environment
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Exclusive fishing zone
12 nm
Land area
193 km2
Land boundaries
none
Land use
arable land 0%; permanent crops 0%; meadows and pastures 0%; forest and woodland 0%; other 100%
Natural resources
negligible; white sandy beaches
Note
28 km north of Venezuela
Terrain
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Territorial sea
12 nm
Total area
193 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
16 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Ethnic divisions
mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%
Infant mortality rate
9 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Labor force
NA, but most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)
Languages
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
73 years male, 80 years female (1992)
Literacy
NA% (male NA%, female NA%)
Nationality
noun - Aruban(s); adjective - Aruban
Net migration rate
--3 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Organized labor
Aruban Workers' Federation (FTA)
Population
64,692 (July 1992), growth rate 0.7% (1992)
Religions
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, also small Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, and Jewish minority
Total fertility rate
1.8 children born/woman (1992)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Capital
Oranjestad
Chief of State
Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Felipe B. TROMP (since 1 January 1986)
Constitution
1 January 1986
Diplomatic representation
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Executive branch
Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)
Flag
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
Head of Government
Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989)
Independence
none (part of the Dutch realm); note - in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996
Judicial branch
Joint High Court of Justice
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch
unicameral legislature (Staten)
Legislature
last held 6 January 1989 (next to be held by NA January 1993); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP 10, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPN 1, PPA 1
Long-form name
none
Member of
ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)
National holiday
Flag Day, 18 March
Political parties and leaders
Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Henny EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN; Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET; Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI; Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OHA), Glenbert CROES; governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN
Suffrage
universal at age 18
Type
part of the Dutch realm - full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Economy
Agriculture
poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing
Budget
revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)
Currency
Aruban florin (plural - florins); 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Economic aid
Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million
Electricity
310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,000 kWh per capita (1990)
Exchange rates
Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Exports
$134.4 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: mostly petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC
External debt
$81 million (1987)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
exchange rate conversion - $854 million, per capita $13,600; real growth rate l0% (1990 est.)
Imports
$488 million (f.o.b., 1990) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures partners: US 8%, EC
Industrial production
growth rate NA
Industries
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8% (1990 est.)
Overview
Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1991. The reopening of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost.
Unemployment rate
3% (1991 est.)
Communications
Airports
government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights
Civil air
Air Aruba has a fleet of 3 intermediate-range Boeing aircraft
Highways
Aruba has a system of all-weather highways
Ports
Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Telecommunications
generally adequate; extensive interisland radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 sea cable to Sint Maarten
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands