2004 Edition

Background

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.

Area

land

193 sq km

total

193 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

68.5 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Mount Jamanota 188 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Geographic coordinates

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Geography - note

a flat, riverless 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)

Irrigated land

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land

10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)

other

89.47% (2001)

permanent crops

0%

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Natural resources

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Terrain

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051) 15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.)

Birth rate

11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate

6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)

male

6.85 deaths/1,000 live births

total

6.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

female

82.49 years (2004 est.)

male

75.64 years

total population

78.98 years

Literacy

definition:

female

NA

male

NA

total population

97%

Median age

female

39.1 years (2004 est.)

male

35.7 years

total

37.5 years

Nationality

adjective

Aruban; Dutch

noun

Aruban(s)

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)

Population

71,218 (July 2004 est.)

Population growth rate

0.51% (2004 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.)

under 15 years

1.05 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital

Oranjestad

Constitution

1 January 1986

Country name

conventional long form

none

conventional short form

Aruba

Dependency status

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive branch

1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)

of legislative vote - NA

a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)

October 2001)

cabinet

Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)

chief of state

Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April

election results

Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent

elections

the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for

head of government

Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30

Flag description

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

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)

PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1

election results

percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%,

elections

last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005)

National holiday

Flag Day, 18 March

Political parties and leaders

Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

aloes; livestock; fish

Budget

(2000)

expenditures

$147 million, including capital expenditures of NA

revenues

$135.8 million

Currency

Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code

AWG

Debt - external

$285 million (1996)

Economic aid - recipient

$26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Economy - overview

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. Construction has boomed, 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. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade balance.

Electricity - consumption

494.7 million kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

531.9 million kWh (2001)

Exchange rates

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999)

Exports

$128 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

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

Exports - partners

Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Panama 12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

services

NA

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-1.5% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

$841 million f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Imports - partners

US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003)

Industrial production growth rate

NA (2002 est.)

Industries

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (2002 est.)

Labor force

41,500 (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Oil - consumption

6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

0.6% (2003 est.)

Internet country code

.aw

Internet hosts

923 (2001)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Internet users

24,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

50,000 (1997)

Telephone system

(Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

domestic

more than adequate

general assessment

NA

international

country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

Telephones - main lines in use

37,100 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

53,000 (2001)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1997)

Televisions

20,000 (1997)

Airports

1 (2003 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

total

1

Highways

tracts of the interior (1995)

note

most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large

paved

513 km

total

800 km

unpaved

287 km

Merchant marine

by type

cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2

foreign-owned

Germany 1, Russia 1

registered in other countries

1 (2003 est.)

total

3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT

Ports and harbors

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Military branches

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

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity This page was last updated on 10 February, 2005 @Ashmore and Cartier Islands