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Aruba
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Background:
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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. |
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 30 N, 69 58 W |
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Map references:
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Central America and the Caribbean
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Area:
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total: 193
sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 193 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Washington, DC
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Climate:
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tropical marine; little seasonal
temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL; white sandy beaches |
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Land use:
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arable land:
10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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lies outside the Caribbean hurricane
belt |
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Geography - note:
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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) |
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Population:
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71,218 (July 2004 est.) |
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
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Religions:
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Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%,
Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
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Languages:
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Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish,
Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
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Dependency status:
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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 |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Oranjestad |
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Administrative divisions:
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none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands) |
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Independence:
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none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands) |
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National holiday:
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Flag Day, 18 March |
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Constitution:
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1 January 1986 |
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Legal system:
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based on Dutch civil law system, with
some English common law influence |
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Suffrage:
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18 years of age; universal |
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Economy - overview:
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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. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion
(2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1.5% (2002 est.) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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most employment is in wholesale and
retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
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Unemployment rate:
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0.6% (2003 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues:
$135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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aloes; livestock; fish |
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Industries:
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tourism, transshipment facilities, oil
refining |
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Exports - commodities:
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live animals and animal products, art
and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
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Imports - partners:
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US 55.1%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands
Antilles 3.1% (2003 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$285 million (1996) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$26 million (1995); note - the
Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in
1996 |
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Currency:
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Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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37,100 (2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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53,000 (2001) |
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Highways:
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total: 800
km
paved: 513 km
note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large
tracts of the interior (1995)
unpaved: 287 km |
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Ports and harbors:
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Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
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Merchant marine:
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total: 3
ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT
foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1
registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.)
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2 |
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Airports:
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1 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2003 est.) |
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Military branches:
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no regular indigenous military forces;
Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard |
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Military - note:
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defense is the responsibility of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands |
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Illicit drugs:
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transit point for US- and Europe-bound
narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity |
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