1990 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1990 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
68.5 km
Comparative area
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Environment
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Exclusive fishing zone
12 nm;
Land boundaries
none
Land use
0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other
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; land area: 193 km2
People and Society
Birth rate
16 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate
6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Ethnic divisions
80% mixed European/Caribbean Indian
Infant mortality rate
8 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Labor force
NA, but most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)
Language
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
72 years male, 80 years female (1990)
Literacy
95%
Nationality
noun--Aruban(s); adjective--Aruban
Net migration rate
- 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Organized labor
Aruban Workers' Federation (FTA)
Population
62,656 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)
Religion
82% Roman Catholic, 8% Protestant; also small Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, and Jewish minority
Total fertility rate
1.8 children born/woman (1990)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Capital
Oranjestad
Constitution
1 January 1986
Diplomatic representation
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Elections
Parliament--last held 6 January 1989 (next to be held by January 1993); results--percent of vote by party NA; seats--(21 total) MEP 10, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPN 1, PPA 1
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
Independence
planned for 1996
Judicial branch
Joint High Court of Justice
Leaders
Chief of State--Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Felipe B. TROMP (since 1 January 1986); Head of Government--Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989)
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch
unicameral Parliament (Staten)
Long-form name
none
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; 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
Aid
none
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
Electricity
310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,120 kWh per capita (1989)
Exchange rates
Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1--1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Exports
$47.5 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--mostly petroleum products; partners--US 64%, EC
External debt
$81 million (1987)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
$620 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate 16.7%
Imports
$296.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities--food, consumer goods, manufactures; partners--US 8%, EC
Industrial production
growth rate - 20% (1984)
Industries
tourism, transshipment facilities
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (1988 est.)
Overview
Tourism is the mainstay of the economy. In 1985 the economy suffered a severe blow when Exxon closed its refinery, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings. Economic collapse was prevented by soft loans from the Dutch Government and by a booming tourist industry. Hotel capacity expanded by 20% between 1985 and 1987 and is projected to more than double by 1990. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1988.
Unemployment rate
3% (1988 est.)
Communications
Airfield
government-owned airport east of Oranjestad
Ports
Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Telecommunications
generally adequate; extensive interisland radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; stations--4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 sea cable to St. Maarten
Military and Security
Note
defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands until 1996