1994 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1994 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
Administrative divisions
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Affiliation
(part of the Dutch realm)
Agriculture
poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing
Airports
total: 2 usable: 2 with permanent-surface runways: 2 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 1 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights
Area
total area: 193 sq km land area: 193 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Birth rate
14.95 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Budget
revenues: $145 million expenditures: $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)
Capital
Oranjestad
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
68.5 km
Constitution
1 January 1986
Currency
1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Death rate
6.12 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Digraph
AA
Diplomatic representation in US
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Economic aid
recipient: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million
Electricity
capacity: 90,000 kW production: 375 million kWh consumption per capita: 6,000 kWh (1990 est.)
Environment
current issues: NA natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt international agreements: NA
Ethnic divisions
mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%
Exchange rates
Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since 6 February 1989) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the legislature
Exports
$1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: mostly petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC
External debt
$81 million (1987)
Fiscal year
calendar year
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
Highways
total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA
Illicit drugs
drug money laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe
Imports
$1.6 billion including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products partners: US 8%, EC
Independence
none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)
Industrial production
growth rate NA%
Industries
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate
8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
6.5% (1993)
International disputes
none
Irrigated land
NA sq km
Judicial branch
Joint High Court of Justice
Labor force
NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100%
Languages
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Legal system
based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Legislative branch
unicameral
Legislature (Staten)
elections last held 8 January 1993 (next to be held by NA January 1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP 9, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPA 1, OLA 1, other 1
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 76.43 years male: 72.77 years female: 80.27 years (1994 est.)
Literacy
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA%
Location
Caribbean, in the southern Caribbean Sea, 28 km north of Venezuela and 125 km east of Colombia
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Member of
ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)
Names
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
National holiday
Flag Day, 18 March
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion (1993 est.)
National product per capita
$17,400 (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate
5% (1993)
Nationality
noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban
Natural resources
negligible; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate
-2.3 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Note
defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands
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 and to less than 1% in 1992. 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.
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 (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN
Population
65,545 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate
0.65% (1994 est.)
Ports
Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Religions
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Telecommunications
more than adequate; telephone density - 1,100 telephones per 1,000 persons; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links; 72,168 telephones; broadcast stations - 4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV; 1 submarine cable to Saint Maarten
Terrain
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate
1.82 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Type
part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Unemployment rate
0.6% (1992)
US diplomatic representation
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)