2002 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2002 (Project Gutenberg)
Introduction
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.
Geography
Area
total: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km land: 193 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline
68.5 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 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: 11% (including aloe 0.01%) permanent crops: 0% other: 89% (1998 est.)
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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.)
Birth rate
12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Death rate
6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 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
6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Languages
Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Life expectancy at birth
82.19 years (2002 est.) male: Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA%
Nationality
noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Net migration rate
NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Population
70,441 (July 2002 est.)
Population growth rate
0.59% (2002 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Government
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
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON embassy: Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for 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)
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
Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
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) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 elections: Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)
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 [Tico CROES]; 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 [leader NA]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY]
Political pressure groups and leaders
NA
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
aloes; livestock; fish
Budget
revenues: $135.81 million expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
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
Electricity - consumption
418.5 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production
450 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%
Exchange rates
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Exports
$2.58 billion (including oil reexports) (f.o.b., 2000)
Exports - commodities
live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners
US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%
GDP - per capita
purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.5% (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.61 billion (f.o.b., 2000)
Imports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners
US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4% (2000)
Labor force
41,501 (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
0.6% (1999 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.aw
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
4,000 (2000)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
50,000 (1997)
Telephone system
more than adequate international: interisland microwave radio relay links
Telephones - main lines in use
33,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular
3,402 (1997)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
20,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2001)
Highways
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
Merchant marine
includes a foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Airports: 1 (2001)
Ports and harbors
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Railways
0 km
Waterways
none
Military and Security
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
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe This page was last updated on 1 January 2002 Antigua and Barbuda