Edition 2003 — Aruba — World Factbook

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Age structure

0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121) 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955) 65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

aloes; livestock; fish

Airports

1 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) Military Aruba

Area

land: 193 sq km
total: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly larger than Washington, DC

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 Aruba

Birth rate

11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000)
revenues: $135.81 million

Capital

Oranjestad

Climate

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

68.5 km

Constitution

1 January 1986

Country name

conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

Currency

Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)

Currency code

AWG

Death rate

6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$285 million (1996)

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 is accredited to Aruba

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Disputes - international

none

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)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

Environment - current issues

NA

Ethnic groups

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Exchange rates

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998)

Executive branch

cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
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)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Fredis REFUNJOL

Exports

$1.88 billion 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 28.6%, Colombia 21.7%, Panama 16.8%, US 12.1%, Netherlands Antilles 8.3%, Venezuela 7.6% (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year Communications Aruba

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 Economy Aruba

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.)

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) People Aruba

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Highways

note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
paved: 513 km
total: 800 km
unpaved: 287 km

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA%

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: NA%

Illicit drugs

transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$2.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 54.7%, Netherlands 12.7%, UK 5.7% (2002)

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Infant mortality rate

female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births
total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.2% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Internet country code

.aw

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

NA

Internet users

24,000 (2002) Transportation Aruba

Irrigated land

0.01 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

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

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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
other: 89.47% (1998 est.)
permanent crops: 0%

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

Life expectancy at birth

female: 82.34 years (2003 est.)
male: 75.48 years
total population: 78.83 years

Literacy

definition:
female: NA% Government Aruba
male: NA%
total population: 97%

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 NM

Median age

female: 38.5 years (2002)
male: 35.3 years
total: 37.1 years

Merchant marine

convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1
total: 3

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Transnational Issues Aruba

Military branches

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

National holiday

Flag Day, 18 March

Nationality

adjective: Aruban; Dutch
noun: Aruban(s)

Natural hazards

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Natural resources

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

0 bbl/day (2001 est.)

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

Population

70,844 (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Population growth rate

0.55% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

50,000 (1997)

Railways