2008 Edition
CIA World Factbook 2008 (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 land: 193 sq km water: 0 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: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005)
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
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Natural resources
NEGL; white sandy beaches
Terrain
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 19.4% (male 9,933/female 9,747) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,123/female 37,228) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 4,189/female 6,321) (2008 est.)
Birth rate
12.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate
7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Education expenditures
4.8% of GDP (2005)
Ethnic groups
mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate
NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths
NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS
NA
Infant mortality rate
total: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Languages
Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 75.06 years male: 72.03 years female: 78.14 years (2008 est.)
Literacy
definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)
Median age
total: 37.6 years male: 35.8 years female: 39.3 years (2008 est.)
Nationality
noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Net migration rate
9.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Population
101,541 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2008 est.)
Population growth rate
1.501% (2008 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 9%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 5.6%, none or unspecified 4.6%
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.85 children born/woman (2008 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Capital
name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Constitution
1 January 1986
Country name
conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
Dependency status
member country 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); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Executive branch
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten 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 in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
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), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO
Judicial branch
Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)
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) elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1
National holiday
Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Political parties and leaders
Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders
other: environmental groups
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture - products
aloes; livestock; fish
Budget
revenues: $507.9 million expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
Central bank discount rate
5% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate
11.01% (31 December 2007)
Currency (code)
Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)
Currency code
AWG
Debt - external
$478.6 million (2005 est.)
Economic aid - recipient
$11.3 million (2004)
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. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
Electricity - consumption
744 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - imports
0 kWh (2007 est.)
Electricity - production
800 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)
Exchange rates
Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003)
Exports
$124 million f.o.b.; note - includes oil reexports (2006)
Exports - commodities
live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
Exports - partners
Panama 29.7%, Colombia 17%, Netherlands Antilles 13.2%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.9%, Netherlands 9.2% (2007)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP - composition by sector
agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP)
$21,800 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate
2.4% (2005 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
GDP (purchasing power parity)
$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$1.054 billion f.o.b. (2006)
Imports - commodities
machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
Imports - partners
US 54.6%, Netherlands 12%, UK 4.7% (2007)
Industrial production growth rate
NA%
Industries
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
3.4% (2005)
Labor force
41,500 (2004 est.)
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Natural gas - consumption
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - production
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves
0 cu m (1 January 2006)
Oil - consumption
7,102 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports
233,300 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports
238,200 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - production
2,356 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - proved reserves
0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Public debt
46.3% of GDP (2005)
Stock of domestic credit
$1.348 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of money
$640.9 million (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money
$792.9 million (31 December 2007)
Unemployment rate
6.9% (2005 est.)
Communications
Internet country code
.aw
Internet hosts
17,661 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
NA
Internet users
24,000 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)
Radios
50,000 (1997)
Telephone system
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)
Telephones - main lines in use
38,700 (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular
105,700 (2006)
Television broadcast stations
1 (1997)
Televisions
20,000 (1997)
Transportation
Airports
1 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
Ports and terminals
Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Military and Security
Manpower available for military service
males age 16-49: 24,585 females age 16-49: 25,742 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service
males age 16-49: 20,173 females age 16-49: 21,062 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually
male: 705 female: 719 (2008 est.)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Military branches
no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2008)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none
Illicit drugs
transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008