2010 Edition

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.

Area

land

180 sq km

total

180 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

highest point

Ceru Jamanota 188 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 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%

other

89.47% (2005)

permanent crops

0%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 19.1% (male 9,921/female 9,758) 15-64 years: 70.3% (male 34,676/female 37,752) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 4,351/female 6,607) (2010 est.)

Birth rate

12.77 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Death rate

7.76 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

Education expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2007)

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

female

8.94 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)

male

17.65 deaths/1,000 live births

total

13.34 deaths/1,000 live births

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

female

78.61 years (2010 est.)

male

72.47 years

total population

75.51 years

Literacy

definition: NA

female

97.1% (2000 census)

male

97.5%

total population

97.3%

Median age

female

39.7 years (2010 est.)

male

36.2 years

total

38 years

Nationality

adjective

Aruban; Dutch

noun

Aruban(s)

Net migration rate

9.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

Population

104,589 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2010 est.)

Population growth rate

1.457% (2010 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 80.8%, Evangelist 4.1%, Protestant 2.5%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Methodist 1.2%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2008)

male

13 years

total

13 years

Sex ratio

at birth

1.021 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 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 (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.85 children born/woman (2010 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.1% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

urban population

47% of total population (2008)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital

geographic coordinates

12 31 N, 70 02 W

name

Oranjestad

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

constituent 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 Curacao 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

cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (For more information visit the World Leaders website )

chief of state

Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)

election results

Mike EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA

elections

the monarchy 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 2009 (next to be held by 2013)

head of government

Prime Minister Michiel Godfried (Mike) EMAN (since 30 October 2009)

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; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth

Government type

parliamentary democracy

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International organization participation

Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU

Judicial branch

Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges 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)

election results

percent of vote by party - AVP 48%, MEP 35.9%, PDR 5.7%; seats by party - AVP 12, MEP 8, PDR 1

elections

last held on 25 September 2009 (next to be held in 2013)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER note: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)

name

"Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)

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

Agriculture - products

aloes; livestock; fish

Central bank discount rate

3% (31 December 2009) 5% (31 December 2008)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

10.77% (31 December 2009 est.) 11.23% (31 December 2008 est.)

Debt - external

$478.6 million (2005 est.)

Economy - overview

Tourism is the mainstay of the small open Aruban economy, together with offshore banking. Oil refining and storage ended in 2009. 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. Tourist arrivals rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.

Electricity - consumption

790.5 million kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2008 est.)

Electricity - production

850 million kWh (2007 est.)

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 (2006); note - includes oil reexports

Exports - commodities

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Exports - partners

Panama 23.84%, Netherlands Antilles 20.49%, Colombia 17.48%, Venezuela 12.61%, US 9.12%, Netherlands 7.5% (2009)

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.) $2.205 billion (2004 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$1.054 billion (2006)

Imports - commodities

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

Imports - partners

US 49.51%, Netherlands 16.15%, UK 4.94% (2009)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

tourism, transshipment facilities

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 (2008 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2008 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

Oil - consumption

8,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - exports

231,100 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - imports

236,400 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - production

2,235 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

46.3% of GDP (2005)

Stock of broad money

$1.771 billion (31 December 2009 est.) $1.671 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$1.333 billion (31 December 2009) $1.321 billion (31 December 2008)

Stock of narrow money

$865 million (31 December 2009) $781 million (31 December 2008)

Unemployment rate

6.9% (2005 est.)

Broadcast media

2 commercial television stations; cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels; about 20 commercial radio stations broadcast (2007)

Internet country code

.aw

Internet hosts

25,080 (2010)

Internet users

24,000 (2009)

Telephone system

domestic

increased competition through privatization; 3 mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed

general assessment

modern fully automatic telecommunications system

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

38,300 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular

128,000 (2009)

Airports

1 (2010)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2010)

Ports and terminals

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 24,779 females age 16-49: 26,090 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 20,398 females age 16-49: 21,371 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

female

715 (2010 est.)

male

738

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Military branches

no regular military forces (2010)

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 page last updated on January 11, 2011 ======================================================================