2021 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, semi-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

highest point

Ceru Jamanota 188 m

lowest point

Caribbean Sea 0 m

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

NA

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

11.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

2.3% (2018 est.)

other

86.6% (2018 est.)

Location

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Map references

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

Natural resources

NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism

Population distribution

most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island

Terrain

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Age structure

0-14 years

17.55% (male 10,524/female 10,437)

15-24 years

12.06% (male 7,231/female 7,175)

25-54 years

40.54% (male 23,387/female 25,029)

55-64 years

14.79% (male 8,285/female 9,383)

65 years and over

15.05% (male 7,064/female 10,913) (2020 est.)

Birth rate

11.95 births/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current Health Expenditure

NA

Death rate

8.54 deaths/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

21.5

potential support ratio

4.7 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

47

youth dependency ratio

25.6

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 98.1% of population

improved: total

total: 98.1% of population

improved: urban

urban: 98.1% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 1.9% of population

unimproved: total

total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 1.9% of population

Education expenditures

5.5% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic groups

Aruban 66%, Colombian 9.1%, Dutch 4.3%, Dominican 4.1%, Venezuelan 3.2%, Curacaoan 2.2%, Haitian 1.5%, Surinamese 1.2%, Peruvian 1.1%, Chinese 1.1%, other 6.2% (2010 est.)

note

note: data represent population by country of birth

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

female

7.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2021 est.)

male

16.89 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12.39 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

female

80.93 years (2021 est.)

male

74.66 years

total population

77.76 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

97.8% (2018)

male

97.8%

total population

97.8%

Major urban areas - population

30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)

Median age

female

41.5 years (2020 est.)

male

38.2 years

total

39.9 years

Nationality

adjective

Aruban; Dutch

noun

Aruban(s)

Net migration rate

8.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Population

120,917 (July 2021 est.)

Population distribution

most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island

Population growth rate

1.17% (2021 est.)

Religions

Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 97.7% of population

improved: total

total: 97.7% of population

improved: urban

urban: 97.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 2.3% of population

unimproved: total

total: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 2.3% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2012)

male

13 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.01 male(s)/female

15-24 years

1.01 male(s)/female

25-54 years

0.93 male(s)/female

55-64 years

0.88 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.65 male(s)/female

at birth

1.02 male(s)/female

total population

0.9 male(s)/female (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.83 children born/woman (2021 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

43.9% of total population (2021)

Administrative divisions

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

note

note: Aruba is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Curacao, and Sint Maarten

Capital

etymology

translates as "orange town" in Dutch; the city is named after William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange, the first ruler of the Netherlands

geographic coordinates

12 31 N, 70 02 W

name

Oranjestad

time difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

see the Netherlands

Constitution

history

previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Country name

conventional long form

Country of Aruba

conventional short form

Aruba

etymology

the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island; another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated"

local long form

Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento)

local 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

embassy

the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Guillfred BESARIL (since 20 November 2017) is Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba, seated with his cabinet in the Aruba House (Arubahuis) in The Hague

note

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note - there is a Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba, Rendolf "Andy" LEE,  at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)

chief of state

King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017)

election results

as leader of the majority party of the ruling coalition, Evelyn WEVER-CROES (MEP) elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA

elections/appointments

the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term; election last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held by June 2026)

head of government

Prime Minister Evelyn WEVER-CROES (since 17 November 2017)

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; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

International organization participation

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

Judicial branch

highest courts

Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands

judge selection and term of office

Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch

subordinate courts

 Court in First Instance

Legal system

civil law system based on the Dutch civil code

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party MEP 35.3%, AVP 31.3%, ROOTS 9.4%, MAS 8%, Accion21 5.8%; seats by party - MEP 9, AVP 7, ROOTS 2, MAS 2, Accion21 1

elections

last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER

name

"Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)

note

note: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)

National holiday

National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)

National symbol(s)

Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill; national colors: blue, yellow, red, white

Political parties and leaders

Accion21 [Miguel MANSUR]Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel "Mike" EMAN]Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES]Movimiento Aruba Soberano or MAS [Marisol LOPEZ-TROMP]People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [O.E. ODUBER]RAIZ (ROOTS) [Ursell ARENDS]Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

aloes; livestock; fish

Budget

expenditures

755.5 million (2017 est.)

revenues

681.6 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

BB (2020)

Standard & Poors rating

BBB+ (2013)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2016

$133 million (2016 est.)

Current account balance 2017

$22 million (2017 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2013

$666.4 million (31 December 2013 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2014

$693.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Economic overview

Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy.Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US. The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector.Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers.In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery. Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries. Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased.

Exchange rates

currency

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2013

1.79 (2013 est.)

Exchange rates 2014

1.79 (2014 est.)

Exchange rates 2015

1.79 (2015 est.)

Exchange rates 2016

1.79 (2016 est.)

Exchange rates 2017

1.79 (2017 est.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$2.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$2.56 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$1.45 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, liquors, scrap iron, soap, tobacco (2019)

Exports - partners

Malaysia 57%, United States 11%, Netherlands 6%, Jordan 6%, Venezuela 5% (2019)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

70.5% (2015 est.)

government consumption

25.3% (2015 est.)

household consumption

60.3% (2014 est.)

imports of goods and services

-76.6% (2015 est.)

investment in fixed capital

22.3% (2014 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2015 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0.4% (2002 est.)

industry

33.3% (2002 est.)

services

66.3% (2002 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$2.7 billion (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2018

$2.27 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$2.24 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$1.67 billion note: data are in current year dollars (2020 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, jewelry, cars, vehicle parts, tobacco products (2019)

Imports - partners

United States 48%, Netherlands 16% (2019)

Industrial production growth rate

NA

Industries

tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2016

-0.9% (2016 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017

-0.5% (2017 est.)

Labor force

51,610 (2007 est.)

note

note: of the 51,610 workers aged 15 and over in the labor force, 32,252 were born in Aruba and 19,353 came from abroad; foreign workers are 38% of the employed population

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

NA

industry

NA

note

note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants

services

NA

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

84.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

86% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2016

$4.107 billion (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2017

$4.05 billion (2017 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2015

-0.4% (2015 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2016

-0.1% (2016 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2017

1.2% (2017 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2016

$37,300 (2016 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2017

$38,442 (2017 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2015

$828 million (31 December 2015 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2017

$921.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

25.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2016

7.7% (2016 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

873.3 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

87% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

296,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

939 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2020)

Natural gas - consumption

1 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

1 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

1 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

1 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

7,891 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

18.21 (2018 est.)

total

19,000 (2018)

Broadcast media

2 commercial TV stations; cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels; about 19 commercial radio stations broadcast (2017)

Internet country code

.aw

Internet users

percent of population

97.17% (2019 est.)

total

104,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

ongoing changes in regulations and competition improving teledensity; 34 per 100 fixed-line, 135 per 100 mobile-cellular (2019)

general assessment

modern fully automatic telecommunications system; increased competition through privatization has increased mobile-cellular teledensity; three mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed; MNO (mobile network operator) launched island-wide LTE services; MNP (mobile number portability) introduced (2018)

international

country code - 297; landing points for the PAN-AM, PCCS, Deep Blue Cable, and Alonso de Ojeda submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from Trinidad and Tobago, Florida, Puerto Ricco, Jamaica, Guyana, Sint Eustatius & Saba, Suriname, Dominican Republic, BVI, USVI, Haiti, Cayman Islands, the Netherlands Antilles,  through Aruba to Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2019)

note

note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced downturn, particularly in mobile device production; many network operators delayed upgrades to infrastructure; progress towards 5G implementation was postponed or slowed in some countries; consumer spending on telecom services and devices was affected by large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home became evident, and received some support from governments

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

33.54 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

35,000 (2018)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

135.1 (2018 est.)

total subscriptions

141,000 (2018)

Airports

total

1 (2020)

Airports - with paved runways

2,438 to 3,047 m

1 (2019)

total

1

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

P4

Merchant marine

by type

other 1 (2021)

total

1

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

274,280 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

19

number of registered air carriers

3 (2020)

Ports and terminals

cruise port(s)

Oranjestad

major seaport(s)

Barcadera, Oranjestad

oil terminal(s)

Sint Nicolaas

Roadways

total

1,000 km (2010)

Military - note

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security

Military and security forces

no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL) (2021)

Disputes - international

none

Illicit drugs

northbound transshipment point for cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela; Cocaine shipped to the United States, other Caribbean islands, Africa, and Europe

Trafficking in persons

current situation

human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims; foreign men and women are subject to forced labor in Aruba’s services and construction sectors; Venezuelans overstaying visas are at risk of forced labor in domestic service, construction, and commercial sex; Chinese men and women and Indian men are subject to forced labor in retail businesses and domestic service; managers of some Chinese-owned grocery stores and restaurants exploit children through sex trafficking and forced labor

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Aruba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government provided officials with anti-trafficking training, continued an awareness campaign, and continued to implement the 2018-2022 national action plan; however, officials investigated fewer trafficking cases and did not report prosecuting or convicting any traffickers; efforts were hindered by the conflation of trafficking with migrant smuggling; authorities also did not report identifying any victims, including Venezuelan migrants and refugees, who are vulnerable to trafficking (2020)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

0.88 megatons (2016 est.)

Climate

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Environment - current issues

difficulty in properly disposing of waste produced by large numbers of tourists; waste burning that occurs in the landfill causes air pollution and poses an environmental and health risk; ocean environmental damage due to plastic pollution

Land use

agricultural land

11.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

2.3% (2018 est.)

other

86.6% (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

forest revenues

0% of GDP (2017 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

43.9% of total population (2021)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

88,132 tons (2013 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

9,695 tons (2013 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

11% (2013 est.)