World Facts

conventional long form: none
Capital: Oranjestad
Type of Government: parliamentary democracy-
Administrative Divisions: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 7,308/female 6,960)
Agriculture: aloes; livestock; fish
Airports: 1 (2004 est.)
With Paved Runways: total: 1-
With Unpaved Runways:
Area: total: 193 sq km. 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.
Birth rate: 11.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget: revenues: $135.8 million
Coastline: 68.5 km-
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Communications:
Constitution: 1-Jan-86
Currency: Aruban guilder/florin (AWG)-
Current account balance:
Death rate: 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external: $285 million (1996)-
Dependency status: -
Dependent areas:
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
Disputes - international: none-
Distribution of family income: -
Economic aid - donor:
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 exceptionally low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals 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:
Electricity - exports:
Electricity - imports:
Electricity - production:
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Environment - current issues: NA-
Environment - International Agreements:
Ethnic groups: mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Exchange rates: Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001)
Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
Exports: $80 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2004 est.)
Exports - partners: Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.4%, Venezuela 14.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4% (2004)
Fiscal year: calendar year
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
GDP (official exchange rate): NA
GDP (purchasing power parity): $1.94 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 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)-
Government - note:
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA-
Heliports:
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs: transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity
Imports: $875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Imports - partners: US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004)
Independence: none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Industrial production growth rate: NA%
Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Infant mortality rate: total: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.2% (2002 est.)
International organization participation: ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate)
Internet country code: .aw
Internet hosts: 923 (2001)
Internet users: 24,000 (2002)-
Investment (gross fixed):
Irrigated land: 0.01 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch: Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch)
Labor force: 41,500 (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
Land boundaries: 0 km
Land use: arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
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:
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 79.14 years
Literacy: definition:
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela-
Major infectious diseases: -
Manpower available for military service: -
Manpower fit for military service: -
Manpower reaching military service age annually:
Map references: Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
Median age: total: 38 years-
Merchant marine:
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-
Military expenditures - dollar figure: -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: -
Military service age and obligation:
National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March
Nationality: noun: Aruban(s)-
Natural gas - consumption: -
Natural gas - exports: -
Natural gas - imports:
Natural gas - production: -
Natural gas - proved reserves:
Natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Oil - consumption: 6,500 bbl/day (2003 est.)
Oil - exports: NA (2001)
Oil - imports: NA (2001)
Oil - production: 2,363 bbl/day (2003)-
Oil - proved reserves: -
People - note: -
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: NA
Population: 71,566 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA
Population growth rate: 0.47% (2005 est.)-
Ports and terminals: -
Public debt:
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004)-
Railways: -
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish-
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: -
Roadways:
Sex ratio:
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system: general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
Telephones - main lines in use: 37,100 (2002)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 53,000 (2001)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)
Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)-
Transportation - note:
Unemployment rate: 0.6% (2003 est.)-
Waterways: