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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. |
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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
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12 30 N, 69 58 W |
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Central America and the Caribbean |
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total: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 193 sq km |
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slightly larger than Washington, DC |
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0 km |
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68.5 km |
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territorial sea: 12 NM |
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tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
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flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
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NEGL; white sandy beaches |
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arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
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0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
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lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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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) |
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70,844 (July 2003 est.) |
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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.) |
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total: 37.1 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 38.5 years (2002) |
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0.55% (2003 est.) |
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11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births |
Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 78.83 years
male: 75.48 years
female: 82.34 years (2003 est.) |
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1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA% |
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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NA |
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noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
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mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
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Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
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Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English
dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
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definition:
total population: 97%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
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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 |
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parliamentary democracy |
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Oranjestad |
Administrative divisions:
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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
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Flag Day, 18 March |
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1 January 1986 |
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based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
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18 years of age; universal |
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chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980),
represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); Deputy Prime Minister Fredis REFUNJOL
cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
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) |
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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) |
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Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
Political parties and leaders:
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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:
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NA |
International organization participation:
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Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate),
WCL, WToO (associate) |
Diplomatic representation in the US:
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none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066
FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
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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 |
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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. |
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purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.) |
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-1.5% (2002 est.) |
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purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2002 est.) |
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41,501 (1997 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation:
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most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed
by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
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0.6% |
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revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
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tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
Industrial production growth rate:
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NA |
Electricity - production:
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531.9 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
Electricity - consumption:
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494.67 million kWh (2001) |
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0 kWh (2001) |
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0 kWh (2001) |
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0 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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6,500 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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NA (2001) |
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NA (2001) |
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aloes; livestock; fish |
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$1.88 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2002 est.) |
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live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery
and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
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US 26.9%, Venezuela 20.9%, Netherlands Antilles 19.5%, Netherlands
14.2% (2001) |
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$2.21 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.) |
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machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport,
chemicals; foodstuffs |
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US 61.8%, Netherlands 11.7%, Venezuela 3.1%, Japan 2.6% (2001) |
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$285 million (1996) |
Economic aid - recipient:
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$26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million
aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
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Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
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AWG |
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Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001),
1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999), 1.79 (1998) |
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calendar year |
Telephones - main lines in use:
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33,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular:
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3,402 (1997) |
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general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate
international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio
relay links |
Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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50,000 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations:
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1 (1997) |
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20,000 (1997) |
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.aw |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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NA |
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24,000 (2002) |
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0 km |
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total: 800 km
paved: 513 km
note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995)
unpaved: 287 km |
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none |
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Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
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total: 3
note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.)
ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 1, petroleum tanker 1 |
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1 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines,
Coast Guard |
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defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
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Transnational Issues
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Aruba
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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