Map of Aruba | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: Formerly one of the Netherlands Antilles Aruba became an autonomous part of the Netherlands in 1986.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 68.5 km

Maritime claims

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Elevation

Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches

Land use: 0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands until 1996


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Population: 62,656 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)

Nationality: noun--Aruban(s; adjective--Aruban

Ethnic groups: 80% mixed European/Caribbean Indian

Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Religions: 82% Roman Catholic, 8% Protestant; also small Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, and Jewish minority

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 16 births/1000 population (1990)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: - 8 migrants/1000 population (1990)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1990)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 95%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: none

Government type: part of the Dutch realm--full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles

Capital: Oranjestad

Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Dependent areas

Independence: planned for 1996

National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March

Constitution: 1 January 1986

Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State--Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Felipe B. TROMP (since 1 January 1986; Head of Government--Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989)

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (Staten)

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation
In the us: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy. In 1985 the economy suffered a severe blow when Exxon closed its refinery, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings. Economic collapse was prevented by soft loans from the Dutch Government and by a booming tourist industry. Hotel capacity expanded by 20% between 1985 and 1987 and is projected to more than double by 1990. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1988.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities

Industrial production growth rate: - 20% (1984)

Labor force: NA, but most employment is in the tourist industry (1986)

Unemployment rate: 3% (1988 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $47.5 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.)
Commodities: mostly petroleum products
Partners: US 64%, EC

Imports: $296.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.)
Commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures
Partners: US 8%, EC

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $81 million (1987)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1--1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)


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Electricity
Capacity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,120 kWh per capita (1989)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs