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

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 68.5 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches

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

Geography
Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

Population: 64,052 (July 1991), growth rate 0.6% (1991)

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

Ethnic groups: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%

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

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

Birth rate: 15 births/1000 population (1991)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1991)

Net migration rate: - 4 migrants/1000 population (1991)

Environment
Current issues: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Infant mortality rate: 8 deaths/1000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth: 72 years male, 80 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate: 1.8 children born/woman (1991)

Literacy: NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

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)

Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; note--in 1990 Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 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

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 legislature (Staten)

Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice

International organization participation: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)

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 Aruba ArubaAruba

Economy overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 2% in 1990. The reopening of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost.

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

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA

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

Unemployment rate: 1.6% (1990 est.)

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

Fiscal year: calendar year

Exports: $131.6 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: mostly petroleum products
Partners: US 64%, EC

Imports: $496 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures
Partners: US 8%, EC

Debt external: $81 million (1987)

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

Electricity
Capacity: 310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,000 kWh per capita (1990)