Aruba Population: 109,153
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| 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. |
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| Geography | |
| 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) | |
| Location: | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
| Geographic coordinates: | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
| Area: | total: 180 sq km land: 180 sq km water: 0 sq km Size comparison: slightly larger than Washington, DC |
| Land Boundaries: | 0 km |
| Coastline: | 68.5 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm |
| Climate: | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
| Terrain: | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
| Elevation extremes: | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Ceru Jamanota 188 m |
| Natural resources: | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
| Land use: | arable land: 10.53% permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | NA (1998 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened |
| Current Environment Issues: | NA |
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| People | |
| Population: | 109,153 (July 2013 est.) note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 17.9% (male 9,786/female 9,735) 15-24 years: 13.6% (male 7,427/female 7,405) 25-54 years: 43.4% (male 22,938/female 24,467) 55-64 years: 13.2% (male 6,492/female 7,891) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 5,113/female 7,899) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 38.4 years male: 36.6 years female: 40.2 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.413% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 12.76 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 7.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 9.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.65 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live births male: 16.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 8.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 75.93 years male: 72.89 years female: 79.04 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.84 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | NA |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: | noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
| Ethnic groups: | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% |
| Religions: | Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 7.8% (Evangelist 4.1%, Methodist 1.2%, other Protestant 2.5%), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6% |
| Languages: | Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) |
| Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) |
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| Government | |
| Country name: | conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba |
| Government type: | parliamentary democracy |
| Capital: | name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Independence: | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| National holiday: | Flag Day, 18 March (1976) |
| Constitution: | 1 January 1986 |
| Legal system: | civil law system based on the Dutch civil code |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) head of government: Prime Minister Michiel "Mike" Godfried EMAN (since 30 October 2009) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: the monarchy 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 in 2009 (next to be held by 2013) election results: Mike EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA |
| Legislative branch: | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held on 25 September 2009 (next to be held in 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - AVP 48%, MEP 35.9%, PDR 5.7%, other 10.4%; seats by party - AVP 12, MEP 8, PDR 1 |
| Judicial branch: | Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch) |
| 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: | other: environmental groups |
| International organization participation: | Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU |
| 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 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba |
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| Economy | |
| Tourism and offshore banking are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy. Oil refining and storage ended in 2009. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. Tourist arrivals rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to achieve a more desirable trade balance. The government has also made cutting the budget and international development high priorities. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $2.516 billion (2009 est.) $2.258 billion (2005 est.) $2.205 billion (2004 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $2.516 billion (2009 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 2.4% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $25,300 (2011 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 0.4% industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
| Labor force: | 51,610 note: of the 51,605 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 (2007 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants |
| Unemployment rate: | 6.9% (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.3% (2012 est.) 4.4% (2011 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $568.4 million expenditures: $735 million (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 46.3% of GDP (2005) |
| Agriculture - products: | aloes; livestock; fish |
| Industries: | tourism, transshipment facilities, banking |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 880 million kWh (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 150 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 818.4 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 1 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 1 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 1 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 1 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Exports: | $2.758 billion (2012 est.) $5.179 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
| Exports - partners: | Colombia 40.8%, Venezuela 20.5%, the former Netherlands Antilles 15.6%, US 8.9%, Netherlands 4.5% (2011) |
| Imports: | $3.476 billion (2012 est.) $5.892 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners: | US 50.6%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 4.7% (2011) |
| Debt - external: | $533.4 million (2005 est.) |
| Exchange rates: | Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar - 1.79 (2012 est.) 1.79 (2011 est.) 1.79 (2010 est.) |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 35,000 (2010) country comparison to the world: 174 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 131,800 (2010) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .aw |
| Internet hosts: | 40,560 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 24,000 (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 1 (2012) country comparison to the world: 210 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2012) |
| Roadways: | |
| Ports and terminals: | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
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| Military | |
| Defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands. The Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism (2011) | |
| Military branches: | no regular military forces (2011) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 24,891 females age 16-49: 26,202 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 20,527 females age 16-49: 21,493 (2010 est.) |
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