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Central America
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Aruba
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Page last updated on December 17, 2019
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Central America ::
Aruba
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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; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth
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Aruba
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Aruba is a semi-arid island that experiences little variation in temperature throughout the year. Rainfall, which occurs mostly in November and December, averages less than 50 cm (20 in) a year. The red soil on the island is poor and thin and the thorny vegetation is quite drought resistant. Tourism and the refining of oil brought in from nearby Venezuela (whose northern coast appears below) are the major industries. Oraniestad, located on the northwest coast, is the major city of the island. Image courtesy of NASA.
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A fallen sea arch at Boca Andicori.
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East shore near Budi.
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The California lighthouse on the northwest tip of Aruba gets its name from a steamship that wrecked nearby in 1891.
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Desert vegetation at Arikok National Park. The park extends over about 18% of the island.
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A peaceful, golden Caribbean sunset.
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Small, colorful boats moored in a quiet harbor.
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Rock figurines on a beach along the east shore.
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Introduction :: Aruba
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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, semi-autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. -
Geography :: Aruba
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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
12 30 N, 69 58 W
Central America and the Caribbean
slightly larger than Washington, DC
0 km
68.5 km
territorial sea: 12 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nm
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 mhighest point: Ceru Jamanota 188 m
NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
agricultural land: 11.1% (2016 est.)arable land: 11.1% (2016 est.) / permanent crops: 0% (2016 est.) / permanent pasture: 0% (2016 est.)forest: 2.3% (2016 est.)other: 86.6% (2016 est.)
NA
most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
difficulty in properly disposing of waste produced by large numbers of tourists; waste burning that occurs in the landfill causes air pollution and poses an environmental and health risk; ocean environmental damage due to plastic pollution
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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People and Society :: Aruba
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116,576 (July 2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 189
noun: Aruban(s)adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Aruban 66%, Colombian 9.1%, Dutch 4.3%, Dominican 4.1%, Venezuelan 3.2%, Curacaoan 2.2%, Haitian 1.5%, Surinamese 1.2%, Peruvian 1.1%, Chinese 1.1%, other 6.2% (2010 est.)note: data represent population by country of birth
Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est.)
0-14 years: 17.61% (male 10,304 /female 10,227)15-24 years: 12.53% (male 7,355 /female 7,253)25-54 years: 41.29% (male 23,187 /female 24,946)55-64 years: 14.51% (male 7,910 /female 9,005)65 years and over: 14.06% (male 6,422 /female 9,967) (2018 est.)population pyramid:
The World Factbook Field Image ModalCentral America :: Aruba Print
Image DescriptionThis is the population pyramid for Aruba. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends.
For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.
total dependency ratio: 44.6 (2015 est.)youth dependency ratio: 27 (2015 est.)elderly dependency ratio: 17.5 (2015 est.)potential support ratio: 5.7 (2015 est.)
total: 39.5 years (2018 est.)male: 37.8 yearsfemale: 41.2 yearscountry comparison to the world: 53
1.24% (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 88
12.3 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 158
8.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 76
8.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 10
most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island
urban population: 43.5% of total population (2019)rate of urbanization: 0.67% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)
30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female15-24 years: 1.01 male(s)/female25-54 years: 0.93 male(s)/female55-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female65 years and over: 0.64 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2018 est.)
total: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)male: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live birthsfemale: 7.2 deaths/1,000 live birthscountry comparison to the world: 131
total population: 77.1 years (2018 est.)male: 74.1 yearsfemale: 80.3 yearscountry comparison to the world: 77
1.83 children born/woman (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 147
improved: urban: 98.1% of populationrural: 98.1% of populationtotal: 98.1% of populationunimproved: urban: 1.9% of populationrural: 1.9% of populationtotal: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)
improved: urban: 97.7% of population (2015 est.)rural: 97.7% of population (2015 est.)total: 97.7% of population (2015 est.)unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)rural: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)total: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)
NA
NA
NA
note: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country (as of August 2016); it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex, via blood transfusion, or during pregnancy, in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus
6.2% of GDP (2016)country comparison to the world: 27
definition: age 15 and over can read and writetotal population: 97.5%male: 97.5%female: 97.5% (2015)
total: 14 yearsmale: 13 yearsfemale: 14 years (2012)
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Government :: Aruba
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conventional long form: noneconventional short form: Arubaetymology: the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island; another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated"
constituent country 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
parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
name: Oranjestadgeographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 Wtime difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)etymology: translates as "orange town" in Dutch; the city is named after William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange, the first ruler of the Netherlands
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: Aruba is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Curacao, and Sint Maarten
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
history: previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
see the Netherlands
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017)head of government: Prime Minister Evelyn WEVER-CROES (since 17 November 2017)cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term; election last held on 27 September 2013 (next to be held by September 2017)election results: Evelyn WEVER-CROES (MEP) elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
description: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)elections: last held on 22 September 2017 (next to be held in September 2021)election results: percent of vote by party AVP 39.8%, MEP 37.6%, POR 9.4%, RED 7.1%, other 6.1%; seats by party - AVP 9, MEP 9, POR 2, RED 1; composition as of October 2018 - men 14, women 7, percent of women 33.3%
highest courts: Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlandsjudge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarchsubordinate courts: Court in First Instance
Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel "Mike" EMAN]
Democratic Electoral Network or RED [L.R. CROES]
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [O.E. ODUBER]
Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]
Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Guillfred BESARIL (since 20 November 2017) is Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba, seated with his cabinet in the Aruba House (Arubahuis) in The Haguenone (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note - there is a Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba, Rendolf "Andy" LEE, at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba
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; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth
Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill; national colors: blue, yellow, red, white
name: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)lyrics/music: Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVERnote: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)
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Economy :: Aruba
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Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy.
Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US. The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector.
Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers.
In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery. Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries. Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased.
$4.158 billion (2017 est.)$4.107 billion (2016 est.)$4.112 billion (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 180
$2.7 billion (2009 est.) (2017 est.)
17% of GDP (2017 est.)17.2% of GDP (2016 est.)15.5% of GDP (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 120
household consumption: 60.3% (2014 est.)government consumption: 25.3% (2015 est.)investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2014 est.)investment in inventories: 0% (2015 est.)exports of goods and services: 70.5% (2015 est.)imports of goods and services: -76.6% (2015 est.)
agriculture: 0.4% (2002 est.)industry: 33.3% (2002 est.)services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
aloes; livestock; fish
tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
NA
51,610 (2007 est.)note: of the 51,610 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
country comparison to the world: 191
agriculture: NAindustry: NAservices: NAnote: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants
7.7% (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 113
NA
revenues: 681.6 million (2017 est.)expenditures: 755.5 million (2017 est.)
25.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 118
-2.7% (of GDP) (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 118
calendar year
$0 (31 December 2017 est.)$1.257 billion (31 December 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 194
$0 (31 December 2017 est.)$1.257 billion (31 December 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 197
$1.848 billion (31 December 2017 est.)$1.848 billion (31 December 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 156
US 20.2%, Colombia 17.6%, Venezuela 13%, Netherlands 9.1%, Thailand 8.4%, Panama 4.8% (2017)
live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
machinery and electrical equipment, refined oil for bunkering and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
US 53.7%, Netherlands 13.1% (2017)
$921.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)$828 million (31 December 2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 134
$693.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)$666.4 million (31 December 2013 est.)country comparison to the world: 173
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar -1.79 (2017 est.)1.79 (2016 est.)1.79 (2015 est.)1.79 (2014 est.)1.79 (2013 est.) -
Energy :: Aruba
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population without electricity: 11,364 (2012)electrification - total population: 95.6% (2016)electrification - urban areas: 100% (2016)electrification - rural areas: 92.5% (2016)
939 million kWh (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 153
873.3 million kWh (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 158
0 kWh (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 100
0 kWh (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 121
296,000 kW (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 159
87% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 61
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 39
0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 154
13% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 66
0 bbl/day (2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 107
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 87
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 91
0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)country comparison to the world: 104
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 115
8,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 163
0 bbl/day (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 127
7,891 bbl/day (2015 est.)country comparison to the world: 153
1 cu m (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 96
1 cu m (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 116
1 cu m (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 56
1 cu m (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 80
0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)country comparison to the world: 107
1.266 million Mt (2017 est.)country comparison to the world: 162
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Communications :: Aruba
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total subscriptions: 35,000subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 31 (July 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 167
total subscriptions: 141,000subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 126 (July 2016 est.)country comparison to the world: 187
general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system; increased competition through privatization has increased mobile-cellular teledensity; three mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed; MNO (mobile network operator) launched island-wide LTE services; MNP (mobile number portability) introduced (2018)domestic: ongoing changes in regulations and competition improving teledensity; 31 per 100 fixed-line, 126 per 100 mobile-cellular (2018)international: country code - 297; landing points for the PAN-AM, PCCS, Deep Blue Cable, and Alonso de Ojeda submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from Trinidad and Tobago, Florida, Puerto Ricco, Jamaica, Guyana, Sint Eustatius & Saba, Suriname, Dominican Republic, BVI, USVI, Haiti, Cayman Islands, the Netherlands Antilles, through Aruba to Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2019)
2 commercial TV stations; cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels; about 19 commercial radio stations broadcast (2017)
.aw
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Military and Security :: Aruba
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no regular military forces (2011)
defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism
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Transportation :: Aruba
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number of registered air carriers: 3 (2015)inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19 (2015)annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 2,120,578 (2015)annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)
P4 (2016)
1 (2013)country comparison to the world: 212
total: 1 (2019)2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
total: 1,000 km (2010)country comparison to the world: 179
major seaport(s): Barcadera, Oranjestadoil terminal(s): Sint Nicolaascruise port(s): Oranjestad
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Transnational Issues :: Aruba
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none
transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine