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Aruba
Aruba (Central America and Caribbean)
Introduction :: Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Three main industries have since dominated the island's economy: gold mining, oil refining, and tourism. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening of an oil refinery in 1924. 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
Geography
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates
12 30 N, 69 58 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area
total : 180 sq km
land: 180 sq km
water: 0 sq km
comparison ranking: total 218
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
68.5 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Elevation
highest point: Ceru Jamanota 188 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
Land use
agricultural land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 2.3% (2018 est.)
other: 86.6% (2018 est.)
Irrigated land
NA
Population distribution
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
Natural hazards
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Geography - note
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)
People and Society
Population
total: 125,063
male: 59,101
female: 65,962 (2024 est.)
comparison rankings: female 188; male 188; total 188
Nationality
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Ethnic groups
Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages
Papiamento (official) (a creole language that mixes Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, French, African languages, and 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.)
Religions
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.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 17.2% (male 10,815/female 10,747)
15-64 years: 65.7% (male 39,621/female 42,487)
65 years and over: 17.1% (2024 est.) (male 8,665/female 12,728)
2023 population pyramid:
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.8
youth dependency ratio: 24.8
elderly dependency ratio: 23
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 40.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 39.3 years
female: 42.4 years
comparison ranking: total 56
Population growth rate
1.08% (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 87
Birth rate
11.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 156
Death rate
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 68
Net migration rate
8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 11
Population distribution
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
Urbanization
urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Major urban areas - population
30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 117
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.)
male: 75.4 years
female: 81.6 years
comparison ranking: total population 78
Total fertility rate
1.82 children born/woman (2024 est.)
comparison ranking: 137
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
NA
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.1% of population
rural: 98.1% of population
total: 98.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population
rural: 1.9% of population
total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)
Current health expenditure
NA
Physician density
NA
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 97.7% of population
rural: 97.7% of population
total: 97.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population
rural: 2.3% of population
total: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
NA
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
42.1% (2023 est.)
Education expenditures
5.5% of GDP (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 54
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 97.8%
female: 97.8% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2012)
Environment
Environment - current issues
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
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Land use
agricultural land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 2.3% (2018 est.)
other: 86.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
total population growth rate v. urban population growth rate, 2000-2030
Revenue from forest resources
0% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 202
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.88 megatons (2016 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 88,132 tons (2013 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 9,695 tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11% (2013 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Country of Aruba
conventional short form: Aruba
local long form: Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento)
local short form: Aruba
etymology: 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"
Government type
parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Dependency status
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
Capital
name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: translates as "orange city" in Dutch; in 1824, the city was named after the royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau
Administrative divisions
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
Independence
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday
National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Legal system
civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
Constitution
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
Citizenship
see the Netherlands
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
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 25 June 2021 (next to be held by June 2025)
election results: as leader of the majority party of the ruling coalition, Evelyn WEVER-CROES (MEP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA
Legislative branch
legislature name: Legislature (Staten)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 21
electoral system: proportional representation
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 4 years
most recent election date: 6/25/2021
parties elected and seats per party: MEP (9); AVP (7); ROOTS (2); MAS (2); Accion21 (1)
percentage of women in chamber: 38.1%
expected date of next election: June 2025
Judicial branch
highest court(s): 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, Netherlands
judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch
subordinate courts: Court in First Instance
Political parties
Accion21
Aruban People's Party or AVP
Democratic Network or RED
Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR
RAIZ (ROOTS)
International organization participation
ACS (associate), 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)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba
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
National symbol(s)
Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill; national colors: blue, yellow, red, white
National anthem
name: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)
lyrics/music: Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER
note: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)
Economy
Economic overview
small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$4.35 billion (2023 est.)
$4.172 billion (2022 est.)
$3.844 billion (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 189
Real GDP growth rate
4.26% (2023 est.)
8.52% (2022 est.)
27.64% (2021 est.)
note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
comparison ranking: 69
Real GDP per capita
$40,500 (2023 est.)
$38,900 (2022 est.)
$35,700 (2021 est.)
note: data in 2021 dollars
comparison ranking: 61
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.649 billion (2023 est.)
note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
4.26% (2019 est.)
3.63% (2018 est.)
-1.03% (2017 est.)
note: annual % change based on consumer prices
comparison ranking: 91
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BB (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB+ (2013)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0% (2019 est.)
industry: 11.4% (2019 est.)
services: 78.3% (2019 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
comparison rankings: services 18; industry 185; agriculture 212
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 52.1% (2023 est.)
government consumption: 19.6% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 21.5% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services: 88.3% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services: -81.5% (2023 est.)
note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
Agricultural products
aloes; livestock; fish
Industries
tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
Unemployment rate
7.7% (2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 143
Remittances
1.03% of GDP (2023 est.)
1.17% of GDP (2022 est.)
1.22% of GDP (2021 est.)
note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Budget
revenues: $793 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $782 million (2019 est.)
Public debt
86% of GDP (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 32
Taxes and other revenues
25.2% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
comparison ranking: 43
Current account balance
$230.556 million (2022 est.)
$79.257 million (2021 est.)
-$316.455 million (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
comparison ranking: 71
Exports
$2.853 billion (2022 est.)
$2.201 billion (2021 est.)
$1.444 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 156
Exports - partners
Colombia 40%, US 12%, Jordan 11%, Guyana 8%, Netherlands 6% (2022)
note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
Exports - commodities
tobacco, liquor, refined petroleum, scrap iron, orthopedic appliances (2022)
note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
Imports
$2.429 billion (2022 est.)
$1.947 billion (2021 est.)
$1.644 billion (2020 est.)
note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
comparison ranking: 168
Imports - partners
US 39%, Netherlands 11%, Guyana 9%, Colombia 8%, China 5% (2022)
note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, crude petroleum, tobacco, jewelry, other foods (2022)
note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$1.468 billion (2023 est.)
$1.544 billion (2022 est.)
$1.513 billion (2021 est.)
note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
comparison ranking: 141
Exchange rates
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
1.79 (2023 est.)
1.79 (2022 est.)
1.79 (2021 est.)
1.79 (2020 est.)
1.79 (2019 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 100%
electrification - rural areas: 100%
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 304,000 kW (2022 est.)
consumption: 809.548 million kWh (2022 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 166.766 million kWh (2022 est.)
comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 61; consumption 165; installed generating capacity 165
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 84.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
solar: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
wind: 13.9% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
1.214 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.214 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 169
Energy consumption per capita
161.715 million Btu/person (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: 24
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 35,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 32 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 164
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 141,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 188
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage (2021)
domestic: 33 per 100 fixed-line telephone subscriptions and 130 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)
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)
Broadcast media
Aruba observes freedom of the press, as guaranteed under Dutch law, the newspapers are in the Papiamento language, there are two commercial TV stations, a cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels and there are a wide range of commercial radio stations available
(2023)
Internet country code
.aw
Internet users
percent of population: 97% (2017 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 19,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total 172
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 274,280 (2018)
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
P4
Airports
1 (2024)
comparison ranking: 220
Roadways
total: 1,000 km (2010)
comparison ranking: total 187
Merchant marine
total: 1 (2023)
by type: other 1
comparison ranking: total 182
Ports
total ports: 2 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 1
ports with oil terminals: 1
key ports: Paardenbaai (Oranjestad), Sint Nicolaas Baai
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL); Police Department for local law enforcement, supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2024)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security; the Dutch military maintains a presence on Aruba, including a marine company and a naval base (2024)
Transnational Issues
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 17,085 (Venezuela) (2023)
Illicit drugs
northbound transshipment point for cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela; cocaine shipped to the United States, other Caribbean islands, Africa, and Europe
