Aruba

• a flat, riverless island known 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)

noun:

Aruban(s)

adjective:

Aruban; Dutch

total:

41.2 years (2025 est.)

male:

39.3 years

female:

42.4 years

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.)

total:

11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

male:

15.6 deaths/1,000 live births

female:

7.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population:

78.5 years (2024 est.)

male:

75.4 years

female:

81.6 years

• difficulty in properly disposing waste from tourists;
• air pollution from waste-burning;
• water pollution from plastics

urban population:

44.3% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization:

0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

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 hubo ("there was gold"), but no gold was ever found on the island;
• other possible sources are either the local word oruba ("well-situated") or a combination of two Carib Indian words, ora and oubao ("shell" and "island," respectively)

• one of four constituent countries 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

note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands , Sint Maarten , and Curacao

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

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

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 Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025)

cabinet:

Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)

election/appointment process:

• 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

most recent election date:

6 December 2024

election results:

Mike EMAN (AVP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA

expected date of next election:

by December 2028

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 December 2024

parties elected and seats per party:

• AVP (9);
• MEP (8);
• FUTURO (3);
• PPA (1)

percentage of women in chamber:

38.1%

expected date of next election:

by December 2028

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

• Accion21
• Aruban People's Party or AVP
• Democratic Network or RED
• FUTURO
• Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS
• Partido Patriotico di Aruba (Aruban Patriotic Party) or APP
• People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP
• Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR
• RAIZ (ROOTS)

description:

blue, with two narrow, horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper-left corner

meaning:

• the star stands for Aruba's red soil and white beaches, and its four points for the major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) and the points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world;
• blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies;
• the stripes represent the island's two main industries, tourism and mining

title:

"Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Sweet Land)

lyrics/music:

Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER

history:

national anthem adopted 1976; _____

title:

“Het Wilhelmus”

lyrics/music:

Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown

history:

official anthem, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

• 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

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

• aloes;
• livestock;
• fish

• freedom of the press respected, as guaranteed under Dutch law;
• newspapers are in the Papiamento language;
• 2 commercial TV stations, with a cable TV subscription service providing access to foreign channels;
• wide range of commercial radio stations available (2023)

total:

1 (2023)

by type:

other 1

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

• 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)) (2025)

• 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)