Aruba

part of the Dutch realm--full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands AntillesIndependence none (part of the Dutch realm)

Aruba as the 1991 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 59 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalOranjestad
Area193 km2
1991

Every edition of Aruba

Populationas each edition published it
64,052 people July 1991 · 62,656 in 1990
Population growth% a year
Not in this edition 0.66% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 37.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 76.3 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.8 children per woman 1991 · 1.8 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1991 · 8 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
Not in this edition $14,000 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
Not in this edition 6% in 1993

Geography

10 fields
Total area
193km2
land area: 193 km2Comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Coastline

68.5 km 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%

Environment

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Note

28 km north of Venezuela

People

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

Per 1,000 population(1991)

Birth
15Death
6

Net migration rate

- 4 migrants/1,000 population (1991)

Infant mortality rate

8 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 80 years female (1991)

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (1991)

Nationality

noun--Aruban(s); adjective--Aruban

Ethnic divisions

mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%

Religion

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

Language

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

Literacy

NA% (male NA%, female NA%)

Labor force

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

Organized labor

Aruban Workers' Federation (FTA)

Government

Part of the Dutch realm--full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles

15 fields

Legislature, 21 seats, elected 6 January 1989one dot, one seat

MEP 10AVP 8ADN 1PPN 1PPA 1

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

Constitution

1 January 1986

National holiday

Flag Day, 18 March

Executive branch

Dutch monarch, governor, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch

unicameral legislature (Staten)

Judicial branch

  • Joint High Court of Justice 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) Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER;
  • Aruban People's Party (AVP), Henny EMAN;
  • National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY;
  • New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN;
  • Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Leo CHANCE;
  • Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI;
  • Democratic Action '86 (AD'86), Arturo ODUBER;
  • governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN

Suffrage

  • universal at age 18 Legislature--last held 6 January 1989 (next to be held by January 1993);
  • results--percent of vote by party NA;
  • seats--(21 total) MEP 10, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPN 1, PPA 1

Member of

ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Flag

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

Economy

Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important.

16 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$730million
per capita $11,600; real growth rate 8.8% (1989 est.)
Unemployment rate
1.6%
(1990 est.)
External debt
$81million
(1987)

Budget

Revenues
$145 millionExpenditures
$185 million
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)

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.

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

Industrial production

growth rate NA

Electricity

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

Industries

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-1988), $200 million

Currency

Aruban florin (plural--florins); 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

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

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

3 fields

Ports

Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Airfield

government-owned airport east of Oranjestad

Telecommunications

  • generally adequate;
  • extensive interisland radio relay links;
  • 72,168 telephones;
  • stations--4 AM, 4 FM, 1 TV;
  • 1 sea cable to Sint Maarten

Defense Forces

1 field

Note

defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands

Central Intelligence Agency. “Aruba.” The World Factbook 1991. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/aruba/1991.

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