Profile
Background and figures as recorded in the CIA World Factbook.
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.
- Capital
- Oranjestad
- Government
- parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Population
- 125,063
- Area
- 180 sq km
- Location
- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
- Climate
- tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
- Natural resources
- NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
- Languages
- Papiamento (official) (a creole language that mixes Portuguese; Spanish; Dutch; English…
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 75.3%; Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%; Adventist 0.9%; Anglican 0.4%…
- Independence
- none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- Currency
- Aruban guilders/florins
- Export partners
- Jordan 34%; Colombia 31%; USA 7%; Guyana 5%…
- Import partners
- USA 53%; Netherlands 15%; China 6%; Colombia 3%…
Source: CIA World Factbook — a work of the US government, in the public domain