Aruba

Airfield

government-owned airport east of Oranjestad

Ports

Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Telecommunications

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

Note

defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands until 1996

Agriculture

poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes

Aid

none

Budget

revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988)

Currency

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

Electricity

310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 15,120 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$47.5 million (f.o.b., 1988 est.); commodities--mostly petroleum products; partners--US 64%, EC

External debt

$81 million (1987)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

$620 million, per capita $10,000; real growth rate 16.7% (1988 est.)

Imports

$296.0 million (c.i.f., 1988 est.); commodities--food, consumer goods, manufactures; partners--US 8%, EC

Industrial production

growth rate - 20% (1984)

Industries

tourism, transshipment facilities

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4% (1988 est.)

Overview

Tourism is the mainstay of the economy. In 1985 the economy suffered a severe blow when Exxon closed its refinery, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings. Economic collapse was prevented by soft loans from the Dutch Government and by a booming tourist industry. Hotel capacity expanded by 20% between 1985 and 1987 and is projected to more than double by 1990. Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1988.

Unemployment rate

3% (1988 est.)

Climate

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline

68.5 km

Comparative area

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Environment

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Exclusive fishing zone

12 nm;

Land boundaries

none

Land use

0% arable land; 0% permanent crops; 0% meadows and pastures; 0% forest and woodland; 100% other

Natural resources

negligible; white sandy beaches

Note

28 km north of Venezuela

Terrain

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Territorial sea

12 nm

Total area

193 km2; land area: 193 km2

Administrative divisions

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Capital

Oranjestad

Constitution

1 January 1986

Diplomatic representation

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Executive branch

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

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

Independence

planned for 1996

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)

Legal system

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (Staten)

Long-form name

none

National holiday

Flag Day, 18 March

Political parties and leaders

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), Benny Nisbet; 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 Parliament--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

Type

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

Birth rate

16 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate

6 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic divisions

80% mixed European/Caribbean Indian

Infant mortality rate

8 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force

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

Language

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

Life expectancy at birth

72 years male, 80 years female (1990)

Literacy

95%

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

- 8 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor

Aruban Workers' Federation (FTA)

Population

62,656 (July 1990), growth rate 0.2% (1990)

Religion

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

Total fertility rate

1.8 children born/woman (1990)