Broadcast media (Radio) [time series]

broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

72,168 telephones; 1,100 telephones/1,000 persons; more than adequate local: NA intercity: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten

Broadcast media (Television) [time series]

broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA

Note [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands ASHMORE AND CARTIER ISLANDS (territory of Australia)

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

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

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents

Economic aid [time series]

recipient: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million

Electricity [time series]

capacity: 90,000 kW production: 330 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,761 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: mostly refined petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$81 million (1987)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Illicit drugs [time series]

drug money laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe

Imports [time series]

$1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and re-export partners: US 8%, EC

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

7% (1994 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (1993 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$17,000 (1993 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

5% (1993 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. Additionally, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.

Unemployment rate [time series]

0.6% (1992)

Area [time series]

total area: 193 sq km land area: 193 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

68.5 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

current issues: NA natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt international agreements: NA

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

none

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

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

Location [time series]

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Map references [time series]

Central America and the Caribbean

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

negligible; white sandy beaches

Terrain [time series]

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Capital [time series]

Oranjestad

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1986

Digraph [time series]

AA

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the legislature

Flag [time series]

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 [time series]

none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)

Judicial branch [time series]

Joint High Court of Justice

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral

Legislative branch (Legislature (Staten)) [time series]

elections last held 29 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

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

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba

National holiday [time series]

Flag Day, 18 March

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party (AVP), Jan (Henny) H. 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; Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Government type (Type) [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 23% (female 7,377; male 7,726) 15-64 years: 69% (female 24,269; male 21,141) 65 years and over: 8% (female 3,223; male 2,238) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

14.6 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.17 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force [time series]

NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1995)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 76.56 years male: 72.89 years female: 80.42 years (1995 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population [time series]

65,974 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.65% (1995 est.)

Religions [time series]

Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Airports [time series]

total: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA

Merchant marine [time series]

none

Ports [time series]

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

0 km