Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0

Radios [time series]

NA

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones) [time series]

22,922 (1993 est.)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

19,000 (1993 est.)

Agricultural products (Agriculture--products) [time series]

aloes; livestock; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $345.3 million expenditures: $378.5 million, including capital expenditures of $107 million (1997 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents

Debt - external (Debt--external) [time series]

$285 million (1996)

Economic aid (Economic aid--recipient) [time series]

$26 million (1995); note?the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996

Economic overview (Economy--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. In addition, 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.

Electricity - consumption (Electricity--consumption) [time series]

470 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - exports (Electricity--exports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - imports (Electricity--imports) [time series]

0 kWh (1996)

Electricity - production (Electricity--production) [time series]

470 million kWh (1996)

Electricity - production by source (Electricity--production by source) [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)

Exchange rates [time series]

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

Exports [time series]

$1.73 billion (including oil reexports)(1997)

Exports - commodities (Exports--commodities) [time series]

mostly refined petroleum products

Exports - partners (Exports--partners) [time series]

US 64%, EU

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

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

purchasing power parity--$1.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP--composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Real GDP per capita (GDP--per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity?$22,000 (1997 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP--real growth rate) [time series]

6% (1997)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$2.12 billion (1997)

Imports - commodities (Imports--commodities) [time series]

food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and reexport

Imports - partners (Imports--partners) [time series]

US 55.5%, Netherlands 12.3%, Japan 3.5%

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

3% (1997)

Labor force [time series]

NA

Labor force - by occupation (Labor force--by occupation) [time series]

most employment is in the tourist industry (1996)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

0.6% (1996 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative (Area--comparative) [time series]

slightly larger than Washington, DC

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Coastline [time series]

68.5 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m

Environment - current issues (Environment--current issues) [time series]

NA

International environmental agreements (Environment--international agreements) [time series]

party to: NA signed, but not ratified: NA

Geographic coordinates [time series]

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Irrigated land [time series]

NA sq km

Land boundaries [time series]

0 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 11% permanent crops: NA% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: NA% other: 89% (1993 est.)

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 hazards [time series]

lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt

Natural resources [time series]

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Terrain [time series]

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Administrative divisions [time series]

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Capital [time series]

Oranjestad

Constitution [time series]

1 January 1986

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba

Data code [time series]

AA

Dependency status [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (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) and Deputy Prime Minister Glenbert F. CROES cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for a four-year term; election last held 12 July 1997 (next to be held by December 2001) election results: inconclusive; no party won majority in December 1997 parliamentary elections; no new government formed as of May 1998

Flag (Flag description) [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

Government type [time series]

parliamentary

Independence [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Judicial branch [time series]

Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote and serve four-year terms) elections: last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held by NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote by party--NA; seats by party--AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2

National holiday [time series]

Flag Day, 18 March

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

Electoral Movement Party or MEP

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Military - note (Military--note) [time series]

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 22% (male 7,724; female 7,106) 15-64 years: 69% (male 22,723; female 24,747) 65 years and over: 9% (male 2,623; female 3,752) (1999 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

13.28 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Death rate [time series]

6.48 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

7.84 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Languages [time series]

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

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.04 years male: 73.33 years female: 80.94 years (1999 est.)

Literacy [time series]

NA

Nationality [time series]

noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban

Net migration rate [time series]

-1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)

Population [time series]

68,675 (July 1999 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

0.55% (1999 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.8 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Disputes - international (Disputes--international) [time series]

none

Illicit drugs [time series]

drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe; added to the US list of major drug producing or drug transit countries in December 1996

Airports [time series]

2 (1998 est.)

Airports - with paved runways (Airports--with paved runways) [time series]

total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 300 km paved: 130 km unpaved: 170 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,366 GRT/1,595 DWT (1998 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

Railways [time series]

0 km