Introduction
Background
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. 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.
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Geography
Location
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Geographic coordinates
12 30 N, 69 58 W
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Area - comparative
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries
total: 0 km
Coastline
68.5 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Elevation
highest point: Ceru Jamanota 188 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
Natural resources
NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
Land use
agricultural land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 2.3% (2018 est.)
other: 86.6% (2018 est.)
Population distribution
most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island
Natural hazards
hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
Geography - note
a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
People and Society
Nationality
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Ethnic groups
Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)
note: data represent population by nationality
Languages
Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 17.55% (male 10,524/female 10,437)
15-24 years: 12.06% (male 7,231/female 7,175)
25-54 years: 40.54% (male 23,387/female 25,029)
55-64 years: 14.79% (male 8,285/female 9,383)
65 years and over: 15.05% (male 7,064/female 10,913) (2020 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 47.8
youth dependency ratio: 24.8
elderly dependency ratio: 23
potential support ratio: 4.4 (2021 est.)
Median age
total: 39.9 years
male: 38.2 years
female: 41.5 years (2020 est.)
Population distribution
most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island
Urbanization
urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.87 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.52 male(s)/female
total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 12.09 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 16.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.63 deaths/1,000 live births (2022 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 78.01 years
male: 74.93 years
female: 81.15 years (2022 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 98.1% of population
rural: 98.1% of population
total: 98.1% of population
unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population
rural: 1.9% of population
total: 1.9% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 97.7% of population
rural: 97.7% of population
total: 97.7% of population
unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population
rural: 2.3% of population
total: 2.3% of population (2015 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8%
male: 97.8%
female: 97.8% (2018)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 14 years
male: 13 years
female: 14 years (2012)
Environment
Environment - current issues
difficulty in properly disposing of waste produced by large numbers of tourists; waste burning that occurs in the landfill causes air pollution and poses an environmental and health risk; ocean environmental damage due to plastic pollution
Air pollutants
carbon dioxide emissions: 0.88 megatons (2016 est.)
Climate
tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Land use
agricultural land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
arable land: 11.1% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 0% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)
forest: 2.3% (2018 est.)
other: 86.6% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Revenue from forest resources
forest revenues: 0% of GDP (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 88,132 tons (2013 est.)
municipal solid waste recycled annually: 9,695 tons (2013 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 11% (2013 est.)
Government
Country name
conventional long form: Country of Aruba
conventional short form: Aruba
local long form: Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento)
local short form: Aruba
etymology: the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island; another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated"
Government type
parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Dependency status
constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
Capital
name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W
time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: translates as "orange town" in Dutch; the city is named after William I (1533-1584), Prince of Orange, the first ruler of the Netherlands
Administrative divisions
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
note: Aruba is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Curacao, and Sint Maarten
Independence
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
National holiday
National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Constitution
history: previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Legal system
civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
Citizenship
see the Netherlands
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017)
head of government: Prime Minister Evelyn WEVER-CROES (since 17 November 2017)
cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)
elections/appointments: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term; election last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held by June 2026)
election results: as leader of the majority party of the ruling coalition, Evelyn WEVER-CROES (MEP) elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
elections: last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)
election results: percent of vote by party MEP 35.3%, AVP 31.3%, ROOTS 9.4%, MAS 8%, Accion21 5.8%; seats by party - MEP 9, AVP 7, ROOTS 2, MAS 2, Accion21 1; composition - men 13, women 8, percent of women 38.1%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands
judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch
subordinate courts: Court in First Instance
Political parties and leaders
Accion21 [Miguel MANSUR]
Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel "Mike" EMAN]
Democratic Network or RED [Ricardo CROES]
Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS [Marisol LOPEZ-TROMP]
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [Alan Howell]
RAIZ (ROOTS) [Ursell ARENDS]
International organization participation
Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba
Flag description
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; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth
National symbol(s)
Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill; national colors: blue, yellow, red, white
National anthem
name: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)
lyrics/music: Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER
note: local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)
Economy
Economic overview
Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy.
Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US. The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector.
Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance. Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers.
In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery. Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries. Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased.
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$4.158 billion (2017 est.)
$4.05 billion (2017 est.)
$4.107 billion (2016 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
1.2% (2017 est.)
-0.1% (2016 est.)
-0.4% (2015 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$37,500 (2017 est.)
$38,442 (2017 est.)
$37,300 (2016 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$2.7 billion (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
-0.5% (2017 est.)
-0.9% (2016 est.)
Credit ratings
Fitch rating: BB (2020)
Standard & Poors rating: BBB+ (2013)
note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 0.4% (2002 est.)
industry: 33.3% (2002 est.)
services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 60.3% (2014 est.)
government consumption: 25.3% (2015 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 22.3% (2014 est.)
investment in inventories: 0% (2015 est.)
exports of goods and services: 70.5% (2015 est.)
imports of goods and services: -76.6% (2015 est.)
Agricultural products
aloes; livestock; fish
Industries
tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
Labor force
51,610 (2007 est.)
note: of the 51,610 workers aged 15 and over in the labor force, 32,252 were born in Aruba and 19,353 came from abroad; foreign workers are 38% of the employed population
Labor force - by occupation
agriculture: NA
industry: NA
services: NA
note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Budget
revenues: 681.6 million (2017 est.)
expenditures: 755.5 million (2017 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
$22 million (2017 est.)
$133 million (2016 est.)
Exports
$1.45 billion (2020 est.)
$2.56 billion (2019 est.)
$2.56 billion (2018 est.)
note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.
Exports - partners
Malaysia 57%, United States 11%, Netherlands 6%, Jordan 6%, Venezuela 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
refined petroleum, liquors, scrap iron, soap, tobacco (2019)
Imports
$1.67 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$2.24 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$2.27 billion (2018 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
Imports - partners
United States 48%, Netherlands 16% (2019)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, jewelry, cars, vehicle parts, tobacco products (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$921.8 million (31 December 2017 est.)
$828 million (31 December 2015 est.)
Debt - external
$693.2 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$666.4 million (31 December 2013 est.)
Exchange rates
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar -
1.79 (2017 est.)
1.79 (2016 est.)
1.79 (2015 est.)
1.79 (2014 est.)
1.79 (2013 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 100% (2020)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 296,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 909.442 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 10.27 million kWh (2019 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 83.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 15.4% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 8,100 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
1.254 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.254 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
174.629 million Btu/person (2019 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 35,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2020 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 141,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2020 est.)
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the telecom sector has seen a decline in subscriber numbers (particularly for prepaid mobile services the mainstay of short term visitors) and revenue; fixed and mobile broadband services are two areas that have benefited from the crisis as employees and students have resorted to working from home; one area of the telecom market that is not prepared for growth is 5G mobile; governments, regulators, and even the mobile network operators have shown that they have not been investing in 5G opportunities at the present time; network expansion and enhancements remain concentrated around improving LTE coverage (2021)
domestic: 33 per 100 fixed-line telephone subscriptions and 132 per 100 mobile-cellular (2020)
international: country code - 297; landing points for the PAN-AM, PCCS, Deep Blue Cable, and Alonso de Ojeda submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from Trinidad and Tobago, Florida, Puerto Ricco, Jamaica, Guyana, Sint Eustatius & Saba, Suriname, Dominican Republic, BVI, USVI, Haiti, Cayman Islands, the Netherlands Antilles, through Aruba to Panama, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2019)
note: the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a significant impact on production and supply chains globally; since 2020, some aspects of the telecom sector have experienced a downturn, particularly in mobile device production; progress toward 5G implementation has resumed, as well as upgrades to infrastructure; consumer spending on telecom services has increased due to the surge in demand for capacity and bandwidth; the crucial nature of telecom services as a tool for work and school from home is still evident, and the spike in this area has seen growth opportunities for development of new tools and increased services
Broadcast media
2 commercial TV stations; cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels; about 19 commercial radio stations broadcast (2017)
Internet users
total: 103,121 (2019 est.)
percent of population: 97% (2019 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 19,000 (2020 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 18 (2020 est.)
Transportation
National air transport system
number of registered air carriers: 3 (2020)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 19
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 274,280 (2018)
Airports - with paved runways
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2021)
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Barcadera, Oranjestad
oil terminal(s): Sint Nicolaas
cruise port(s): Oranjestad
Military and Security
Military and security forces
no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL) (2022)
Military - note
defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 17,000 (Venezuela) (2021)
Trafficking in persons
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Aruba does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so; the government identified more potential victims, investigated more trafficking cases, and produced a new awareness campaign; however, the government did not demonstrate overall increasing efforts, compared to the previous reporting period, on its anti-trafficking capacity; authorities did not prosecute or convict any traffickers for the third consecutive year and sometimes relied on victims to self-identify; efforts depended on ad hoc funding, limiting key initiatives; officials conflated trafficking in persons and migrant smuggling, hindering the effectiveness of anti-trafficking efforts; because the government has devoted significant resources to a plan that, if implemented, would constitute significant efforts to meet minimum standards, Aruba was granted a waiver per the TVPA and thus remained on the Tier 2 Watch List for a third consecutive year (2022)
trafficking profile:
human traffickers exploit domestic and foreign victims; traffickers exploit Venezuelan women in sex trafficking, and foreign men and women are subject to forced labor in Aruba’s services and construction sectors; Venezuelans overstaying visas are at risk of forced labor in domestic service, construction, and commercial sex; Chinese men and women and Indian men are subject to forced labor in retail businesses and domestic service; Arubans force Caribbean and South American women into domestic servitude; Officials reported increases in forced criminality, where traffickers compel victims to commit unlawful acts, such as robberies and drug-related offenses (2022)
Illicit drugs
northbound transshipment point for cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela; Cocaine shipped to the United States, other Caribbean islands, Africa, and Europe