represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30
October 2001)
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 four-year terms; election last
held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005)
election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent
of legislative vote - NA
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by
direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by NA 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA
7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8,
MPA 1, RED 1
Judicial branch:
Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the
monarch)
Political parties and leaders:
Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban
Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic
Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA
[Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's
Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy
or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform
or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO
(associate)
Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry Baarh, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Diplomatic representation from the US:
the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to
Netherlands Antilles 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
Economy Aruba
Economy - overview:
Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with
offshore banking and oil refining and storage 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 exceptionally low unemployment
rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite
sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have
declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks
on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a
negative trade balance.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$1.94 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
−1.5% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita:
purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
Labor force:
41,500 (1997 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair,
followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
Unemployment rate:
0.6% (2003 est.)
Population below poverty line:
NA
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.2% (2002 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA
(2000)
Agriculture - products:
aloes; livestock; fish
Industries:
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Industrial production growth rate:
NA%
Electricity
