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:
total area: 193 sq km
land area: 193 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 68.5 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches
Land use:
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 100%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
international agreements: NA
People———
Population: 67,794 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 22% (male 7,850; female 7,155)
15–64 years: 69% (male 22,499; female 24,596)
65 years and over: 9% (male 2,353; female 3,341) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.31% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 14.62 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 6.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: −5.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.1 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
all ages: 0.93 male(s)/female
Infant mortality rate: 8.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.68 years male: 73 years female: 80.55 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.81 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban
Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80%
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim,
Confucian, Jewish
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese,
Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Literacy: NA
Government—————
Name of country: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba
Data code: AA
Type of government: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles
Capital: Oranjestad
Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the
Netherlands)
Independence: 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)
National holiday: Flag Day, 18 March
Constitution: 1 January 1986
Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (of the Netherlands
since 30 April 1980), a constitutional monarch, is represented by
Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) who was
appointed for a six-year term by the queen
head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29
July 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Glenbert F. CROES were
appointed by the legislature
cabinet: Council of Ministers was appointed by the legislature
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (Staten): 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
Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders: 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; Aruban Liberal Party (OLA),
Glenbert CROES
note: governing coalition includes the AVP and OLA
International organization participation: ECLAC (associate),
Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)
