Country Summary: Aruba
Country Name: Aruba
Capital: Oranjestad
Official Visa & Travel Information:
Government Type: Parliamentary Democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
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.
Region: Caribbean
Population: 123,702 (2023 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)
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.)
Economic Overview: Small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery.
Currency: Aruban Florin (AWG)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange & Gold: $1.513 billion (31 December 2021 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity): $4.141 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate: 17.17% (2021 est.)
Real GDP per Capita: $38,900 (2021 est.)
Exports:
$2.201 billion (2021 est.); note: data is in current year U.S. dollars and does not include illicit exports or re-exports
Comparison Ranking: 158
Export Commodities: Crude petroleum, cigarettes, whiskies, refined petroleum, and scrap iron (2021)
Export Partners: Malaysia 57%, United States 11%, Netherlands 6%, Jordan 6%, Venezuela 5% (2019)
Imports:
$1.947 billion (2021 est.) note: data is in current year U.S. dollars
Comparison Ranking: 173
Import Commodities: Refined petroleum, jewelry, cars, vehicle parts, and tobacco products (2019)
Import Partners: United States 48%, Netherlands 16%, and Others 36% (2019)
Natural Resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism.
Agricultural Products: Aloes, livestock, and fish.
Industries: Tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, and banking.
Industrial Production Growth Rate: N/A
Labor Force: 51,610 (2007 est.)
Labor Force By Occupation:
Agriculture: N/A
Industry: N/A
Services: N/A
Note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants.
Unemployment Rate: 7.7% (2016 est.)
Natural Hazards: Hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened.
Geography:
Total: 180 sq km
Land: 180 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
(Country Summary, The World Factbook, CIA.gov)
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