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Aruba (/ ə ˈ r uː b ə / ə-ROO-bə, Dutch: [aːˈrubaː] or [aːˈrybaː] ⓘ, Papiamento:), officially the Country of Aruba (Dutch: Land Aruba; Papiamento: Pais Aruba), is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the south of the Caribbean Sea.
- Oranjestad
Oranjestad, Aruba. Coordinates: 12°31′07″N 70°02′09″W....
- Culture of Aruba
The culture of Aruba, encompassing its language, music, and...
- Aruba Natural Bridge
The Aruba Natural Bridge was a tourist attraction in Arikok...
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We would like to show you a description here but the site...
- Cities
A map of Aruba, showing points of interest. The island of...
- Dutch Caribbean
The Dutch Caribbean (historically known as the Dutch West...
- ABC Islands
The ABC islands is the physical group of Aruba, Bonaire, and...
- Arawak
The Arawak are a group of Indigenous peoples of northern...
- Queen Beatrix International Airport
Queen Beatrix International Airport (IATA: AUA, ICAO: TNCA),...
- Baby Beach
Baby Beach officially known as Klein Lagoen, is a shallow,...
- Oranjestad
Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula. It is in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unlike much of the Caribbean region, it has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape.
- 81% Roman Catholic
- Constitutional monarchy
- Overview
- Land
- People
- Economy
- Government and society
- Cultural life
Aruba is an island that lies southwest of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, some 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Curaçao and 18 miles (29 km) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná.
What is the capital of Aruba?
Oranjestad is the capital of Aruba. It is also Aruba’s main port and chief administrative center.
What is the official language of Aruba?
Aruba has two official languages, Dutch and Papiamentu, a creole that evolved mainly from Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch.
Who were the first inhabitants of Aruba?
Aruba is 20 miles (32 km) long and 6 miles (10 km) across at its widest point. Generally low in elevation, the island consists largely of igneous rocks overlain by limestone deposits and is fringed with coral reefs. Its highest point is Mount Jamanota, which rises to 620 feet (189 metres) above sea level. Among the isolated steep-sided hills that c...
Most of Aruba’s population is ethnically mixed, including many people of American Indian ancestry, often in combination with Dutch, Spanish, and African heritage. There are few people of predominantly African descent, however, because—unlike most other Caribbean islands—Aruba had few slave-based plantations during colonial times.
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The official languages are Dutch and Papiamentu (also spoken in Curaçao and Bonaire), a creole that evolved mainly from Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. English and Spanish are also widely used. About three-fourths of the people are Roman Catholic; there are small minorities of Protestants and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The birth and death rates are both relatively low, and the rate of natural increase is less than average for the West Indies. Life expectancy for both men and women is among the highest in the region and is comparable to that in developed countries.
Services form the basis of the Aruban economy. These activities centre primarily on tourism, but offshore banking and other services are also important. Until the end of the 18th century, Aruba was used by the colonial authorities for horse breeding, and local and mainland Indians served as herdsmen. Only from the early 19th century was land sold to individual settlers. Agriculture remained of little importance despite efforts to grow aloe for pharmaceutical products. Gold mining began in 1824 but was discontinued in the early 20th century. Aruba’s economy improved when oil refining started in the 1920s at the port of San Nicolas (Sint Nicolaas); crude oil was imported mainly from Venezuela. The refinery closed in 1985, provoking a serious economic crisis. Arubans responded by aggressively promoting and expanding tourism, including building luxury hotels and casinos, to exploit the idyllic island setting. The refinery reopened in 1990 and resumed full production by 1993, but, after operating at a loss for a number of years, it closed again in 2012.
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The economy has been diversified by developing a free-trade zone, a data-processing sector, and international offshore financial services. The island has an international airport and is further linked to the outside world by steamship and cruise ship services. Local currency is the Aruban florin, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar.
A governor, appointed to a six-year term by the Dutch crown, is the formal head of government and representative of the reigning monarch of the Netherlands. Executive authority is vested in a Council of Ministers, headed by a prime minister. The council is responsible to a 21-member unicameral legislature, the Staten (States), elected by universal ...
Aruba’s long stretches of white sand and clear waters attract numerous tourists. The Cultural Center in Oranjestad offers concerts, ballet, folkloric presentations, and art exhibits throughout the year. The city also includes historical, archaeological, and numismatic museums. The New Year’s Day festivities and pre-Lenten Carnival in February are e...
Geography. Aruba (the westernmost island among the ABC Islands and of the Leeward Antilles) is situated in a unique geological location, right at the boundary between the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates. It is located 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of the Venezuela coast and 68 kilometres (42 mi) northwest of Curaçao.
Aruba is a desert Caribbean island, a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Located off the coast of Venezuela, this flat, river-less island is renowned for its white sand beaches. Aruba is divided into the northeast and southwest coasts. The southwest has white-sand beaches, turquoise seas, and warm waters.
- Oranjestad
- 106.7 thousand (2022)
- Aruban florin (AWG)
Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the south of the Caribbean Sea. Aruba is located approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Curaçao.
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