The 2008 CIA World Factbook. United States. Central Intelligence Agency

hazards:

      hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened

      Environment - current issues:

      NA

      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

       Aruba

      Population:

      101,541 note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985–1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2008 est.)

      Age structure:

      0–14 years: 19.4% (male 9,933/female 9,747) 15–64 years: 70.3% (male 34,123/female 37,228) 65 years and over: 10.4% (male 4,189/female 6,321) (2008 est.)

      Median age:

      total: 37.6 years male: 35.8 years female: 39.3 years (2008 est.)

      Population growth rate:

      1.501% (2008 est.)

      Birth rate:

      12.81 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Death rate:

      7.65 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Net migration rate:

      9.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

      Sex ratio:

      at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15–64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

      Infant mortality rate:

      total: 14.26 deaths/1,000 live births male: 18.92 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.51 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

      Life expectancy at birth:

      total population: 75.06 years male: 72.03 years female: 78.14 years (2008 est.)

      Total fertility rate:

      1.85 children born/woman (2008 est.)

      HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

      NA

      HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

      NA

      HIV/AIDS - deaths:

      NA

      Nationality:

      noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch

      Ethnic groups:

      mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%

      Religions:

      Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 9%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim,

       Confucian, Jewish) 5.6%, none or unspecified 4.6%

      Languages:

      Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)

      Literacy:

      definition: NA total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census)

      School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

      total: 14 years male: 13 years female: 14 years (2006)

      Education expenditures:

      4.8% of GDP (2005)

      Government

       Aruba

      Country name:

      conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba

      Dependency status:

      member 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

      Government type:

      parliamentary democracy

      Capital:

      name: Oranjestad geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

      Administrative divisions:

      none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

      Independence:

      none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

      National holiday:

      Flag Day, 18 March (1976)

      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 of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004) 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 in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) 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 in 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:

      other: environmental groups

      International organization participation:

      Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WFTU, WMO

      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,