Aruba
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. This climate has helped tourism, because visitors to the island can reliably expect warm, sunny weather.
Aruba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Anthem: | |
 | |
| Capital and largest city | Oranjestad 12°31′07″N 70°02′09″W / 12.51861°N 70.03583°W |
| Official languages | |
| Religion | 81% Roman Catholic |
| Demonym(s) | Aruban |
| Government | Constitutional monarchy |
• Monarch | Willem-Alexander |
• Governor | Alfonso Boekhoudt |
| Evelyn Wever-Croes | |
| Legislature | Estates of Aruba |
| Autonomy from the Netherlands Antilles | |
• Date | 1 January 1986 |
| Area | |
• Total | Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1850: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). (214th) |
• Water (%) | negligible |
| Population | |
• 2010 census | 102,484 |
• Density | Lua error in Module:Convert at line 1850: attempt to index local 'en_value' (a nil value). |
| GDP (PPP) | 2007 estimate |
• Total | $2.400 billion (182nd) |
• Per capita | $23,831 (32nd) |
| Currency | Aruban florin (AWG) |
| Time zone | UTC−4 (AST) |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +297 |
| ISO 3166 code | AW |
| Internet TLD | .aw |
The island broke off from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986, hoping to gain its independence by 1996. In 1990, that effort stopped at the request of the island people.
Aruba is one of the four countries that form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The other nations are the Netherlands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten. The citizens of these countries all share a single nationality: Dutch.
About three quarters of the Aruban gross national product is earned through tourism or related activities.[1]
The island came into the news after U.S. high school student Natalee Holloway disappeared on a graduation trip on May 30, 2005. Today, some refer to Aruba as "One Happy Island".[2]
Geography
Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island. It is in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea. The western and southern beaches have white sandy beaches. They are generally protected from the ocean currents. This is one of the reasons Aruba is a popular tourist location.
Together with Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. Collectively, Aruba and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.
Aruba has no administrative subdivisions. For census purposes, it is divided into eight regions. Its capital is Oranjestad.
People
The Aruba population is about 75% mixed, 15% black, and 10% white. The first inhabitants of Aruba were the Caiquetio Indians of the Arawak tribe from Venezuela.[3]
Aruba Media
An instrumental U.S. recording of "Wilhelmus van Nassouwe", the Dutch national anthem. Tempo corrected version created by User:AKAKIOS. Original audio file:
Arawak petroglyphs in the Ayo Rocks
Betico Croes, a pivotal figure in Aruba's drive for greater autonomy in the 1970s–80s
Map of Aruba from the Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië 1914-1917
View from above of colorful buildings in Oranjestad on the island of Aruba in the morning sun
Natural Pool in Santa Cruz
Cacti in Arikok National Park
Population of Aruba from 1961 to 2019, according to the FAO in 2019 with the number of inhabitants given in thousands
Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba
References
- ↑ "The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency". www.cia.gov. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ↑ "The world's happiest island" (in en-GB). The Telegraph. 2016-09-30. . https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/caribbean/one-happy-island/. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
- ↑ https://www.aruba.com/us/our-island/history-and-culture/history