SearchTraveling Luck for Aruba. Aruba, North America
Aruba is located in Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela.
Land in Aruba is flat with a few hills; scant vegetation.
Aruban; Dutch land covers an area of 193 square kilometers which is slightly larger than Washington, DC
Aruban; Dutch national flag (Flag of Aruba)
Aruba country profileAs for the Aruban; Dutch climate; tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation.
Aruban(s) speak Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish.
Aruban; Dutch map
Regions of Aruba
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, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The newly re-elected government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
Aruban; Dutch natural resources include NEGL; white sandy beaches
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)
Aruban; Dutch religion is Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish.
Natural hazards in Aruba include lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.