Aruba

68.5 km

a flat, riverless island known 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)

NA

total: 0 km

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Central America and the Caribbean

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

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

flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

46.8% (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio: 53.4 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 26.3 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 27.1 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 3.7 (2025 est.)

0.9 (2025 est.)

total: 11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births

total population: 78.5 years (2024 est.) male: 75.4 years female: 81.6 years

30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)

total: 41.2 years (2025 est.) male: 39.3 years female: 42.4 years

noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch

7.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most settlements tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island

breakdown

{"male":{"value":59720,"unit":"people","formatted":"59,720","name":"Male Population"},"female":{"value":66682,"unit":"people","formatted":"66,682","name":"Female Population"}}

meta

{"year":2025}

at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.)

1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

difficulty in properly disposing waste from tourists; air pollution from waste-burning; water pollution from plastics

agricultural land: 11.1% (2023 est.) arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.) permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.) forest: 2.7% (2023 est.) other: 86.2% (2023 est.)

urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

municipal solid waste generated annually: 88,100 tons (2024 est.)

name

Oranjestad

geo

{"lat":12.5167,"lng":-70.0333}

timezone

{"difference":"UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)","note":null,"dst":null}

meta

{}

see the Netherlands

history: previous 1947, 1955; latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

conventional long form: Country of Aruba conventional short form: Aruba local long form: Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento) local short form: Aruba etymology: the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase oro hubo ("there was gold"), but no gold was ever found on the island; other possible sources are either the local word oruba ("well-situated") or a combination of two Carib Indian words, ora and oubao ("shell" and "island," respectively)

one of four constituent countries 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 note: the other three constituent countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands are the Netherlands, Sint Maarten, and Curacao

chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017) head of government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten) election/appointment process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term most recent election date: 6 December 2024 election results: Mike EMAN (AVP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA expected date of next election: by December 2028

description: blue, with two narrow, horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper-left corner meaning: the star stands for Aruba's red soil and white beaches, and its four points for the major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) and the points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main industries, tourism and mining

parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

highest court(s): Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba or "Joint Court of Justice" (sits as a 3-judge panel); final appeals heard by the Supreme Court in The Hague, Netherlands judge selection and term of office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch subordinate courts: Court in First Instance

civil law system based on the Dutch civil code

legislature name: Legislature (Staten) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 21 electoral system: proportional representation scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 4 years most recent election date: 6 December 2024 parties elected and seats per party: AVP (9); MEP (8); FUTURO (3); PPA (1) percentage of women in chamber: 38.1% expected date of next election: by December 2028

title: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Sweet Land) lyrics/music: Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER history: national anthem adopted 1976 _____ title: “Het Wilhelmus” lyrics/music: Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown history: official anthem, as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

blue, yellow, red, white

Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill

Accion21 Aruban People's Party or AVP Democratic Network or RED FUTURO Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS Partido Patriotico di Aruba (Aruban Patriotic Party) or APP People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR RAIZ (ROOTS)

18 years of age; universal

revenues: $793 million (2019 est.) expenditures: $782 million (2019 est.)

$194.498 million (2023 est.) $230.556 million (2022 est.) $79.257 million (2021 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - Exchange rates: 1.79 (2024 est.) 1.79 (2023 est.) 1.79 (2022 est.) 1.79 (2021 est.) 1.79 (2020 est.)

4.3% (2019 est.) 3.6% (2018 est.) -1% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

4.3% (2023 est.) 8.5% (2022 est.) 24.1% (2021 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

$4.35 billion (2023 est.) $4.172 billion (2022 est.) $3.844 billion (2021 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

1.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

$1.468 billion (2023 est.) $1.544 billion (2022 est.) $1.513 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

imports: 1 metric tons (2023 est.)

electrification - total population: 99.9% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 100% electrification - rural areas: 100%

installed generating capacity: 305,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 824.036 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 166.766 million kWh (2023 est.)

153.952 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

refined petroleum consumption: 8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

17 (2022 est.)

freedom of the press respected, as guaranteed under Dutch law; newspapers are in the Papiamento language; 2 commercial TV stations, with a cable TV subscription service providing access to foreign channels; wide range of commercial radio stations available (2023)

.aw

percent of population: 97% (2017 est.)

total subscriptions: 141,000 (2022 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 131 (2022 est.)

1 (2025)

P4

total: 1 (2023) by type: other 1

total ports: 2 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 1 very small: 1 ports with oil terminals: 1 key ports: Paardenbaai (Oranjestad), Sint Nicolaas Baai

no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL); Police Department for local law enforcement, supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2025)

defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism; the Dutch Government controls foreign and defense policy; the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG) provides maritime security; the Dutch military maintains a presence on Aruba, including a marine company and a naval base (2025)