THE COUNTRY

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, semi-autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.

Arikok National Park (includes Boca Prins and Natural Pool);
California Dunes and Lighthouse;
Alto Vista Chapel

Private Jets, Helicopters and Airliners
Finest Onboard Catering
Ground Transport and Yachts
Luxury Villa & House Rentals
Local Guide & 24/7 Assistance
Customized Global Services

TO BE KNOWN

The State's Capital

Oranjestad
Time Zone

UTC -4
Telephone Code

297
Total Area

180 Km2
Population

12 232
Main Languages

Papiamento
Currency

Guilders/florins (AWG)
GDP Per Capita

USD 38900
Airports

1

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Climate

Tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Ethnic Groups

Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)

Cultural Practices

Wearing swimwear around town is considered rude.

Traditional Cuisine

Keshi yena — a large portion of cheese that is hollowed out and stuffed with spiced meat and served either steamed or baked

National Economy

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