Aruba
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "One happy Island"
Anthem: Aruba Dushi Tera
Capital (and largest city)		Oranjestad 12°31′N, 70°1′W
Official languages		Dutch, Papiamento1
Demonym		Aruban
Government		Constitutional monarchy
-	Monarch	Queen Beatrix
-	Governor	Fredis Refunjol
-	Prime Minister	Nelson O. Oduber
-	Vice-Prime Minister	Marisol Lopez-Tromp
Independence		from Netherlands Antilles
-	Date	1 January 1986
Area
-	Total	193 km²  74. Aruba 's national flag ( was adopted on March 18, 1976. The design consists of a field of light blue (called " Larkspur " or " The Coat of Arms of Aruba was originally designed in Amsterdam in 1955. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's Aruba Dushi Tera (Aruba Precious Country is the National anthem of Aruba. Having poor Soil and aridity Aruba was saved from Plantation economics and the Slave trade. Oranjestad ( English: "Orangetown" with a population of 32748 as of 2008 is the Capital and most important city of Aruba located on the southern An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Papiamento (or Papiamentu) is the Language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (the so-called A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place Aruba is a -long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, north of the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, Venezuela For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is The Netherlands has been an independent Monarchy since 16 March 1815, and has been governed by members of the House of Orange-Nassau The Governor of Aruba is the representative on Aruba of the Dutch head of state ( Queen Beatrix) Fredis Refunjol is the current Governor of Aruba. Governor Refunjol was born in Aruba in 1950 and is married to Clarette Lopez The Prime Minister of Aruba is Aruba 's Head of government. Together with Aruba's Council of Ministers they form the Executive branch of Aruban government Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² 5 sq mi
-	Water (%)	negligible
Population
-	2006 estimate	± 112,000 (195th)
-	Density	571/km² (18th) 1,479/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	$2. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 400 billion (182nd)
-	Per capita	$23,831 (32nd)
Currency		Aruban florin (AWG²)
Time zone		AST (UTC-4)
Internet TLD		.aw
Calling code		+297
1	Spanish and English also spoken. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The florin is the currency of Aruba. It is subdivided into 100 cents ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established The Atlantic Standard Time Zone (AST is a geographical region that keeps time by subtracting four hours from either Coordinated Universal Time ( UTC) or Greenwich Mean Time ( A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States
2	Arubaanse Waarde Geld.

Aruba is a 33-kilometre (21 mi)-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, 27 km (17 mi) north of the Paraguaná Peninsula, Falcón State, Venezuela. The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the For the region see Caribbean. The Caribbean Sea (kəˈrɪbiən or /ˌkærɨˈbiːən/ is a tropical Sea in the Western Hemisphere The Paraguaná Peninsula is a Peninsula in Venezuela, situated in the state of Falcón. Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the A country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba has no administrative subdivisions. The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities Unlike much of the Caribbean region, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm sunny weather. It has a land area of 193 km² (75 sq mi) and lies outside the hurricane belt. The hurricane belt is an area in the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, which is prone to Hurricanes during the

Contents 1 History 2 Politics 2.1 The move towards independence 3 Law 4 Education 5 Geography 6 Economy 7 Demographics 8 Culture 9 Language 10 Infrastructure 11 Utilities on the island 12 Places of interest 13 See also 14 References 15 External links 15.1 Government 15.2 Other

History

Main article: History of Aruba

Aruba's first inhabitants were the Caquetios Amerindians from the Arawak tribe, who migrated there from Venezuela to escape attacks by the Caribs. Aruba 's first inhabitants were the Caquetios Indians from the Arawak tribe who migrated there from Venezuela to escape attacks by the Caribs Fragments of The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Cariban languages Carib, Island Carib or Kalinago people after whom the Caribbean Sea was named live in the Lesser Antilles islands Fragments of the earliest known Indian settlements date back from 1,000 AD. The Caquetios remained more tied to South America than the Caribbean, due to Aruba's distance from other Caribbean islands and sea currents which made canoe travel to other islands difficult. South America is a Continent of the Americas, situated entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a The Caribbean (ˌkærəˡbiən kæ'rəbiən Cariben|Caraïben or Caraïben; Caraïbe or more commonly Antilles; Caribe is a Region consisting A canoe is a small narrow Boat, typically human-powered though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors

Europeans first learned of Aruba when Amerigo Vespucci and Alonso de Ojeda came across it in August 1499. Oranjestad ( English: "Orangetown" with a population of 32748 as of 2008 is the Capital and most important city of Aruba located on the southern The Explorer and Cartographer Amerigo Vespucci ( March 9, 1454 - February 22, 1512) was the first person to demonstrate Alonso de Ojeda (c 1465 &ndash 1515 was a Spanish explorer born of noble parentage in Cuenca. ^[1] Vespucci in one of his four letters to Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici described his voyage to the islands along the coast of Venezuela. Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici ( August 4 1463 &ndash May 20, 1503) nicknamed the Popolano, was an Italian banker and politician Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the He wrote about an island where most trees are of brazilwood and, from this island, he went to one ten leagues away, where they had houses built as in Venice. Brazilwood or Pau-Brasil, sometimes known as Pernambuco ( Caesalpinia echinata Syn Venice ( Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venesia or Venexia) is a city in Northern Italy, the capital of the In another letter he described a small island inhabited by very large people, which the expedition thought was not inhabited.

Aruba was colonized by Spain for over a century. The Spanish Empire (Imperio Español was one of the largest Empires in history and one of the first Global empires In the 15th and 16th centuries The Cacique or Indian Chief in Aruba, Simas, welcomed the first priests in Aruba and received from them a wooden cross as a gift. In 1508, Alonso de Ojeda was appointed as Spain's first Governor of Aruba, as part of "Nueva Andalucia. "

Another governor appointed by Spain was Juan Martinez de Ampues. A "cédula real" decreed in November 1525 gave Ampués, factor of Española, the right to repopulate the depopulated islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. Curaçao (ˈkjuːrəsaʊ in English Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamento: Kòrsou) is an Island in the southern Caribbean Sea, The Island Territory of Bonaire ( Dutch: Eilandgebied Bonaire, Papiamento: Teritorio Insular di Boneiru) is one of five island areas The natives under Spanish rule enjoyed more liberty than the average northern European farmer of the period.

In 1528, Ampues was replaced by a representative of the "House of Welser". Aruba has been under Dutch administration since 1636, initially under Peter Stuyvesant. Peter Stuyvesant (originally Pieter or Petrus, Peter is never mentioned in historical records (c Stuyvesant was on a special mission in Aruba in November and December 1642. Under the Dutch W. I. C. administration, as "New Netherland and Curaçao" from 1648 to 1664 and the Dutch government regulations of 1629, also applied in Aruba. The Dutch administration appointed an Irishman as "Commandeur" in Aruba in 1667.

The United Kingdom occupied Aruba from the years 1799 to 1802, and from 1805 to 1816.

In August 1806, General Francisco de Miranda and a group of 200 freedom fighters on their voyage to liberate Venezuela from Spain stayed in Aruba for several weeks. Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez ( Caracas, March 28, 1750 – in prison El Arsenal de la Carraca, Cadiz,

In 1933 Aruba sent its first petition for Aruba's separate status and autonomy to the Queen.

During World War II, together with Curaçao the then world-class exporting oil refineries were the main suppliers of refined products to the Allies. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Aruba became a British protectorate from 1940 to 1942 and a US protectorate from 1942 to 1945. On February 16, 1942, its oil processing refinery was attacked by a German submarine (U-156) under the command of Werner Hartenstein. Events 1249 - Andrew of Longjumeau is dispatched by Louis IX of France as his ambassador to meet with the Khan of the Mongols Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Miraculously, the mission failed. The U-156 was later destroyed by a US plane as the crew was sunbathing; only one survived. In March 1944, Eleanor Roosevelt briefly visited American troops stationed in Aruba. Anna Eleanor Roosevelt (ˈɛlɪnɔr ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 11 1884 &ndash November 7 1962 In attendance were: His Excellency, Dr. P. Kasteel, the Governor of Curaçao, and his aide, Lieutenant Ivan Lansberg; Rear Admiral T. E. Chandler and his Aide, Lieutenant W. L. Edgington; Captain Jhr. W. Boreel and his aide, Lieutenant E. O. Holmberg; and the Netherlands aide to Mrs. Roosevelt, Lieutenant Commander v. d. Schatte Olivier.

The island's economy has been dominated by five main industries: gold mining, phosphate mining (The Aruba Phosphaat Maatschappij), aloe export, petroleum (The Lago Oil & Transport Company and the Arend Petroleum Maatschappij Shell Co. "Gold mine" redirects here See Goldmine for other uses of the term A phosphate, an Inorganic chemical, is a salt of Phosphoric acid. Aloe, also written Aloë, is a Genus containing about four hundred Species of flowering succulent Plants Petroleum ( L petroleum, from Greek πετρέλαιον, lit ), and tourism. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel

Politics

Main article: Politics of Aruba

As a Constituent Country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba's politics take place within a framework of a 21-member Parliament and an eight-member Cabinet. Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which The governor of Aruba is appointed for a six-year term by the monarch, and the prime minister and deputy prime minister are elected by the Staten (or "Parlamento") for four-year terms. The Governor of Aruba is the representative on Aruba of the Dutch head of state ( Queen Beatrix) The Staten is made up of 21 members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a four-year term.

Together, the State of the Netherlands, the State of the Netherlands Antilles, and the State of Aruba form a Commonwealth. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The English noun commonwealth dates from the fifteenth century. As they share the same Dutch citizenship, these three countries still also share the Dutch passport as the Kingdom of the Netherlands passport. As Aruba and the Antilles have small populations, the two countries had to limit immigration. To protect their population, they have the right to control the admission of Netherlands nationals. There is the supervision of the admission and expulsion of Netherlands nationals and the setting of general conditions for the admission and expulsion of aliens.

The move towards independence

In August 1947, Aruba presented its first "Staatsreglement (constitution)", for Aruba's "status aparte" as the status of a completely separate and autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the authority of the Dutch crown. The Netherlands and The Kingdom of the Netherlands are two distinct geographical and administrative entities This is the same as in the UK's Statute of Westminster, an equal status of the Dominion Parliaments with the British Parliament, where the Dominions were under the authority of the crown and not of the government of the UK. The Statute of Westminster 1931 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (22 & 23 Geo

In November 1955, J. Irausquin of Aruba's PPA political party spoke in front of the United Nations Trust Committee. He ended his speech saying that in the future there will be changes to come.

In 1972, at a conference in Suriname, Betico Croes (MEP) proposed a "sui-generis" Dutch Commonwealth of four states: Aruba, the Netherlands, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles, each with its own nationality. Suriname ( Dutch: Suriname; Sranan Tongo: Sranan) officially the Republic of Suriname (traditionally spelled Surinam by Gilberto François "Betico" Croes ( January 25, 1938 - November 26, 1986) was an Aruban political activist who was a proponent The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles Mr. C. Yarzagaray, a parliamentary member representing the AVP political party, proposed a referendum for the people of Aruba to determine Aruba's separate status or "Status Aparte" as a full autonomous state under the crown. A referendum (plural referendums or referenda) ballot question, or plebiscite (from Latin plebiscita He proclaimed: "Aruba shall never accept a federation and a second class nationality. "

Betico Croes worked in Aruba to inform and prepare the people of Aruba for independence. In 1976, a committee appointed by Croes introduced the national flag and anthem as the symbols of Aruba's sovereignty and independence, and he also set 1981 as a target for Aruba's independence. In March of 1977, the first Referendum for Self Determination was held with the support of the United Nations and 82% of the participants voted for independence. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security

The Island Government of Aruba assigned the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague to prepare a study of Aruba's independence, which was published in 1978, titled "Aruba en Onafhankelijkheid, achtergronden, modaliteiten en mogelijkheden; een rapport in eerste aanleg".

At the conference in the Hague in 1981, Aruba's independence was then set for the year 1991. In March 1983, based on the Referendum, Aruba finally reached an official (de-colonization) agreement with the State of the Netherlands, the State of the Netherlands Antilles and the Island Governments, for Aruba's Independence, first becoming an autonomous country and member state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with its own constitution, unanimously approved and proclaimed in August 1985, and after an election held for Aruba's first parliament, Aruba officially became a member state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on January 1, 1986, with full independence set for 1996, within a Dutch Commonwealth of sovereign states. This achievement is largely due to the late Betico Croes and the political support of other nations like the USA, Panama, Venezuela and various European countries. Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Croes was later proclaimed "Libertador di Aruba" after his tragic death in 1986.

In 1990, movement toward independence was postponed upon the request of Aruba's Prime Minister, Nelson O. Oduber. The article scheduling Aruba’s complete independence was rescinded in 1995, although the process can begin again after a referendum.

Since January 1, 1986, the Kingdom has consisted of three completely autonomous, constitutionally equal countries: the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba.

Although the “equal status” of the countries is explicitly laid down in the preamble to the Charter, which states ". . considering that they have expressed freely their will to establish a new constitutional order in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in which they will conduct their internal interests autonomously and their common interests on a basis of equality, and in which they will accord each other reciprocal assistance, have resolved by mutual consent", in practice, the Netherlands has considerably more power than either the Netherlands Antilles or Aruba.

Law

Legal jurisdiction lies with a Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg (Court of First Instance) on Aruba, a Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba (Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba) and the Hoge Raad der Nederlanden (Supreme Court of Justice of the Netherlands). The European Court of First Instance, created in 1989 is a court of the European Union. The Combined Appeals Court of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba serves the Caribbean territories of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Hoge Raad der Nederlanden ( High Council of the Netherlands) is the Supreme Court of the Netherlands, situated in The Hague.

Education

Aruba’s educational system, patterned after the Dutch system, provides for education at all levels. Education in the Netherlands is characterized by division education is oriented toward the needs and background of the pupil The Government finances the national education system, except for private schools, such as the International School of Aruba (ISA), which finance their own activities. The percentage of money earmarked for education is higher than the average for the Caribbean/Latin American region.

Arubans benefit from a strong primary school education. A segmented secondary school program includes vocational training (VMBO), basic education (MAVO), college prep (HAVO) and advanced placement (VWO).

Higher education goals can be pursued through the Professional Education program (EPI), the teachers college (IPA) as well as through the University of Aruba (UA) which offers bachelors and masters programs in law, finance and economics and hospitality and tourism management. Since the choice for higher education on the island itself is limited, many students choose to study abroad in countries in North America, South America as well as Europe.

There are 68 schools for primary education, 12 schools for secondary education and 5 Universities.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Aruba

Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island in the Leeward Antilles island arc of the Lesser Antilles. This article describes the Geography of Aruba.; Location Caribbean island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Leeward Antilles are a chain of Islands in the Caribbean – specifically the southerly islands of the Lesser Antilles (and in turn the Antilles The Lesser Antilles, also known as the Caribbees, are part of the Antilles, which together with the Bahamas and Greater Antilles form the Aruba is renowned for its white, sandy beaches on the western and southern coasts of the island, relatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents. The northern and eastern coasts, lacking this protection, are considerably more battered by the sea and have been left largely untouched by humans. The interior of the island features some rolling hills, the better two of which are called Hooiberg at 165 meters (541 ft) and Mount Jamanota, the highest on the island at 188 metres (617 ft) above sea level. Hooiberg is a 168 m high (541 ft Volcanic formation on the island of Aruba. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit Mount Jamanota (188 m (620ft is the highest point on the island of Aruba and is visible from the entire island Mean sea level (MSL is the average (mean height of the Sea, with reference to a suitable reference surface Oranjestad, the capital, is located at 12°19′N, 70°1′W.

To the east of Aruba are Bonaire and Curaçao, two island territories which form the southwest part of the Netherlands Antilles; Aruba and these two Netherlands Antilles islands are sometimes called the ABC islands. The Island Territory of Bonaire ( Dutch: Eilandgebied Bonaire, Papiamento: Teritorio Insular di Boneiru) is one of five island areas Curaçao (ˈkjuːrəsaʊ in English Dutch: Curaçao, Papiamento: Kòrsou) is an Island in the southern Caribbean Sea, The Netherlands Antilles ( Dutch:) previously known as the Netherlands West Indies or Dutch Antilles/West Indies, is part of the Lesser Antilles The ABC islands are Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. They are the three most western Islands of the Leeward Antilles in the

The isothermal temperature of Aruba's pleasantly tropical marine climate attracts tourists to the island all year round. Climate encompasses the temperatures humidity rainfall atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorogical factors in a given region over long periods of Temperature varies little from 28 °C (82 °F), moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The trade winds (also called trades) are the prevailing pattern of easterly winds found in the Tropics near the Earth's Equator. Yearly precipitation barely reaches 500 mm (19. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to 7 in), most of it falling in late autumn. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches.

Most tourist hotels are located on the leeward side of the island, providing better weather and enjoyment of beaches and ocean.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Aruba

Aruba enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean region; the low unemployment rate is also positive for Aruba. The Economy of Aruba is an open system with Tourism currently providing the largest percentage of the country's income About three-quarter of the Aruban gross national product is earned through tourism or related activities. Tourism is Travel for Recreational or Leisure purposes The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel Most of the tourists are from Venezuela and the United States (predominately from eastern and southern states), Aruba's largest trading partner. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Before the "Status Aparte", (a separate completely autonomous country/state within the Kingdom), oil processing was the dominant industry in Aruba despite expansion of the tourism sector. Today, the influence of the oil processing business is minimal. The size of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors also remains minimal.

The G. D. P. per capita for Aruba is calculated to be $23,831 in 2007; among the highest in the Caribbean and the Americas.

Deficit spending has been a staple in Aruba's history, and modestly high inflation has been present as well. Deficit spending is the amount by which a government private company or individual's spending exceeds income over a particular period of time also called simply "deficit" Recent efforts at tightening monetary policy are correcting this and will have its first balanced budget in 2009. Aruba receives some development aid from the Dutch government each year, which will cease in 2009 as part of a deal (signed as "Aruba's Financial Independence") in which the Netherlands gradually reduces its financial help to the island each successive year. Development aid or development cooperation (also development assistance, technical assistance, international aid, overseas aid The Aruban florin is pegged to the United States dollar, with a fixed exchange rate where 1. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 79 Florin equals 1 U. S. dollar.

In 2006 the Aruban government has also changed several tax laws in order to further reduce the deficit. Direct taxes have been converted to indirect taxes as proposed by the IMF. The term direct tax has more than one meaning a colloquial meaning and in the United States a constitutional law meaning A 3% tax has been introduced on sales and services, while income taxes have been lowered and revenue taxes for business reduced with 20%. The government compensated workers with 3. 1% for the effect that the B. B. O. would have on the inflation for 2007. The inflation on Aruba in 2007 was 8,7%.

Aruba has the third largest seawater desalinization plant in the world after Saudi Arabia and Curaçao. Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other Minerals from Water

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Aruba

Aruba is situated in the deep southern part of the Caribbean. Having poor Soil and aridity Aruba was saved from Plantation economics and the Slave trade. Because of almost no rainfall, Aruba was saved from plantation and the economics of the slave trade. The history of slavery uncovers many different forms of human exploitation across many cultures throughout history

Aruba's population is estimated to be 80% mestizo and 20% other ethnicities. Mestizo is a Spanish term that was coined during the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed European and Amerindian ancestry in Latin Arawaks spoke the "broken Spanish" which their ancestors had learned on Hispaniola. The Dutch took control almost two centuries after the Spanish, and left the Arawaks to farm and graze livestock, and used the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands. Although no full-blooded Aboriginals remain, the features of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic Arawak heritage . For indigenous peoples in the United States other than Hawaii and Alaska see also Native Americans in the United States. The term Arawak (from aru, the Lokono word for Cassava flour was used to designate the Amerindians encountered by the Spanish in Most of the population is descended mostly from Arawak, and to a lesser extent Spanish, Italian and Dutch and a few French, British and African ancestors.

Recently there has been substantial immigration to the island from neighboring American and Caribbean nations, possibly attracted by the higher paid jobs. In 2007, new immigration laws were introduced to help control the growth of the population by restricting foreign workers to a maximum of 3 years residency on the island.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Aruba

See also: Music of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles

On March 18 Aruba celebrates its National Day. Aruba, one of the many islands that make up the Caribbean, was first discovered and claimed by the Spanish in 1499. The music of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba is a mixture of native African and European elements and is closely connected with trends from neighboring countries like Venezuela In 1976, Aruba presented its National Anthem (Aruba Dushi Tera) and Flag.

The origins of the population and location of the island give Aruba a mixed culture. Dutch influence can still be seen, as in the celebration of "Sinterklaas" on December 5 and 6 and other national holidays like April 30, when in Aruba and the rest of the Kingdom of the Netherlands the Queen's birthday or "Dia di La Reina" (Koninginnedag) is celebrated. Sinterklaas (also called Sint-Nicolaas in Dutch Nikolaas2ogg}} and Saint Nicolas in French is a traditional holiday figure in the Netherlands, Koninginnedag ( or Queen's Day is a National holiday in the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba on

Christmas and New Year are celebrated with the typical music and songs of gaitas for Christmas and the Dande for New Year, and the "ayaca", the "ponchi crema" and "ham", and other typical foods and drinks. Millions of dollars worth of fireworks are burnt at midnight on New Year's.

On January 25, Betico's Croes birthday is celebrated.

The holiday of Carnival is also an important one in Aruba, as it is in many Caribbean and Latin American countries, and, like Mardi Gras, that goes on for weeks. Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March " Mardi Gras " ( French for Fat Tuesday) is the day before Ash Wednesday. Its celebration in Aruba started, around the 1950s, influenced by the inhabitants from the nearby islands (Venezuela, St Vincent, Trinidad, Barbados and Amquilla) who came to work for the Oil refinery. Over the years the Carnival Celebration has changed and now starts from the beginning of January till the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday with a large parade on the last Sunday of the festivities (Sunday before Ash Wednesday).

In June there is the celebration of the "Dia di San Juan", with the song of "Dera Gai".

Tourism from the United States has recently also increased the visibility of American culture on the island, with such celebrations as Halloween and Thanksgiving Day in November.

Religion also has its influences; the days of Ascension and Good Friday are also two holidays on the island.

According to the Bureau Burgelijke Stand en Bevolkingsregister (BBSB), as of 2005 there are ninety-two different nationalities living on the island.

Language

Main article: Language in Aruba

Language can be seen as an important part of island culture in Aruba. On the Caribbean Island of Aruba, there are many languages spoken The cultural mixture has given rise to a linguistic mixture known as Papiamento, the predominant language on Aruba. Papiamento (or Papiamentu) is the Language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao (the so-called The two official languages are the Dutch language and Papiamento. Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Papiamento is a language that has been evolving through the centuries and absorbed many words from other languages like Dutch, English, diverse African dialects, and most importantly, from Portuguese and Spanish. However, like many islands in the region, Spanish is also often spoken. English has historical connections (with the British Empire) and is known by many; English usage has also grown due to tourism. The British Empire was the largest empire in history and for over a century was the foremost global power. Other common languages spoken based on the size of their community are Portuguese, Chinese, German and French. The latter is offered in high school and college, since a high percentage of Aruban students continue their studies in Europe.

In recent years, the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of its native language. Although spoken Papiamento is fairly similar among the several Papiamento-speaking islands, there is a big difference in written Papiamento. The orthography differs per island and even per group of people. Some are more oriented towards the Portuguese roots and use the equivalent spelling (e. g. "y" instead of "j"), where others are more oriented towards the Dutch roots.

In a book The Buccaneers of America first published in 1678, is stated by eyewitness account that the Indians on Aruba spoke "Spanish". The oldest government official statement written in Papiamento dates from 1803.

Aruba has four newspapers published in Papiamento: Diario, Bon Dia, Solo di Pueblo and Awe Mainta and two in English : Aruba Today and The News. Aruba also has 18 Radio Stations (2 AM and 16 FM) and three local Television stations (Tele-Aruba, Aruba Broadcast Company and Star Television).

Infrastructure

Main article: Infrastructure

Aruba's Queen Beatrix International Airport is located near Oranjestad. Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids Queen Beatrix International Airport, in Oranjestad, Aruba, is a fairly large aviation facility that has flight services to the United States, most This airport has daily flights to various cities across the United States, to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Washington DC; New York, and Boston, Massachusetts. It also connects Aruba with Canada and South America, with daily flights to the international airports of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Germany, France, Spain, England and most of Europe through the Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is the Netherlands ' main Airport, located 20 minutes (17 The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Direct flight from Italy will start in November 2008.

According to the Aruba Airport Authority, in 2005 almost 1. 7 million travelers used the airport, of which 61% were Americans.

U. S. Immigration and Nat. Services (INS) full pre-clearance in Aruba has been in effect since February 1, 2001 at the Queen Beatrix Airport and since 2008, the only island to have this service for private flights. Since 1999, the US defense department established a Forward Operating Location at the airport.

Utilities on the island

Main article: Utilities

Electricity is produced by the Water- en Energiebedrijf Aruba (WEB) N. A public utility (usually just utility) is an organization that maintains the Infrastructure for a public service (often also providing a service using V. The total power generating capacity of the steam turbines amounts to 149 megawatts. There is also a 22 megawatt gas turbine as a backup unit, while a 6. 5 MW diesel generator serves as an emergency unit. WEB N. V. produces an average of 60 MW, which together with a contracted supply from the refining company, is sufficient to comply with the average demand of 77 MW.

WEB N. V. delivers electricity to the distribution company N. V. Electriciteit-Maatschappij Aruba (Elmar). Electricity is supplied at a 60-hertz frequency, and at 127 and 220 volts. Consumption of electricity has increased steadily since 1986 from 219,000 MW·h to 759,336 MW·h in 2005.

Water: Potable industrial water is produced from seawater by the Water- en Energiebedrijf Aruba (WEB) N. V. , the world's second largest desalination plant. The total installed desalination capacity of the water plant (Multi Stage Flash) units is 42,000 metric tons per day^[2] . Average daily consumption in 2005 was about 37,043 metric tons.

Places of interest

Alto Vista Chapel Arikok National Park Ayo and Casibari Rock Formations Bushiribana and Balashi California Lighthouse Frenchman's Pass

Hooiberg Lourdes Grotto Natural Bridge* Natural Pool Palm Beach

Eagle Beach Arashi Caves Aruba Baby Beach, Aruba Aruba Aloe Factory Palm Island

  * Collapsed September 2, 2005 ^[3]

See also

• Communications in Aruba
• Divi-divi
• Foreign relations of Aruba
• Military of Aruba
• Scouting Aruba
• Transportation in Aruba

References

External links

Government

• Government of Aruba
• Central Bank of Aruba
• Central Bureau of Statistics Aruba
• Aruba Ports Authority
• Department of Economic Affairs, Commerce and Industry of Aruba
• Aruba Airport Authority
• Aruba Health Insurance (AZV)
• Aruba.com - Governmental Tourism Portal
• Arubaplaza.com - All in detail on Aruba

Other

• Aruba travel guide from Wikitravel
• University of Aruba
• Aruba Paper Money
• From daycare to university on Aruba

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