Language: Dutch, Papiamento
Currency: Aruban florin (AWG)
Calling Code: 297
Aruba is a Dutch overseas territory or one of the ABC islands in
the southern Caribbean, located 25 kilometers north of Venezuela. It
is a part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands with equal rights with
the mother country.
The indigenous people came from South
America around 3000 BC. They lived in mud huts and made a living
from fishing and wild fruits. Around 1000 BC they were followed by
peaceful Caiquetio Indians from the Arawak tribe. They brought grain
with them and lived in three larger settlements on the island.
Because they were larger in stature than the conquering Spaniards,
they also called the islands Ilas de los Gigantes, Islands of the
Giants.
The discovery of Aruba is attributed to Alonso de
Ojeda, who was a vice admiral in Columbus' crew and discovered
Curaçao in 1499. The Spanish were not very interested in the ABC
Islands, calling them Islas Inutiles - useless islands. The Spanish
did not exterminate the Indians on this island, although some of
them were deported to the copper mines of Hispaniola. It was not
until 1527 that deportees from Europe came to the island on the
orders of the island commander.
The Netherlands founded the
West India Company in 1621 with the aim of supplying the kingdom
with goods from America. In 1633, the island of Sint Maarten was
occupied for this reason. Large quantities of salt were needed for
the Dutch herring fishermen. For this reason, Curaçao was conquered
by Johan van Walbeeck in 1634; for strategic reasons, Aruba and
Bonaire were added two years later. In 1648, Peter Styvesant became
commander of the ABC Islands. Curaçao developed into the main
trading center, and the two neighboring islands were used as supply
islands. Goats and horses were mainly bred on Aruba. It was not
until 1770 that the military gave permission for larger settlements.
The English only took control for a short time during the Napoleonic
Wars from 1805 to 1816.
In 1900, 9,702 people lived on the
island.
After the abolition of slavery, an economic crisis
occurred. It was only when Esso built an oil refinery in 1925/26
that things improved. This led to the population of Aruba becoming
increasingly prosperous. They opposed the central role of Curaçao
and demanded independence. In 1936, democratization began on all
islands with the introduction of the right to vote for all male
residents of Dutch nationality.
In 1950, 51,000 people lived
on the island.
In 1954, self-government was introduced. Since
1971 the island has been fighting for further autonomy, and since
1986 there has been a special regulation: the Status Aparte. The
national currency was very stable against the US dollar from 1986 to
2003. In 2004 the exchange rate was reduced by 25%, re-determined
and changed from 1.79 to 2.24 US dollars.
Aruba is the
westernmost island in the Netherlands Antilles group, 31 km long and
9 km wide, the coastline is 68.5 km long. Geologically the island
belongs to the Venezuelan coastal cordillera, just like Bonaire and
Curaçao. The island is also only 20 km from Venezuela. In the
Quaternary period it was much higher than today, so that the
impressive coral reefs could form around the old mountain core. The
later uplift preserved these coral limestones, which today
characterize the landscape all over the island. The shape of the
soil is unusual for a Caribbean island. Large areas are flat and,
due to erosion, sandy or covered with rocks. Only in the center of
the island are there flat hills with a height of 170 to 190 meters.
Due to the dry climate, many types of cactus grow on Aruba. Watapana
or Divi Divi trees are also widespread. The north coast is wild and
rough with huge surf. On the protected south coast there are 11 km
long, palm-lined white beaches that are among the most beautiful in
the world, while divers can find around 20 shipwrecks in the coral
reef area.
Gold was discovered on the island in 1824 and by
1913 1.5 million kilograms of ore had been extracted from the mines.
In the Papiamento dialect, Aruba means "Ora uba" which means: there
was gold here. In 1993, test drilling was carried out again because
geologists had found new gold veins of mineable quality. Phosphate
was mined on the island from 1879.
At the beginning of this
century, the island, together with Bonaire, was the world's largest
supplier of aloe.
In 1924, two oil refineries were built,
Eagle Oil Refinery in the west and Lago Oil & Transport in the east,
which became an EXXON company after a few years. Here, oil from
Venezuela, just 32 km away, was processed. During World War II,
Aruba was an important fuel supplier for the Allied forces, a reason
for German submarines to attack the facilities with torpedoes in
1942. Due to overcapacity, the refinery was closed on March 31,
1985. On April 20, 1991, the Coastal Oil Company resumed operations.
In the meantime, however, another industrial mainstay had long been
established. In 1959, the first luxury hotel was opened on the
island.
Gilbert "Betico" Croes, national hero, was born in
Santa Cruz in 1938. He founded the Movemento Electoral di Pueblo
(MEP) in 1967 due to political dissatisfaction. Just one year later,
this party was able to gain an overwhelming majority in the
elections to the island council. It is thanks to his negotiating
tactics that Aruba has now been granted "aparte" status from the
Netherlands. On December 31, 1985, the evening before this status
came into effect, he was so badly injured in a car accident that he
fell into a coma and died without regaining consciousness on
November 26, 1986 in a Dutch hospital. His bronze statue stands in
Oranjestad next to the Cas di Cultura house.
From a tourist perspective, Aruba can be divided into a southeastern and a northwestern coastal section. The southeast side has white sandy beaches, turquoise blue water and warm water temperatures. The northwest coast, which faces the Atlantic, also has some white sandy beaches, but is more characterized by stormy seas with occasionally treacherous currents and rocky coastal sections. In addition to the main island, Aruba also has secondary islands off the coast, some of which also have beaches and campsites.
Oranjestad - Dutch colorful architecture in combination of a lush tropical Caribbean forests makes Oranjestad one of the most beautiful cities in Aruba and the whole Caribbean basin.
The Arikok National Park in the northeast of the island covers an
area of 34 km². Within the park are the two highest points of the
otherwise fairly flat island, the Sero Jamanota with a height of 188m
and the eponymous Sero Arikok with a height of 176m. There are several
caves in the park, such as the Quadiriki Caves and the Fontein Grot, in
which there are petroglyphs by the indigenous Indian population. The
park also provides a habitat for some rare animal species, such as
long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris curasoae). The park also contains ruins
of former plantations, called Cunucu, and the typical Cas di torto,
traditional construction of the historic Aruban houses of the settlers
and plantation workers from the 18th century. On the fairly windy east
coast of the island there are some bays worth seeing, called Boca.
However, you need a four-wheel drive vehicle to reach them.
The
Hooiberg, at 168m high, is the second highest mountain on the island
after Jamanota, but it is relatively close to Oranjestad. It is a
landmark on the coat of arms of Aruba, as it is located almost in the
middle of the island and can be seen from practically anywhere on the
island. There are 562 concrete steps that lead to its summit.
Rock formations made of the gray quartz diorite stone and shaped by
erosion.
The bizarre stones of the Ayo Rocks (location: 12° 32′ 38″ N
69° 58′ 51″ W) provide plenty of food for the imagination, you can see
King Kong or a shark.
The access to the Casibari Rocks (location: 12°
31′ 54″ N 69° 59′ 42″ W) is guarded by a dragon's mouth, the rocks offer
a good view over large parts of the island.
The natural bridge at
Andicun Bay on the north coast collapsed in 2005, its impressive ruins
are still a popular tourist destination, especially since a smaller
bridge was built right next to it. On the way there you pass an ostrich
farm and the remains of an old gold mine.
The California Lighthouse
from 1914 stands at the northern point of the island. It is 30m high and
named after the American ship California, which sank off the coast in
1891. The Hudishibana sand dunes surround the lighthouse.
San Nicolas
water tower from 1939 in the southern part of the island. Today it
houses the industrial museum. An identical and restored water tower is
located in the capital Oranjestad at J.G. Emanstraat 67.
Aruba
International Raceway, a motorsports race track for drag racing in the
north of San Nicolas in the Palo Marga district.
Aruba Aloe Factory
in Hato, east of Tanki Leendert, is one of the oldest companies still in
existence on the island of Aruba with an aloe museum from the factory
site. The museum and the factory with aloe cutting room, storage room
and test laboratory can be visited free of charge. A short historical
tour tells a visual story of the domestication of the aloe plant on
Aruba, which was so important that the island was also called Aloe
Island. Aloe has been cultivated on Aruba since the mid-1800s. Tours are
conducted in English, Dutch, Spanish and Papiamento (Aruba's native
language). The museum is closed on Sundays.
Alto Vista Kapel, a Roman
Catholic chapel and pilgrimage site in the north of the island, near the
California Lighthouse. It is open to visitors daily.
De Oude Molen
(German: The Old Mill), dating from 1804, is the only windmill on the
island. This Aruba landmark is located in the Palm Beach district of
Noord, very close to the Bubali Bird Sanctuary, a bird sanctuary with an
observation tower. In 1962, a restaurant opened in the lower part of the
mill.
On the water:
There are beaches along the west coast on an 11km
long strip. They start at Oranjestad with Druif Beach, go via Manchebo
Beach, Eagle Beach, Palm Beach, Hadicurari Beach, Malmok Beach and Boca
Catilina to Arashi Beach at the California Lighthouse. All of these
beaches are freely accessible, and deck chairs etc. can be rented. The
more expensive hotels usually have more floors than the cheaper ones, so
their beaches are often more crowded.
There are numerous coral reefs
around the island for diving, but wreck divers also get their money's
worth here.
On land:
Buggy tours
Off-road tours
Cycling
For details on the activities, see the local articles.
Don Elias Mansur Ballpark (Elias Mansur Stadium) . The largest and
internationally approved baseball stadium on the island, along with
Basball Stadium Savaneta and Santa Cruz Ballpark. Spectator capacity of
around 12,000 spectators. It has a covered grandstand and floodlights.
Comdplejo Deportivo Guillermo Próspero Trinida (Trinidad Stadium) . A
multi-purpose arena with floodlights in Dakota, a district of
Oranjestad. It is Aruba's national stadium and is used for football,
volleyball and hockey games, as well as athletics competitions and other
major events.
Aquatics Stadium . In the town of Savaneta on the
southwest coast of Aruba, around two kilometers west of San Nicolas. The
covered grandstand has a capacity of around 2,000 spectators. It is also
the training facility of the Comité Olímpico Arubano.
Beach tennis
facilities in Palm Beach, national and international competitions take
place in June and November.
Aruba International Raceway, a motorsport
racetrack for drag racing in the north of San Nicolas.
Entry requirements
EU nationals must also present a valid passport
upon entry and receive a (renewable) residence permit for 30 days. For
customs purposes, the travel allowances for goods from non-EU countries
apply when returning to Europe.
Airplane
The Princess Reina
Beatrix International Airport (IATA: AUA) is located directly south of
the capital, Oranjestad. Tel. 524-2424, 582-4800, Fax 583-4229.
Air
Traffic Controller, Tel. 583-2665. Customs, Tel. 582-7800, Fax 583-7164,
office hours Monday to Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:00
p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Runway: 11/29, 10,003 feet, 3,049m. In 2002 there
were 35,326 flight movements, in 2004/05 1.7 million passengers were
counted.
There are 66 check-in counters, 9 gates, 8 passenger
bridges. Airport facilities: 10 car rental companies, souvenir shop,
bank, bars, cafeterias, duty free shops, restaurants, taxi stand,
tourist information, VIP lounge.
There are 450 short-term and
long-term parking spaces at the airport. Parking fees are 2.50 Afl. per
hour, 25 Afl. for a whole day.
Direct flights with KLM from Amsterdam
and Frankfurt am Main, charter flights with Arky Fly possible several
times a week in summer 2014.
Airlines
Air Canada, airport.
Tel.: +1-888 247-2262 (information).
American Airlines / American
Eagle, airport. Fax: 582-3377. Info Tel. 582-2700, Fax ; Baggage Info:
583-1049; Cargo: Tel. 582-2770.
Aruba Airlines, airport. Tel.:
588-3000, Fax: 588-5404.
Aserca (Venezuela), airport. Tel.: 582-0428.
Avianca (Colombia), Engelandstraat 4. Tel.: 588-0059, Fax: 582-1322.
Avi-Sa Aviation Aruba, Engelandstraat 4. Tel.: 582-1322.
Continental
Airlines, airport. Tel.: 588-0019, Fax: 588-0025.
Delta Airlines,
airport. Tel.: 588-5623, Fax: 588-6127.
Insel Air, Airport. Tel.:
582-2663, Fax: 582-2664.
JetBlue Airways, Bucutiweg 33. Tel.:
588-5232.
KLM, Belgiestraat. Tel.: 582-3546, Fax: 583-2693.
S L M,
Rockefellerstraat 3. Tel.: 582-7896, Fax: 582-7895.
Sol America Air,
Airport. Tel.: 582-2663, Fax: 582-2664. Representative: Insel Air.
Spirit Airlines. Tel.: 582-7117.
United Airlines, Airport. Tel.:
582-9592, Fax: 583-7953.
Car rental companies at the airport
Virtually all international car rental companies are represented at the
airport.
Ship
There are currently no ferry connections between
Aruba and the other ABC islands and Venezuela. Cruise ships often call
at Oranjestad during the season, and there is space for two to three
ships at the pier.
Traffic drives on the right. The maximum speed in built-up areas is
40 km/h, and outside of built-up areas 60 km/h. The minimum age for
renting a vehicle is 21 years, and 23 years for some rental companies.
Bus transport
You can take a bus to the city center or the hotel
zone directly from the airport. The bus company is called ARUBUS. The
current bus timetable for all routes can be viewed on their website.
Tram
On February 19, 2013, Arubus put the first tram line into
operation. The Tram Aruba, officially called "Arutram", runs every eight
and a half minutes between the cruise terminal on the outskirts of
Oranjestad and the city center. The three open, historical-looking rail
vehicles, which use hydrogen as an energy source, are operated according
to the Hydrail principle. The energy required is generated from solar
and wind power.
The official languages of Aruba are Dutch and Papiamento (a creole language that originates from Portuguese). Aruba uses its own Papiamento spelling, which differs from the spelling on Curaçao and Bonaire.
The Aruba guilder (AWG) has been in use in Aruba since 1986. It is fixed at a ratio of 1.79 to 1 to the USD. In everyday life, the ratio is 1.75 to 1. The 2003 series banknotes have no longer been a valid means of payment since August 11, 2019. There are notes of 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 florins, no longer 500.
Restaurant prices on the island of Aruba are 15% - 20% higher than
prices in Germany.
As starters you eat taco, small portions of
cheese or ham, pan bati, a type of pancake, or tequenos, fried cheese
dough sticks.
Tortillas are stuffed corn dough pancakes, and
pastechis are pies with a spicy minced meat/vegetable filling. Sanger
Yena is a sausage, similar to our black pudding.
Callalou Soup is
cooked on pigs' tails on the ABC islands, with callalou leaves, a
spinach-like vegetable. The Dutch introduced Erwten Soep to the islands,
it is a pea soup. Sopi de Bananas is broth with plantains, sopito and
sopi di pisca are well-seasoned fish/vegetable soup. Mariscos is a
seafood soup, a type of bouillabaisse. Bestia Chiquitaist is a soup with
lamb.
Keshi Yena is a meat casserole. Pork is pork, stoba di cabrito
is a very spicy goulash with nutmeg and Tabasco, bitterbai are fried
meatballs and bolita di keeshi are cheese balls.
Konkomber stoba is
braised cucumbers. Suls is pickled pork, which the North Germans would
call Sülze.
Keri Keriist is a baked fish stew. Surf and turf is a
mixture of meat and lobster. Balchi di pisca are fish balls, lobster is
the Caribbean lobster, salmon is salmon, krokèchi are fish croquettes.
Carcó and concho are the meat of the trumpet snail, which is used to
make soup or goulash.
Funchi are cereal dumplings boiled in water.
Arepitas di pampuna are small pancakes with pumpkin and cheese. Bonchi
Cunucu is a pre-Columbian type of bean that is also found on Bonaire and
Curaçao. Kampuna is a sweet, round pumpkin.
For dessert you can have
Bolo di Rom, which is rum cake, Quesillo or Kesio, Creme Caramel or a
dessert made of caramel and meringue kisses, meringue tarts, and Pudin
di coco, a coconut pudding.
The liqueurs “Coe Coe” and “Ponche Crema”
are made on Aruba. The first is made from substances from a local agave,
the other is similar to our egg liqueur.
Aruba is considered a high-price island, the price level in the supermarket is roughly the same as in Switzerland. Rental cars are comparatively cheap. However, the high cost of petrol is a disappointment.
All larger hotels offer a changing evening program with shows,
dancing and live music.
Cas di Cultura cultural center,
Vondellaan 2, Oranjestad, Tel. 582-1010, concerts, ballet, folklore, art
exhibitions.
The education system in Aruba provides for compulsory schooling from the age of 4 to 18, of which school must be attended at least until the age of 16. Children are usually enrolled in primary school (Scol Basico) at the age of five. However, if the parents wish, the child can also start school at the age of four if they pass the preliminary examination. In practice, this happens very often. Schools are generally open to students of all denominations. There are 34 schools and two universities in Aruba. The primary language is Dutch and, since 2004, Papiamento. In addition to the basic languages, lessons are also offered in Spanish and English. All schools end with an examination. In 2010, there were 21,848 students aged 5 to 19 in Aruba.
People who want to work in Aruba must apply for a valid residence permit from the Directorate of Alien Integration, Policy and Admission (DIMAS). DIMAS website A number of official documents are required, including a certificate of good conduct, an extract from the birth register, a copy of all pages of the passport and finally copies of diplomas and certificates. In practice, the average waiting time for a work permit can be between 2 and 8 months. For the hotel industry and other sectors, it is advisable to apply for a temporary residence permit before entering the country and await the decision. For more information, see Entry Requirements and Visas.
Crime is practically unknown on the island. Valuables, especially diving equipment, should not be left unattended on the beach.
The climate on Aruba is tropical-maritime with an average temperature of around 27°C and minimal seasonal differences. In January the average temperature is 27°C, in July 29°C. Most of the rain carried by the prevailing east wind falls over the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles (Windward Islands), so the climate on Aruba is very dry. Annual precipitation is between 250 mm and 510 mm. The rainy season lasts from October to December. Due to the low annual precipitation, drinking water has to be obtained via seawater desalination plants. The Departamento Meteorologico Aruba (DMA for short) is the official weather office based at Queen Beatrix International Airport.
The island was discovered around the year 1000 by the Caquetio, a
tribe of the Arawaks. They had fled from Venezuela in canoes to escape
attacks by the Caribs. Remains of the earliest habitation by them on
Aruba date from around 1000. Due to its remote location compared to
other Caribbean islands and the strong current, the Caquetios remained
more tied to South America than to the Caribbean.
Aruba was
colonized in 1499 by Alonso de Ojeda, Amerigo Vespucci and Juan de la
Cosa on behalf of the Spanish. The island, together with Bonaire and
Curaçao, was given to Juan Martín de Ampués by the Spanish King and was
also called the "Islas de Los Gigantes". A well-known work that tells
the entire history of the beginning of the Spanish conquest and
colonization is the "Elegias de varones ilustres de Indias", written by
Juan de Castellanos.
In 1636, Aruba was taken over by the Dutch.
In the 19th century, the Venezuelan rebel general Francisco de
Miranda stayed on Aruba for a few weeks with a group of about 300
freedom fighters. On August 19, 1806, he distributed a proclamation
among the inhabitants of Aruba.
Aruba was in the hands of the
English between 1807 and 1816. In 1824, gold was discovered, which was
mined by an English company until 1916. When the new Government
Regulation was established in 1865, the Minister of Colonies noted that
the only bond between the islands was their subordination to the State
of the Netherlands.
In 1879, a phosphate mining company was
started on Aruba at the Sero Colorado. The underground tunnels are still
present today.
In 1907, a fierce protest arose from Aruban
traders against the alleged stepmotherly treatment of Aruba by the
Netherlands. In 1933, the Aruban Police Council presented a petition to
the Queen for a more loose, independent status, possibly inspired by the
Statute of Westminster of the British Commonwealth of 1931.
In
1947, a petition was drawn up by the Aruban people for "separacion",
"abandonment" (right of secession) and after a large popular
demonstration for complete independence, such independence was laid down
in Aruba's first "STATE RULES" according to the wishes of the Aruban
people: Aruba as a completely autonomous state/country, member of the
Kingdom, directly under the Crown. Active voting rights are granted to
Dutch nationals born in Aruba and Dutch nationals born elsewhere who
have lived in Aruba for at least 10 consecutive years. This clearly
defined who could be considered an Aruban citizen in 1947.
On
March 15, 1952, a definition of Aruban citizenship was again
established. This time in a motion by the Island Council of Aruba: for
an electoral system in which those born in Aruba and their children,
wherever born, provided they are Dutch, have a majority in the
parliament. This proposal was adopted with 16 votes in favor and 5 votes
against.
During the 1972 Conference in Suriname, Mr. Yarzagaray
stated: "We will find a solution, but Aruba will never accept a
second-class nationality!" Back in Aruba, the MEP, led by politician
Betico Croes, who was the advocate for autonomy for the island (Status
Aparte), began to prepare the Aruban people for independence in a
systematic manner. To this end, they went to the United Nations and to
neighboring countries for support in preparing a referendum. Aruba
received support from Venezuela, Panama and Costa Rica, among others,
and they also traveled to London for the support of the "Socialist
International", of which the MEP later became a member.
In 1976,
a date for Aruba's independence was set for the first time, namely for
1981; March 18 became the Day of Aruba's Anthem and Flag, thus uniting
two symbols of Aruba's sovereignty and independence. On March 25, 1977,
the independence referendum was held, in which more than 57% of the
voters preferred independence.
In April 1978, with the signing of
the "Protocol of Willemstad", Aruba's right to self-determination and
independence, as well as that of the other islands, were officially
recognized. This led to the Round Table Conference in 1981, where Aruba
in a final memorandum now moved its date for independence to the year
1991.
The Constitution of Aruba was unanimously adopted on August
9, 1985. On December 12, the maritime area was established in a Kingdom
Act (Staatsblad van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden 1985, nr. 665;
Rijkswet Staatsblad 1985, nr. 664).
On January 1, 1986, Aruba was
separated from the Netherlands Antilles and became a fully independent
and autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands (status
apart) and the Netherlands Antilles. On January 6, 1989, elections were
held for the first time since the status apart was obtained. These were
won by the MEP, which won 10 of the 21 seats.
In June 1990, Prime
Minister Nelson Oduber and Minister Hirsch Ballin decided to continue
the "Status Aparte" after 1996. In 1994, the previously intended
independence of Aruba in 1996 was definitively abandoned. From then on,
the Netherlands would no longer insist on the independence of Aruba.
Aruba did retain the Status Aparte and the possibility to choose
independence itself in the future. On October 10, 2010, the Netherlands
Antilles were dissolved as a country and Curaçao and Sint Maarten, like
Aruba, became independent countries within the kingdom.
Aruba has a tropical steppe climate (BSh according to the Koppen
climate classification) with afternoon temperatures averaging 29 degrees
in December to 32 degrees in July and August. The average annual
rainfall is around 470 mm, but large deviations from this amount are
possible. In some years, more than 900 mm falls, while in other years
hardly a drop of rain falls. The rainy season is in October, November
and December. During this season, the rain falls mainly at night and in
the morning; in the afternoon and evening it is usually sunny and dry.
The precipitation then falls mainly in the form of heavy showers. During
and shortly after the rainy season, nature is somewhat greener than in
the rest of the year.
Outside the rainy season, rain is rare,
unless a hurricane comes nearby. Aruba is outside the hurricane belt and
is very rarely actually hit by a hurricane. Every now and then, a
hurricane passes quite close to the island, causing an offshoot of it to
cause strong winds and heavy and prolonged rain and thunderstorms.
Flooding can then occur. In the spring and summer months, Sahara dust
occurs. Dust particles are carried by the wind and make visibility hazy.
On Aruba, the sun shines an average of more than 3,200 hours per
year. In comparison: in northwestern Europe this is an average of 1,600
hours per year.
Aruba has a dry and rocky landscape with many cacti and the Dividivi
tree. The average rainfall of 470 mm is slightly lower than the average
in the Netherlands, but due to the strong evaporation in this warm
climate, and the concentration of rain in heavy showers (where most of
the rain does not soak into the rocky soil but washes into the sea),
Aruba remains dry and dry. The Dividivi is a tree characteristic of
Aruba that grows with the wind. There are forests with Dividivi trees
where all the trees face the same direction.
The west of the
island is relatively flat. That part of the island is also very densely
populated. In the east of the island, where the Arikok National Park is,
it is more hilly. The Hooiberg is a striking hill (165 meters) in the
middle of Aruba. It is a cone-shaped hill with several transmission
towers on top. The Hooiberg is visible from almost the entire island,
and is a striking appearance because the hill protrudes lonely above a
plain. Although Hooiberg is sometimes considered the highest hill on the
island due to its prominence, Aruba's highest hill is actually Jamanota,
at 188 meters.
Aruba has a lot of coral reef around it, making it
an attractive area for diving. There are also a number of shipwrecks
that are of interest to divers.
The population of Aruba is descended from the original Indian
inhabitants, Europeans (mainly Dutch and Spanish) and to a lesser extent
Sephardic Jews and Africans. The original inhabitants belonged to the
South American tribe of the Arawaks. It is suspected that they crossed
over from the mainland in the past. Archaeological remains of bones and
utensils indicate a strong relationship between the Arawaks of South
America and the inhabitants of Aruba. After most of the Indians from
Aruba were brought to Santo Domingo (Hispaniola) to work as slaves in
the mines, Aruba was repopulated by Juan de Ampiés on behalf of the
Spanish king. In the second half of the seventeenth century, A.O.
Exquemelin wrote that the W.I.C. had stationed a sergeant and fifteen
soldiers on Aruba and that the island was inhabited by Indians who spoke
Spanish. Undoubtedly, the populations of all three islands consisted;
Curaçao, Aruba and Bonaire in those years were mostly made up of Indians
and stationed soldiers of the Dutch West India Company, and the basis of
the language 'Papiamento' was already laid then before the beginning of
the flourishing of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
In 1806,
according to Commander Van den Broek, more than half of the heads of
families of Aruba were Indian heads of families. The population density
on Aruba is now quite high, approximately 581 inhabitants per km². The
current population of Aruba consists of 100 other nationalities in
addition to Arubans. The Arubans make up approximately 70 percent of the
population. The largest group of other inhabitants of Aruba consists of
Dutch with ten percent. The rest is formed by a few other Europeans and
a large number of South Americans.
The official languages are Dutch and Papiamento - a Creole language
based on Portuguese with strong influences from Spanish, English, Dutch
and African languages. Aruba uses its own spelling of Papiamento, which
differs from the spelling used in Curaçao and Bonaire. One of the
differences is the use of the letter C (in Aruba) for the sound. In
Curaçao and Bonaire, the letter K is used for this sound.
The
oldest official document written in Papiamento in Aruba dates from 1803.
All newspapers in Aruba, except Amigoe, are published in Papiamento, and
all meetings of the Parliament of Aruba are held in Papiamento. To be
truly well informed about politics, one must be able to understand
Papiamento well.
In the 2000 census, the most spoken home
language was Papiamento for 69.4% of the population, Spanish for 13.2%,
English for 8.1% and Dutch for 6.1%.
The school system in Aruba is almost the same as in the Netherlands, with a few differences. Primary education consists of nursery school (4-6 years) and primary education (6-12 years). There is also special education: nursery and/or primary school for children who need special care. After primary education comes secondary education, divided into LBO (Loger Beroepsonderwijs) / EPB (Educacion Profesional Basico) (3 or 4 years), mavo (4 years), havo (5 years) and vwo (6 years). Incidentally, the same Central Exam (CE) is taken at secondary school in Aruba as in the Netherlands. After secondary education comes post-secondary education (MBO/HBO/WO). The MBO (EPI, Educacion Profesional Intermedio) is divided into four sectors: Ciencia & Technologia (CT) (Science and Technology), Salubridad & Servicio (SS) (Health and Services), Hospitalidad y Turismo (HT) ("Hospitality" and Tourism) and Economico (E) (Economics). In addition, Aruba has the Instituto Pedagogico Arubano (IPA), the teacher training college (HBO) for primary and secondary education. In addition, there is the University of Aruba (UA), with a Faculty of Law (FdR), a Faculty of Financial Economics (FEF), a Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies (FHTMS), and a Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).
Aruba is a prosperous country. Unemployment is low (4.3% in 2023) and
per capita income is one of the highest in the Caribbean (approximately
US$24,087). At the end of 2018, the labor force participation rate for
women was 56.6 percent. Since 2001, Aruba has had universal health
insurance (AZV) for the entire population.
Until the mid-1980s,
Aruba's main industry was oil refining. Then the refinery closed and the
island's economy shifted to tourism. Aruba now welcomes more than a
million overnight tourists per year, three-quarters of whom are
Americans. Tourism is mainly focused on the beaches and the sea. The
refinery closed in 1986, reopened in 1991, was sold in 2004, closed in
2009, reopened in 2011, and closed again in 2012. In 2012, a letter of
intent was signed with CITGO (the American subsidiary of the Venezuelan
state oil company PDVSA) to investigate whether the refinery can be
reopened.
The currency is the Aruban florin. This is related to
the dollar (fixed exchange rate: 1 US dollar = 1.79 Aruban florin). In
practice, dollars can also be used to pay.
Until 2009, the
Netherlands provided development aid to Aruba. This aid was mainly used
for law enforcement, education, administrative development, health care
and sustainable economic development. This aid was stopped at Aruba's
request in 2009. Since 2015, a form of financial supervision has been
reintroduced, because Aruba's debt has risen sharply to more than 80% of
GDP.
Aruba also has two free trade zones, zones where imports,
exports and services are tax-free under certain conditions.
Aruba has a large and well-developed tourist industry, and received
1,082,000 overnight tourists in 2018. The largest number of tourists
comes from North America, with a market share of 73.3%, followed by
15.2% from Latin America and 8.3% from Europe. 40,231 visitors came from
the Netherlands in 2018. There are many luxury and less luxury hotels,
mainly concentrated along the beaches on the west coast. On Palm Beach
are the luxury hotels aimed at American tourists. This area is also
called the "Highrise area", because most hotels are located in (for
Aruban standards) high-rise buildings. Eagle Beach, a short distance
from Palm Beach towards Oranjestad, offers hotels on a somewhat smaller
and more intimate scale in low-rise housing, hence the name "lowrise
area".
Oranjestad is, in addition to the capital, also an
important place in the tourist industry. This is where the port for the
many cruise ships that visit Aruba is located. The cruise industry is a
very important pillar of tourism in Aruba, because during a cruise a
large part of the passengers go ashore to visit the island. With 334
"cruise calls" Aruba received 815,161 cruise tourists in 2018. According
to research, the 2017/2018 cruise season contributed US$ 102.8 million
to the Aruban economy. Oranjestad also has a number of luxury hotels, a
number of luxury shopping centers, various shopping streets focused on
tourism, including the "Mainstreet", and catering facilities. The
Mainstreet, called Caya G.F. (Betico) Croes, has been redesigned in
recent years, and has been provided with completely new paving, new palm
trees, and a tram line for tourists.
There is also a lot of
tourist accommodation in other places on the island, including in
(private) apartment complexes.
March 18 is the national holiday of Aruba, the Day of the National Anthem and the Flag (Papiamento: Dia di Himno y Bandera). On March 18, 1948, a petition was the first step towards Aruban independence. In 1976, this day was celebrated for the first time and the national anthem (Aruba Dushi Tera) and the flag were also officially adopted.
Formal and less formal recognition marks of the nation island can acquire the status of national symbol. For example, the Dividivi tree and the Fofoti tree are indispensable symbols of the Aruban landscape. Because of their special silhouette, images of these trees are frequently used in tourist promotion campaigns. The legal national symbols include the flag of Aruba, the coat of arms and the national anthem. Since 2012, the Aruban burrowing owl or Shoco in Papiamento has been added to these.
The flora of Aruba is characterized by various species of the cactus
family such as Melocactus and Opuntia. Opuntia stricta is a common disc
cactus on Aruba. Tree species with many spines that can withstand
drought such as the Vachellia and Caesalpinia characterize Aruba.
Caesalpinia coriaria and Vachellia tortuosa are adapted to the dry,
windy climate of Aruba.
Because Aruba is located on the South
American continental shelf, the fauna is very similar to that of nearby
Venezuela. The island is home to twelve mammals, including three
introduced rodents (brown rat, black rat and house mouse), one native
rodent (Calomys hummelincki), one lagomorph (Florida rabbit, Sylvilagus
floridanus) and seven bats (Peropteryx trinitatis, lesser bald-backed
bat (Pteronotus davyi), Mormoops megalophylla, Glossophaga longirostris,
Leptonycteris curasoae, Natalus tumidirostris and Molossus molossus).
Aruba's best-known birds and reptiles are the striped anole, yuwana
(green iguana), dori (frog), shoco (owl), cascabel (Aruba rattlesnake),
chuchubi, orange troepial, barica yellow (sugar thief) and blenchi
(hummingbird). Lizards such as the Aruba-only cododo (Aruba lizard) live
in the dry desert landscape of Aruba.
Some animals, including the
rattlesnake, are threatened by the boa constrictor. This species of
snake does not occur naturally on Aruba, but has most likely been able
to spread on the island after a few specimens were released into the
wild. After the species proved to feel very much at home on Aruba, it
has multiplied rapidly on the island. At the moment, it is therefore a
plague. The snake is not dangerous to humans, but does pose a threat to
certain animal species.
Endangered native plant and animal
species as well as the white beach sand enjoy legal protection under the
CITES treaty, the national decree on native flora and fauna or the sand
ordinance. The protection also includes an export ban for, for example,
coral, shellfish or white sand.
The head of state is constitutionally the Dutch King who appoints the
governor of Aruba to represent him. The governor is appointed for a term
of six years. The governor in turn appoints the ministers. The real
political power lies with the parliament and the Council of Ministers or
the cabinet.
The parliament of Aruba consists of one chamber, the
States with 21 members who are elected by the citizens for four years.
The executive power lies with the Council of Ministers, which is led by
a prime minister. The governor and the Council of Ministers together
form the government. The government is seated in Oranjestad. The
people's representation has the right of amendment, inquiry and
interpellation. It also has the right of initiative. The national budget
must be approved by it. In addition to the States of Aruba, the General
Audit Office and the Advisory Council also monitor the government's
actions for efficiency and legality.
Currently, the head of state
is King Willem-Alexander, Governor Alfonso Boekhoudt and Prime Minister
Evelyn Wever-Croes (MEP).
The Governor watches over the general
interest of the Kingdom in Aruba and ensures that legislative and
administrative bodies in Aruba do not take decisions that could harm the
unity of the Kingdom or that are in conflict with the provisions of the
Kingdom Charter or with an international arrangement. The executive
power rests with the Governor in cooperation with the Council of
Ministers. The Governor is assisted in this by an Advisory Council,
which consists of at least five members appointed by him and which
advises on all draft national ordinances, national laws, national
decrees containing general measures and the like.
Aruba has the status of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCT) within the European Union (EU). The island is not part of the territory of the EU, but its inhabitants do have the rights of EU citizenship. Since the country does not belong to the territory of the EU, it does not have to comply with European law and the euro is not the legal tender. There was a chance that, as a result of the constitutional reform of the Netherlands Antilles in 2010, the status would be changed to that of an outermost region. According to the then opposition party, MEP, the euro should also be introduced. The latter is completely off the table given the current currency that Bonaire has already chosen. There are also enough examples of countries and areas within the European Union that do not have or do not want to have the euro as their official currency. The then government party, the AVP, had confirmed several times that such changes would take place strictly in accordance with the results of referendums.
The defence tasks of Aruba have been assigned by the Dutch state to
the Dutch armed forces. This means that the Dutch armed forces have been
made responsible for the implementation of defence policy. This is
carried out from the Marine barracks at Savaneta (Aruba). The barracks
are an integral part of the Commander of the Navy in the Caribbean
(CZMCARIB)
The 32nd infantry company of the Marine Corps and the
platoon of the Aruban Militia (ARUMIL) are stationed at the Marine
Barracks Savaneta. The militia is responsible for surveillance and
security tasks, but can also be deployed operationally. For example,
militia personnel were deployed in the relief effort after the 2010
Haiti earthquake. Various support services of the Royal Navy are also
present, such as administrative, logistical, facility and medical
support.
Water and Energy Company Aruba, N.V. (W.E.B.) produces drinking water and electricity. The average daily consumption on Aruba is approximately 35,600 m³/day, and the average electricity production is 104 MW. In addition to production, WEB also provides water distribution on the island. Elektriciteits Maatschappij Aruba, N.V. (N.V. Elmar) is the sole distributor of electricity on the island of Aruba. N.V. Elmar also offers its customers the possibility to add solar panels or wind turbines. Together with W.E.B. Aruba N.V., both companies share the same main company, namely Utilities Aruba N.V.
The Queen Beatrix International Airport is located near Oranjestad.
There are daily connections from this airport to Curaçao and Bonaire, to
various cities in the US, South America and to Amsterdam. There is a
special terminal for passengers flying to and from the US.
A
network of buses from the public transport company Arubus covers a large
part of the island. In addition, there are many private minibuses that
pick up passengers along the way. The roads on Aruba are generally of
reasonable quality. The seven main roads are paved. In the more remote
areas (both inhabited and uninhabited) most roads were unpaved until a
few years ago. In recent years, however, these roads, especially in the
inhabited areas, have also been paved. On Aruba there is one highway
that runs across the island and that connects to the "Watty Vos
Boulevard", a ring road around Oranjestad, at the airport. The maximum
speed there is 80 kilometers per hour. This speed is monitored by means
of laser guns.
Aruba has three seaports. The Port of Barcadera
has been the main port for maritime freight since 2016, after the
container and small vessel ports were moved from Oranjestad to
Barcadera. Since then, the Paardenbaai Port in Oranjestad/Taratata has
been a cruise port only and is equipped with facilities for mooring mega
cruise ships. The Port of San Nicolas is an industrial port where oil
tankers used to dock for the oil refinery.
Since 2013, Oranjestad
has a tram line.
One of the most important sports in Aruba is baseball. The sport was
introduced in the 1930s by the American personnel of Lago, and has grown
into a top sport. The Don Elias Mansur Ballpark is the largest stadium
with 12,000 seats and is mainly used for baseball. Aruban baseball
players such as Xander Bogaerts and Calvin Maduro play in the Major
League, the highest level.
The Aruba national football team was
founded in 1932 and is a member of CONCACAF and FIFA. The team plays in
the Trinidad Stadium, which has a capacity of 5,000 seats. In 2022,
Aruba was ranked 203rd out of 210 countries. Aruba is a water sports
country, making surfing and kitesurfing popular sports.
Until
1984, Aruba participated in the Olympic Games as part of the Netherlands
Antilles. In 1985, the Comité Olímpico Arubano was founded. Since then,
Aruba has participated independently in the Summer Games, but has not
yet won a medal as of 2022.