Aruba (2002) | Guam (2008) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (territory of the US) |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.) |
0-14 years: 28.6% (male 25,686/female 23,938)
15-64 years: 64.5% (male 57,023/female 54,872) 65 years and over: 6.9% (male 5,592/female 6,345) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | fruits, copra, vegetables; eggs, pork, poultry, beef |
Airports | 1 (2001) | 5 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2007) |
Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 541.3 sq km
land: 541.3 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | three times the size of Washington, DC |
Background | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. | Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The military installation on the island is one of the most strategically important US bases in the Pacific. |
Birth rate | 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: $319.6 million
expenditures: $427.8 million (2002 est.) |
Capital | Oranjestad | name: Hagatna (Agana)
geographic coordinates: 13 28 N, 144 44 E time difference: UTC+10 (15 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical marine; generally warm and humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; dry season (January to June), rainy season (July to December); little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 68.5 km | 125.5 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1986 | Organic Act of Guam, 1 August 1950 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form: Territory of Guam
conventional short form: Guam local long form: Guahan local short form: Guahan |
Currency | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) | - |
Death rate | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $285 million (1996) | $NA |
Dependency status | part 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 | organized, unincorporated territory of the US with policy relations between Guam and the US under the jurisdiction of the Office of Insular Affairs, US Department of the Interior |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
none (territory of the US) |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (territory of the US) |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 | Guam receives large transfer payments from the US Federal Treasury ($143 million in 1997) into which Guamanians pay no income or excise taxes; under the provisions of a special law of Congress, the Guam Treasury, rather than the US Treasury, receives federal income taxes paid by military and civilian Federal employees stationed in Guam (2001 est.) |
Economy - overview | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks. | The economy depends largely on US military spending and tourism. Total US grants, wage payments, and procurement outlays amounted to $1.3 billion in 2004. Over the past 30 years, the tourist industry has grown to become the largest income source following national defense. The Guam economy continues to experience expansion in both its tourism and military sectors. |
Electricity - consumption | 418.5 million kWh (2000) | 1.667 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2000) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 450 million kWh (2000) | 1.793 billion kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Lamlam 406 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | extirpation of native bird population by the rapid proliferation of the brown tree snake, an exotic, invasive species |
Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | Chamorro 37.1%, Filipino 26.3%, other Pacific islander 11.3%, white 6.9%, other Asian 6.3%, other ethnic origin or race 2.3%, mixed 9.8% (2000 census) |
Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) | the US dollar is used |
Executive branch | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten) elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
chief of state: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001)
head of government: Governor Felix P. CAMACHO (since 6 January 2003); Lieutenant Governor Dr. Michael W. CRUZ (since 1 January 2007) cabinet: heads of executive departments; appointed by the governor with the consent of the Guam legislature elections: under the US Constitution, residents of unincorporated territories, such as Guam, do not vote in elections for US president and vice president; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year term (can serve two consecutive terms, then must wait a full term before running again); election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2010) election results: Felix P. CAMACHO reelected governor; Dr. Michael W. CRUZ elected lieutenant governor; percent of vote - NA |
Exports | $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | mostly transshipments of refined petroleum products; construction materials, fish, food and beverage products |
Exports - partners | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) | Japan 67.2%, Singapore 11.6%, UK 4.8% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 October - 30 September |
Flag description | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner | territorial flag is dark blue with a narrow red border on all four sides; centered is a red-bordered, pointed, vertical ellipse containing a beach scene, outrigger canoe with sail, and a palm tree with the word GUAM superimposed in bold red letters; US flag is the national flag |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.5% (2000) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 13 28 N, 144 47 E |
Geography - note | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) | largest and southernmost island in the Mariana Islands archipelago; strategic location in western North Pacific Ocean |
Highways | total: 800 km
paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) |
- |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
Illicit drugs | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity | - |
Imports | $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000) | 12,130 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | petroleum and petroleum products, food, manufactured goods |
Imports - partners | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) | Singapore 50%, South Korea 21.4%, Japan 14%, Hong Kong 4.6% (2006) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (territory of the US) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | US military, tourism, construction, transshipment services, concrete products, printing and publishing, food processing, textiles |
Infant mortality rate | 6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) | total: 6.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 7.35 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 4% (2000) | 2.5% (2005 est.) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) | IOC, SPC, UPU |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | NA | - |
Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
Judicial branch | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) | Federal District Court (judge is appointed by the president); Territorial Superior Court (judges appointed for eight-year terms by the governor) |
Labor force | 41,501 | 62,050 (2002 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining | agriculture: 26%
industry: 10% services: 64% (2004 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
arable land: 3.64%
permanent crops: 18.18% other: 78.18% (2005) |
Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | English 38.3%, Chamorro 22.2%, Philippine languages 22.2%, other Pacific island languages 6.8%, Asian languages 7%, other languages 3.5% (2000 census) |
Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | modeled on US; US federal laws apply |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 |
unicameral Legislature (15 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms)
elections: last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008) election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Republican Party 8, Democratic Party 7 note: Guam elects one nonvoting delegate to the US House of Representatives; election last held 7 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2008); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Democratic Party 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.32 years female: 82.19 years (2002 est.) |
total population: 78.76 years
male: 75.69 years female: 82.01 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 99% male: 99% female: 99% (1990 est.) |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Oceania, island in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 NM | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.) | - |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | defense is the responsibility of the US |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | - |
National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | Discovery Day, first Monday in March (1521) |
Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: Guamanian(s) (US citizens)
adjective: Guamanian |
Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December) |
Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | fishing (largely undeveloped), tourism (especially from Japan) |
Net migration rate | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] | Democratic Party [leader Michael PHILLIPS]; Republican Party [Philip J. FLORES] (controls the legislature) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 70,441 (July 2002 est.) | 173,456 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 23% (2001 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.59% (2002 est.) | 1.4% (2007 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 11, shortwave 2 (2005) |
Radios | 50,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | - |
Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | Roman Catholic 85%, other 15% (1999 est.) |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.039 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.881 male(s)/female total population: 1.037 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal; US citizens, but do not vote in US presidential elections |
Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
general assessment: modern system, integrated with US facilities for direct dialing, including free use of 800 numbers
domestic: modern digital system, including cellular mobile service and local access to the Internet international: country code - 1-671; major landing point for submarine cables between Asia and the US (Guam is a trans-Pacific communications hub for major carriers linking the US and Asia); satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 33,000 (1997) | 80,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 3,402 (1997) | 98,000 (2004) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 3 (2006) |
Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | volcanic origin, surrounded by coral reefs; relatively flat coralline limestone plateau (source of most fresh water), with steep coastal cliffs and narrow coastal plains in north, low hills in center, mountains in south |
Total fertility rate | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) | 2.57 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 0.6% | 11.4% (2002 est.) |
Waterways | none | - |