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Compare Aruba (2004) - West Bank (2005)
Compare Aruba (2004) z West Bank (2005)
| Aruba (2004) | West Bank (2005) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | - |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.) |
0-14 years: 43.4% (male 530,197/female 504,794)
15-64 years: 53.2% (male 649,610/female 619,335) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 34,803/female 46,876) (2005 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | olives, citrus, vegetables; beef, dairy products |
| Airports | 1 (2003 est.) | 3 (2004 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
| Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 5,860 sq km
land: 5,640 sq km water: 220 sq km note: includes West Bank, Latrun Salient, and the northwest quarter of the Dead Sea, but excludes Mt. Scopus; East Jerusalem and Jerusalem No Man's Land are also included only as a means of depicting the entire area occupied by Israel in 1967 |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | slightly smaller than Delaware |
| 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. | The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13 September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January 1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4 May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28 September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997 Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23 October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain responsibility during the transitional period for external and internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of Gaza and West Bank that began in September 1999 after a three-year hiatus, were derailed by a second intifadah that broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress toward a permanent agreement. Following the death of longtime Palestinian leader Yasir ARAFAT in November 2004, the election of his successor Mahmud ABBAS in January 2005 could bring a turning point in the conflict. |
| Birth rate | 11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 32.37 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000) |
revenues: $676.6 million
expenditures: $1.155 billion, including capital expenditures of NA; note - these budget data include Gaza Strip (2003) |
| Capital | Oranjestad | - |
| Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | temperate; temperature and precipitation vary with altitude, warm to hot summers, cool to mild winters |
| Coastline | 68.5 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
| Constitution | 1 January 1986 | - |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: West Bank |
| Currency | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) | - |
| Death rate | 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 3.99 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external | $285 million (1996) | $108 million (includes Gaza Strip) (1997 est.) |
| 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 | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba | - |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | - |
| Disputes - international | none | West Bank and Gaza Strip are Israeli-occupied with current status subject to the Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement - permanent status to be determined through further negotiation; Israel continues construction of a "seam line" separation barrier along parts of the Green Line and within the West Bank; Israel announced its intention to pull out settlers and withdraw from four settlements in the northern West Bank in 2005; since 1948, about 350 peacekeepers from the UN Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO), headquartered in Jerusalem, monitor ceasefires, supervise armistice agreements, prevent isolated incidents from escalating, and assist other UN personnel in the region |
| Economic aid - recipient | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 | $2 billion (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 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. Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade balance. | The West Bank - the larger of the two areas under the Palestine Authority - has experienced a general decline in economic growth and a degradation in economic conditions made worse since the second intifadah began in September 2000. The downturn has been largely the result of the Israeli closure policies - the imposition of border closures in response to security incidents in Israel - which disrupted labor and commodity market relationships. In 2001, and even more severely in 2002, Israeli military measures in Palestine Authority areas resulted in the destruction of much capital plant, the disruption of administrative structure, and widespread business closures. Including the Gaza Strip, the UN estimates that more than 100,000 Palestinians out of the 125,000 who used to work in Israeli settlements, or in joint industrial zones, have lost their jobs. International aid of $2 billion to the West Bank and Gaza strip in 2004 prevented the complete collapse of the economy and allowed some reforms in the government's financial operations. Meanwhile, unemployment has continued at more than half the labor force. ARAFAT's death in 2004 leaves open more political options that could affect the economy. |
| Electricity - consumption | 494.7 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | NA kWh |
| Electricity - production | 531.9 million kWh (2001) | NA kWh; note - most electricity imported from Israel; East Jerusalem Electric Company buys and distributes electricity to Palestinians in East Jerusalem and its concession in the West Bank; the Israel Electric Company directly supplies electricity to most Jewish residents and military facilities; some Palestinian municipalities, such as Nablus and Janin, generate their own electricity from small power plants |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | adequacy of fresh water supply; sewage treatment |
| Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | Palestinian Arab and other 83%, Jewish 17% |
| Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999) | new Israeli shekels per US dollar - 4.482 (2004), 4.5541 (2003), 4.7378 (2002), 4.2057 (2001), 4.0773 (2000) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) 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 |
- |
| Exports | NA (2001) | $205 million f.o.b., includes Gaza Strip (2002) |
| Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | olives, fruit, vegetables, limestone |
| Exports - partners | Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Panama 12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003) | Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year (since 1 January 1992) |
| 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 | - |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.) | - |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: NA |
agriculture: 9%
industry: 28% services: 63% note: includes Gaza Strip (2002 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) | purchasing power parity - $800 (2003 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | -1.5% (2002 est.) | 6% (2003 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 32 00 N, 35 15 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) | landlocked; highlands are main recharge area for Israel's coastal aquifers; there are 244 West Bank settlements and 29 East Jerusalem settlements in addition to at least 20 occupied outposts (August 2003 est.) |
| 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) |
total: 4,500 km
paved: 2,700 km unpaved: 1,800 km note: Israelis have developed many highways to service Jewish settlements (1997 est.) |
| 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 | NA (2001) | $1.5 billion c.i.f., includes Gaza Strip (2002) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | food, consumer goods, construction materials |
| Imports - partners | US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003) | Israel, Jordan, Gaza Strip (2000) |
| Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | - |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA (2002 est.) | NA |
| Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | generally small family businesses that produce cement, textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis have established some small-scale, modern industries in the settlements and industrial centers |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
total: 19.62 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 21.66 deaths/1,000 live births female: 17.45 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.2% (2002 est.) | 2.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2001 est.) |
| International organization participation | ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO (associate) | - |
| Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
| Judicial branch | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) | - |
| Labor force | 41,500 (1997 est.) | 364,000 (2004) |
| Labor force - by occupation | most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining | agriculture 15%, industry 25%, services 60% (2004 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 404 km
border countries: Israel 307 km, Jordan 97 km |
| Land use | arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2001) |
arable land: 16.9%
permanent crops: 18.97% other: 64.13% (2001) |
| Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood) |
| Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | - |
| 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 |
- |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 78.98 years
male: 75.64 years female: 82.49 years (2004 est.) |
total population: 73.08 years
male: 71.33 years female: 74.95 years (2005 est.) |
| Literacy | definition:
total population: 97% male: NA female: NA |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.9% male: 96.3% female: 87.4% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Middle East, west of Jordan |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | none (landlocked) |
| Merchant marine | total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.) |
- |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | - |
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | - |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | - | NA |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | NA |
| National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | - |
| Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: NA
adjective: NA |
| Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | droughts |
| Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | arable land |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) | 2.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] | - |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | - |
| Population | 71,218 (July 2004 est.) | 2,385,615
note: in addition, there are about 187,000 Israeli settlers in the West Bank and fewer than 177,000 in East Jerusalem (July 2004 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA | 59% (2004 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.51% (2004 est.) | 3.13% (2005 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas | - |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 1, FM 0, shortwave 0
note: the Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from an AM station in Ramallah on 675 kHz; numerous local, private stations are reported to be in operation (2000) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | Muslim 75% (predominantly Sunni), Jewish 17%, Christian and other 8% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.74 male(s)/female total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
| Telephone system | general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: NA note: Israeli company BEZEK and the Palestinian company PALTEL are responsible for communication services in the West Bank |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 37,100 (2002) | 301,600 (total for West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2002) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 53,000 (2001) | 480,000 (cellular subscribers in both West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2003) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | NA |
| Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | mostly rugged dissected upland, some vegetation in west, but barren in east |
| Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) | 4.4 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 0.6% (2003 est.) | 27.2% (includes Gaza Strip) (2004 est.) |
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