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Compare Aruba (2006) - Christmas Island (2008)
Compare Aruba (2006) z Christmas Island (2008)
| Aruba (2006) | Christmas Island (2008) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.5% (male 7,175/female 6,849)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,894/female 25,140) 65 years and over: 12.3% (male 3,616/female 5,217) (2006 est.) |
0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
| Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | NA |
| Airports | 1 (2006) | 1 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007) |
| Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 135 sq km
land: 135 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about three-quarters 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. | Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the island was annexed and settlement began by the UK in 1888. Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been declared a national park. |
| Birth rate | 11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: $NA
expenditures: $NA |
| Capital | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 33 N, 70 06 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: The Settlement
geographic coordinates: 10 25 S, 105 43 E time difference: UTC+7 (12 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | tropical with a wet season (December to April) and dry season; heat and humidity moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 68.5 km | 138.9 km |
| Constitution | 1 January 1986 | Christmas Island Act of 1958-59 (1 October 1958) as amended by the Territories Law Reform Act of 1992 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form: Territory of Christmas Island
conventional short form: Christmas Island |
| Death rate | 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| Debt - external | $478.6 million (2005 est.) | - |
| Dependency status | member country 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 | non-self governing territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Australian Attorney-General's Department |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba | none (territory of Australia) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | none (territory of Australia) |
| Disputes - international | none | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | $-11.3 million (2004) | $NA |
| 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. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, 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. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The newly re-elected government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. | Phosphate mining had been the only significant economic activity, but in December 1987 the Australian Government closed the mine. In 1991, the mine was reopened. With the support of the government, a $34 million casino opened in 1993, but closed in 1998. The Australian Government in 2001 agreed to support the creation of a commercial space-launching site on the island, expected to begin operations in the near future. |
| Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
| Electricity - production | 770 million kWh (2003) | - |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Murray Hill 361 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | loss of rainforest; impact of phosphate mining |
| Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | Chinese 70%, European 20%, Malay 10%
note: no indigenous population (2001) |
| Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) | Australian dollars per US dollar - 1.2137 (2007), 1.3285 (2006), 1.3095 (2005), 1.3598 (2004), 1.5419 (2003) |
| 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 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA |
chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952), represented by the Australian governor general
head of government: Administrator Neil LUCAS (since 30 January 2006) elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; administrator appointed by the governor general of Australia and represents the monarch and Australia |
| Exports | NA bbl/day | $NA |
| Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | phosphate |
| Exports - partners | Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005) | Australia, NZ (2006) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
| 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; divided diagonally from upper hoist to lower fly; the upper triangle is green with a yellow image of the Golden Bosun Bird superimposed, while the lower triangle is blue with the Southern Cross constellation, representing Australia, superimposed; a centered yellow disk displays a green map of the island
note: the flag of Australia is used for official purposes |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4% NA%
industry: 33.3% NA% services: 66.3% NA% |
- |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | - |
| Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 10 30 S, 105 40 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) | located along major sea lanes of Indian Ocean |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
- |
| Illicit drugs | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity | - |
| Imports | NA bbl/day | $NA |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | consumer goods |
| Imports - partners | US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005) | principally Australia (2006) |
| Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (territory of Australia) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | - |
| Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | tourism, phosphate extraction (near depletion) |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 5.79 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.95 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | - |
| International organization participation | ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) | none |
| Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | NA |
| Judicial branch | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Court; District Court; Magistrate's Court |
| Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | NA |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
- |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
arable land: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (mainly tropical rainforest; 63% of the island is a national park) (2005) |
| Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | English (official), Chinese, Malay |
| Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | under the authority of the governor general of Australia and Australian law |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held by in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1 |
unicameral Christmas Island Shire Council (9 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: held every two years with half the members standing for election; last held 20 October 2007 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - independents 9 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.28 years
male: 75.95 years female: 82.78 years (2006 est.) |
total population: NA
male: NA female: NA |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
NA |
| Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Southeastern Asia, island in the Indian Ocean, south of Indonesia |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Southeast Asia |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 12 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | defense is the responsibility of Australia |
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | - |
| National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | Australia Day, 26 January (1788) |
| Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: Christmas Islander(s)
adjective: Christmas Island |
| Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be a maritime hazard |
| Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | phosphate, beaches |
| Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | NA |
| Political parties and leaders | Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF] | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| Population | 71,891 (July 2006 est.) | 1,402 (July 2006 est.) (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | - |
| Population growth rate | 0.44% (2006 est.) | 0% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (2006) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | Buddhist 36%, Muslim 25%, Christian 18%, other 21% (1997) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
NA |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | - |
| Telephone system | general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
general assessment: service provided by the Australian network
domestic: GSM mobile telephone service replaced older analog system in February 2005 international: country code - 61-8; satellite earth stations - 1 INTELSAT earth station provides telephone and telex service (2005) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 37,100 (2002) | NA |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 98,400 (2004) | - |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 0 (TV broadcasts received via satellite from mainland Australia) (2006) |
| Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | steep cliffs along coast rise abruptly to central plateau |
| Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) | NA |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | - |
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