Aruba (2006) | Isle of Man (2007) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none; there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 24 local authorities each with its own elections |
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: 17.1% (male 6,645/female 6,330)
15-64 years: 65.8% (male 25,085/female 24,840) 65 years and over: 17.1% (male 5,232/female 7,699) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | cereals, vegetables; cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry |
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: 572 sq km
land: 572 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | slightly more than 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. | Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost extinct Manx Gaelic language. Isle of Man is a British crown dependency, but is not part of the UK. However, the UK Government remains constitutionally responsible for its defense and international representation. |
Birth rate | 11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 10.96 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues: $965 million
expenditures: $943 million (FY05/06 est.) |
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: Douglas
geographic coordinates: 54 09 N, 4 29 W time difference: UTC 0 (five hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October |
Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | temperate; cool summers and mild winters; overcast about one-third of the time |
Coastline | 68.5 km | 160 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1986 | unwritten; note - The Isle of Man Constitution Act of 1961 does not embody the unwritten Manx Constitution |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Isle of Man abbreviation: I.O.M. |
Death rate | 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 11.1 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $478.6 million (2005 est.) | $NA |
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 | British crown dependency |
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 (British crown dependency) |
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 (British crown dependency) |
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. | Offshore banking, manufacturing, and tourism are key sectors of the economy. The government offers incentives to high-technology companies and financial institutions to locate on the island; this has paid off in expanding employment opportunities in high-income industries. As a result, agriculture and fishing, once the mainstays of the economy, have declined in their shares of GDP. The Isle of Man also attracts online gambling sites and the film industry. Trade is mostly with the UK. The Isle of Man enjoys free access to EU markets. |
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: Irish Sea 0 m
highest point: Snaefell 621 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | waste disposal (both household and industrial); transboundary air pollution |
Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | Manx (Norse-Celtic descent), Britons |
Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) | Manx pounds per US dollar - 0.5418 (2006), 0.5493 (2005), 0.5462 (2004), 0.6125 (2003), 0.6672 (2002)
note: the Manx pound is at par with the British pound |
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: Lord of Mann Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952); represented by Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul K. HADDACKS (since 17 October 2005)
head of government: Chief Minister Tony BROWN (since 14 December 2006) cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: the monarch is hereditary; lieutenant governor appointed by the monarch for a five-year term; the chief minister is elected by the Tynwald; election last held 14 December 2006 (next to be held in December 2008) election results: House of Keys speaker Tony BROWN elected chief minister by the Tynwald |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $NA |
Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | tweeds, herring, processed shellfish, beef, lamb |
Exports - partners | Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005) | UK (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
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 | red with the Three Legs of Man emblem (Trinacria), in the center; the three legs are joined at the thigh and bent at the knee; in order to have the toes pointing clockwise on both sides of the flag, a two-sided emblem is used |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4% NA%
industry: 33.3% NA% services: 66.3% NA% |
agriculture: 1%
industry: 13% services: 86% (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | 5.2% (2005) |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 54 15 N, 4 30 W |
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) | one small islet, the Calf of Man, lies to the southwest, and is a bird sanctuary |
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 bbl/day | $NA |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | timber, fertilizers, fish |
Imports - partners | US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005) | UK (2006) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (British crown dependency) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 3.2% (FY96/97) |
Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | financial services, light manufacturing, tourism |
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: 5.72 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.67 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.72 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | 3.1% (December 2006 est.) |
International organization participation | ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) | UPU |
Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | 0 sq km |
Judicial branch | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) | High Court of Justice (justices are appointed by the Lord Chancellor of England on the nomination of the lieutenant governor) |
Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | 39,690 (2001) |
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 |
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3%, manufacturing 11%, construction 10%, transport and communication 8%, wholesale and retail distribution 11%, professional and scientific services 18%, public administration 6%, banking and finance 18%, tourism 2%, entertainment and catering 3%, miscellaneous services 10% (2001) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
Land use | arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
arable land: 9%
permanent crops: 0% other: 91% (permanent pastures, forests, mountain, and heathland) (2002) |
Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | English, Manx Gaelic |
Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply and Manx statutes |
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 |
bicameral Tynwald consists of the Legislative Council (11 seats; members composed of the President of Tynwald, the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man, a nonvoting attorney general, and 8 others named by the House of Keys) and the House of Keys (24 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: House of Keys - last held 23 November 2006 (next to be held in November 2011) election results: House of Keys - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Liberal Vannin Party 2, Man Labor Party 1, independents 21 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.28 years
male: 75.95 years female: 82.78 years (2006 est.) |
total population: 78.64 years
male: 75.3 years female: 82.17 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: NA
total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Western Europe, island in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 297 ships (1000 GRT or over) 8,377,775 GRT/13,890,881 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 33, cargo 65, chemical tanker 54, combination ore/oil 1, container 17, liquefied gas 34, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 74, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 8, vehicle carrier 5 foreign-owned: 210 (Cyprus 4, Denmark 41, France 2, Germany 61, Greece 48, Ireland 1, Italy 1, Japan 4, Monaco 3, Netherlands 1, Norway 33, Singapore 2, Sweden 3, Turkey 2, US 4) (2007) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | defense is the responsibility of the UK |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | - |
National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | Tynwald Day, 5 July |
Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: Manxman (men), Manxwoman (women)
adjective: Manx |
Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | none |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 5.27 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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] | Alliance for Progressive Government; Liberal Vannin Party [Peter KARRAN]; Man Labor Party; Man Nationalist Party (Mec Vannin) [Bernard MOFFATT]
note: most members sit as independents |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
Population | 71,891 (July 2006 est.) | 75,831 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.44% (2006 est.) | 0.513% (2007 est.) |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 1, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Railways | - | total: 65 km
standard gauge: 7 km 1.067-m gauge (7 km electrified) narrow gauge: 58 km 0.914-m gauge (29 km electrified) note: primarily summer tourist attractions (2006) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, Society of Friends |
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.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female total population: 0.951 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 16 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: NA
domestic: landline, telefax, mobile cellular telephone system international: fiber-optic cable, microwave radio relay, satellite earth station, submarine cable |
Telephones - main lines in use | 37,100 (2002) | 51,000 (1999) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 98,400 (2004) | - |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 0 (receives broadcasts from the UK and satellite) (1999) |
Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | hills in north and south bisected by central valley |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 1.65 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | 1.5% (December 2006 est.) |