Aruba (2006) | Monaco (2001) | |
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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 four quarters (quartiers, singular - quartier); Fontvieille, La Condamine, Monaco-Ville, Monte-Carlo |
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:
15.32% (male 2,503; female 2,375) 15-64 years: 62.23% (male 9,731; female 10,083) 65 years and over: 22.45% (male 2,921; female 4,229) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | none |
Airports | 1 (2006) | linked to airport in Nice, France, by helicopter service |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
- |
Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
1.95 sq km land: 1.95 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about three times the size of The Mall in 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. | Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and recreation center. |
Birth rate | 11.03 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 9.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million; including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
revenues:
$518 million expenditures: $531 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1995) |
Capital | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 33 N, 70 06 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Monaco |
Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | Mediterranean with mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers |
Coastline | 68.5 km | 4.1 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1986 | 17 December 1962 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form:
Principality of Monaco conventional short form: Monaco local long form: Principaute de Monaco local short form: Monaco |
Currency | - | French franc (FRF); euro (EUR) |
Death rate | 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) | 13 deaths/1,000 population (2001 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 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba | the US does not have an embassy in Monaco; the US Consul General in Marseille (France) is accredited to Monaco |
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 | Monaco does not have an embassy in the US
consulate(s) general: New York |
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. | Monaco, situated on the French Mediterranean coast, is a popular resort, attracting tourists to its casino and pleasant climate. The Principality has successfully sought to diversify into services and small, high-value-added, nonpolluting industries. The state has no income tax and low business taxes and thrives as a tax haven both for individuals who have established residence and for foreign companies that have set up businesses and offices. The state retains monopolies in a number of sectors, including tobacco, the telephone network, and the postal service. Living standards are high, roughly comparable to those in prosperous French metropolitan areas. Monaco does not publish national income figures; the estimates below are extremely rough. |
Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2003) | NA kWh |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2003) | - |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2003) | NA kWh
note: electricity supplied by France (1999) |
Electricity - production | 770 million kWh (2003) | - |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Mont Agel 140 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
Environment - international agreements | - | party to:
Air Pollution, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% | French 47%, Monegasque 16%, Italian 16%, other 21% |
Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998), 5.8367 (1997), 5.1155 (1996) |
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:
Prince RAINIER III (since 9 May 1949); Heir Apparent Prince ALBERT Alexandre Louis Pierre, son of the monarch (born 14 March 1958) head of government: Minister of State Patrick LECLERQUE (since 5 January 2000) cabinet: Council of Government is under the authority of the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; minister of state appointed by the monarch from a list of three French national candidates presented by the French Government |
Exports | NA bbl/day | $NA; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France |
Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | - |
Exports - partners | Netherlands 33.5%, Panama 16.7%, Colombia 11.9%, US 11.3%, Venezuela 10.1%, Netherlands Antilles 9% (2005) | - |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; similar to the flag of Indonesia which is longer and the flag of Poland which is white (top) and red |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $870 million (1999 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4% NA%
industry: 33.3% NA% services: 66.3% NA% |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $27,000 (1999 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 43 44 N, 7 24 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) | second smallest independent state in the world (after Holy See); almost entirely urban |
Heliports | - | 1 (shuttle service between the international airport at Nice, France, and Monaco's heliport at Fontvieille) |
Highways | - | total:
50 km paved: 50 km unpaved: 0 km (2001) |
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; full customs integration with France, which collects and rebates Monegasque trade duties; also participates in EU market system through customs union with France |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | - |
Imports - partners | US 55.9%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.8% (2005) | - |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 1419 (beginning of the rule by the House of Grimaldi) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | tourism, construction, small-scale industrial and consumer products |
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.) |
5.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | NA% |
International organization participation | ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO (associate) | ACCT, ECE, IAEA, ICAO, ICRM, IFRCS, IHO, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Court or Tribunal Supreme (judges appointed by the monarch on the basis of nominations by the National Council) |
Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | 30,540 (January 1994) |
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 | total:
4.4 km border countries: France 4.4 km |
Land use | arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 100% (urban area) |
Languages | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish | French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque |
Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | based on French law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
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 National Council or Conseil National (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 1 and 8 February 1998 (next to be held NA January 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UND 18 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 79.28 years
male: 75.95 years female: 82.78 years (2006 est.) |
total population:
78.98 years male: 75.04 years female: 83.12 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition:
NA total population: 99% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Western Europe, bordering the Mediterranean Sea on the southern coast of France, near the border with Italy |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | territorial sea:
12 NM |
Merchant marine | - | none (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Netherlands Navy and Marines, Coast Guard | - |
National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March | National Day (Prince of Monaco Holiday), 19 November |
Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun:
Monegasque(s) or Monacan(s) adjective: Monegasque or Monacan |
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.) | 7.85 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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] | National and Democratic Union or UND [leader NA]; National Union for the Future of Monaco or UNAM [leader NA]; Rally for the Monegasque Family [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 71,891 (July 2006 est.) | 31,842 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 0.44% (2006 est.) | 0.46% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Monaco |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM NA, shortwave 8 (1998) |
Radios | - | 34,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
1.7 km standard gauge: 1.7 km 1.435-m gauge |
Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish | Roman Catholic 90% |
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: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 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:
modern automatic telephone system domestic: NA international: no satellite earth stations; connected by cable into the French communications system |
Telephones - main lines in use | 37,100 (2002) | 31,027 (1995) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 98,400 (2004) | NA |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 5 (1998) |
Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | hilly, rugged, rocky |
Total fertility rate | 1.79 children born/woman (2006 est.) | 1.76 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | 3.1% (1998) |
Waterways | - | none |