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Compare Aruba (2008) - British Virgin Islands (2002)
Compare Aruba (2008) z British Virgin Islands (2002)
| Aruba (2008) | British Virgin Islands (2002) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 22.4% (male 2,401; female 2,351)
15-64 years: 72.7% (male 7,962; female 7,509) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 565; female 484) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish |
| Airports | 1 (2007) | 3 (2001) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
| Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 153 sq km
land: 153 sq km water: 0 sq km note: comprised of 16 inhabited and more than 20 uninhabited islands; includes the island of Anegada |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about 0.9 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. | First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency. |
| Birth rate | 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 15.09 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.) |
revenues: $121.5 million
expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997) |
| Capital | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Road Town |
| Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds |
| Coastline | 68.5 km | 80 km |
| Constitution | 1 January 1986 | 1 June 1977 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: British Virgin Islands abbreviation: BVI |
| Currency | - | US dollar (USD) |
| Death rate | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $478.6 million (2005 est.) | $36.1 million (1997) |
| 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 | overseas territory of the UK; internal self-governing |
| 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 (overseas territory of the UK) |
| 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 (overseas territory of the UK) |
| 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 country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and 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 government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. | The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, generating an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1998. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. Roughly 400,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 2000. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959. |
| Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2005) | 39.1 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | 770 million kWh (2005) | 42 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Sage 521 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchments) |
| Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% | black 83%, white, Indian, Asian and mixed |
| Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) | the US dollar is used |
| 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 in 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 Governor Tom MACAN (since 14 October 2002)
head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995) cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition is usually appointed chief minister by the governor |
| Exports | 230,600 bbl/day (2004) | $6.2 million |
| Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand |
| Exports - partners | Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US |
| 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 | blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful) |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 2%
industry: 6% services: 92% (1996 est.) |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | 4.4% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 18 30 N, 64 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) | strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico |
| Highways | - | total: 177 km
paved: 177 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
| 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; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine | transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe; large offshore financial center |
| Imports | 235,000 bbl/day (2004) | $230 million (2000 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery |
| Imports - partners | US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) | Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US |
| Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 4% (1985) |
| Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
19.55 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | 3.3% (2000) |
| International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO | Caricom (associate), CDB, ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate), UNESCO (associate) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 16 (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) | Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary Jurisdiction |
| Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | 4,911 (1980) |
| 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 NA%, industry NA%, services NA% |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | 0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
arable land: 20%
permanent crops: 6.67% other: 73.33% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) | English (official) |
| Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | English 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 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 Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2003) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5 |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.83 years
male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 75.85 years
male: 74.9 years female: 76.84 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 97.8% (1991 est.) male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 3 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285 GRT/6,946 DWT
ships by type: passenger 1 (2002 est.) |
| 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; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005) | - |
| National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March (1976) | Territory Day, 1 July |
| Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: British Virgin Islander(s)
adjective: British Virgin Islander |
| Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October) |
| Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | NEGL |
| Net migration rate | 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 10.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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] | Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM [Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH]; United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP [Ralph T. O'NEAL] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
| Population | 100,018
note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.) |
21,272 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 1.522% (2007 est.) | 2.16% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Road Town |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 9,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% | Protestant 86% (Methodist 33%, Anglican 17%, Church of God 9%, Seventh-Day Adventist 6%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 10%, none 2%, other 2% (1991) |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.17 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 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; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007) |
general assessment: worldwide telephone service
domestic: NA international: submarine cable to Bermuda |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 38,300 (2005) | 10,000 (1996) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 108,200 (2005) | NA |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (plus one cable company) (1997) |
| Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly |
| Total fertility rate | 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.72 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | 3% (1995) |
| Waterways | - | none |
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