Aruba (2008) | Gibraltar (2001) | |
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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:
18.73% (male 2,652; female 2,528) 15-64 years: 66.33% (male 9,473; female 8,866) 65 years and over: 14.94% (male 1,733; female 2,397) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | none |
Airports | 1 (2007) | 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
total:
1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total:
6.5 sq km land: 6.5 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | about 11 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. | Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison was formally declared a colony in 1830. In a 1967 referendum, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency. |
Birth rate | 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 11.25 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.) |
revenues:
$307 million expenditures: $284 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY00/01 est.) |
Capital | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Gibraltar |
Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | Mediterranean with mild winters and warm summers |
Coastline | 68.5 km | 12 km |
Constitution | 1 January 1986 | 30 May 1969 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Gibraltar |
Currency | - | Gibraltar pound (GIP) |
Death rate | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 8.82 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 | overseas territory of the UK |
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 | source of friction between Spain and the UK |
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. | Gibraltar benefits from an extensive shipping trade, offshore banking, and its position as an international conference center. The British military presence has been sharply reduced and now contributes about 11% to the local economy. The financial sector accounts for 20% of GDP; tourism (almost 6 million visitors in 1998), shipping services fees, and duties on consumer goods also generate revenue. In recent years, Gibraltar has seen major structural change from a public to a private sector economy, but changes in government spending still have a major impact on the level of employment. |
Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2005) | 88.4 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) | 95 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:
Mediterranean Sea 0 m highest point: Rock of Gibraltar 426 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | limited natural freshwater resources; large concrete or natural rock water catchments collect rainwater |
Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% | Spanish, Italian, English, Maltese, Portuguese |
Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) | Gibraltar pounds per US dollar - 0.6764 (January 2001), 0.6596 (2000), 0.6180 (1999), 0.6037 (1998), 0.6106 (1997), 0.6403 (1996); note - the Gibraltar 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 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 and Commander-in-Chief David DURIE (since 5 April 2000); note - DURIE was appointed in February 2000 but took office in April 2000 head of government: Chief Minister Peter CARUANA (since 17 May 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed from among the 15 elected members of the House of Assembly by the governor in consultation with the chief minister; note - there is also a Gibraltar Council that advises the governor elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor |
Exports | 230,600 bbl/day (2004) | $81.1 million (f.o.b., 1997) |
Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | (principally reexports) petroleum 51%, manufactured goods 41%, other 8% |
Exports - partners | Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) | UK, Morocco, Portugal, Netherlands, Spain, US, Germany |
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 | two horizontal bands of white (top, double width) and red with a three-towered red castle in the center of the white band; hanging from the castle gate is a gold key centered in the red band |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $500 million (1997 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $17,500 (1997 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 36 11 N, 5 22 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) | strategic location on Strait of Gibraltar that links the North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea |
Highways | - | total:
46.25 km paved: 46.25 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; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine | - |
Imports | 235,000 bbl/day (2004) | $492 million (c.i.f., 1997) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | fuels, manufactured goods, and foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) | UK, Spain, Japan, Netherlands |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | none (overseas territory of the UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | NA% | NA% |
Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | tourism, banking and finance, ship-building and repairing; support to large UK naval and air bases; tobacco, mineral water, beer, canned fish |
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.) |
5.49 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | 1.5% (1998) |
International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO | Interpol (subbureau) |
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; Court of Appeal |
Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | 14,800 (including non-Gibraltar laborers) |
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 |
services 60%, industry 40%, agriculture NEGL% |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
1.2 km border countries: Spain 1.2 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% (1993 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 (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian |
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 House of Assembly (18 seats - 15 elected by popular vote, one appointed for the Speaker, and two ex officio members; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 10 February 2000 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - GSD 58%, GSLP 41%; seats by party - GSD 8, GSLP 7 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.83 years
male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.) |
total population:
79.09 years male: 76.23 years female: 82.1 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) |
definition:
NA total population: above 80% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Southwestern Europe, bordering the Strait of Gibraltar, which links the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southern coast of Spain |
Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | territorial sea:
3 NM |
Merchant marine | - | total:
49 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 669,056 GRT/1,003,809 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 15, chemical tanker 6, container 7, multi-functional large-load carrier 3, passenger 2, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 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) | British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force |
National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March (1976) | Commonwealth Day, second Monday of March |
Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun:
Gibraltarian(s) adjective: Gibraltar |
Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | NA |
Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | NEGL |
Net migration rate | 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | 0 km |
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] | Gibraltar Social Democrats or GSD [Peter CARUANA]; Gibraltar Socialist Labor Party or GSLP [Joseph John BOSSANO] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Chamber of Commerce; Gibraltar Representatives Organization; Housewives Association |
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.) |
27,649 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.522% (2007 est.) | 0.24% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Gibraltar |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | - | 37,000 (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
NA km; 1.000-m gauge system in dockyard area only |
Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% | Roman Catholic 76.9%, Church of England 6.9%, Muslim 6.9%, Jewish 2.3%, none or other 7% (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:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female total population: 1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal, plus other UK subjects who have been residents six months or more |
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:
adequate, automatic domestic system and adequate international facilities domestic: automatic exchange facilities international: radiotelephone; microwave radio relay; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 38,300 (2005) | 19,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 108,200 (2005) | 1,620 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (plus three low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | a narrow coastal lowland borders the Rock of Gibraltar |
Total fertility rate | 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 1.64 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | 13.5% (1996) |
Waterways | - | none |