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Compare Aruba (2008) - Montserrat (2008)

Compare Aruba (2008) z Montserrat (2008)

 Aruba (2008)Montserrat (2008)
 ArubaMontserrat
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 3 parishes; Saint Anthony, Saint Georges, Saint Peter
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: 23.5% (male 1,144/female 1,094)


15-64 years: 65.7% (male 2,989/female 3,281)


65 years and over: 10.8% (male 527/female 503) (2007 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes; livestock; fish cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, peppers; livestock products
Airports 1 (2007) 2 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007)
total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
Area total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 102 sq km


land: 102 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Washington, DC about 0.6 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. English and Irish colonists from St. Kitts first settled on Montserrat in 1632; the first African slaves arrived three decades later. The British and French fought for possession of the island for most of the 18th century, but it finally was confirmed as a British possession in 1783. The island's sugar plantation economy was converted to small farm landholdings in the mid 19th century. Much of this island was devastated and two-thirds of the population fled abroad because of the eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995. Montserrat has endured volcanic activity since, with the last eruption occurring in July 2003.
Birth rate 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 17.51 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget revenues: $507.9 million


expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
revenues: $31.4 million


expenditures: $31.6 million (1997 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)
name: Plymouth


geographic coordinates: 16 42 N, 62 13 W


time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)


note: Plymouth was abandoned in 1997 because of volcanic activity; interim government buildings have been built at Brades Estate in the Carr's Bay/Little Bay vicinity at the northwest end of Montserrat
Climate tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation tropical; little daily or seasonal temperature variation
Coastline 68.5 km 40 km
Constitution 1 January 1986 effective 19 December 1989
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Aruba
conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Montserrat
Death rate 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 7.02 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external $478.6 million (2005 est.) $8.9 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
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) Country Policy Plan (2001) is a three-year program for spending $122.8 million in British budgetary assistance (2002 est.)
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. Severe volcanic activity, which began in July 1995, has put a damper on this small, open economy. A catastrophic eruption in June 1997 closed the airports and seaports, causing further economic and social dislocation. Two-thirds of the 12,000 inhabitants fled the island. Some began to return in 1998, but lack of housing limited the number. The agriculture sector continued to be affected by the lack of suitable land for farming and the destruction of crops. Prospects for the economy depend largely on developments in relation to the volcanic activity and on public sector construction activity. The UK has launched a three-year $122.8 million aid program to help reconstruct the economy. Half of the island is expected to remain uninhabitable for another decade.
Electricity - consumption 716.1 million kWh (2005) 18.6 million kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production 770 million kWh (2005) 20 million kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: lava dome in English's Crater (in the Soufriere Hills volcanic complex) estimated at over 930 m (2006)
Environment - current issues NA land erosion occurs on slopes that have been cleared for cultivation
Ethnic groups mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% black, white
Exchange rates Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) East Caribbean dollars per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003)


note: fixed rate since 1976
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 Peter A. WATERWORTH (since 27 July 2007)


head of government: Chief Minister Lowell LEWIS (since 2 June 2006)


cabinet: Executive Council consists of the governor, the chief minister, three other ministers, the attorney general, and the finance secretary


elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party usually becomes chief minister
Exports 230,600 bbl/day (2004) 0 bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment electronic components, plastic bags, apparel; hot peppers, limes, live plants; cattle
Exports - partners Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) US, Antigua and Barbuda (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 blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Montserratian coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms features a woman standing beside a yellow harp with her arm around a black cross
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 33.3%


services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 1.2%


industry: 23.1%


services: 75.7% (1999 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.4% (2005 est.) -1% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 30 N, 69 58 W 16 45 N, 62 12 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) the island is entirely volcanic in origin and comprised of three major volcanic centers of differing ages
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
Imports 235,000 bbl/day (2004) 458 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs machinery and transportation equipment, foodstuffs, manufactured goods, fuels, lubricants, and related materials
Imports - partners US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) US, UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Canada (2006)
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, rum, textiles, electronic appliances
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.)
total: 7.03 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.15 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 5.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.4% (2005) 2.6% (2002 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO Caricom, CDB, Interpol (subbureau), OECS, UPU
Irrigated land 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) NA
Judicial branch Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (based in Saint Lucia, one judge of the Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the High Court)
Labor force 41,500 (2004 est.) 4,521


note: lowered by flight of people from volcanic activity (2000 est.)
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: 20%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 80% (2005)
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
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence English common law and statutory 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 (11 seats, 9 popularly elected; members serve five-year terms)


note: expanded in 2001 from 7 to 9 elected members with attorney general and financial secretary sitting as ex-officio members


elections: last held 31 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011)


election results: percent of vote by party - MCAP 36.1%, NPLM 29.4%, MDP 24.4%, independents 10.1%; seats by party - MCAP 4, NPLM 3, MDP 1, independents 1


note: in 2001, the Elections Commission instituted a single constituency/voter-at-large system whereby all eligible voters cast ballots for all nine seats of the Legislative Council
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.83 years


male: 71.8 years


female: 77.91 years (2007 est.)
total population: 79 years


male: 76.8 years


female: 81.31 years (2007 est.)
Literacy definition: NA


total population: 97.3%


male: 97.5%


female: 97.1% (2000 census)
definition: age 15 and over has ever attended school


total population: 97%


male: 97%


female: 97% (1970 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, southeast of Puerto Rico
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Central America and the Caribbean
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm territorial sea: 3 nm


exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
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) no regular military forces; Royal Montserrat Police Force (2005)
National holiday Flag Day, 18 March (1976) Birthday of Queen ELIZABETH II, second Saturday in June (1926)
Nationality noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
noun: Montserratian(s)


adjective: Montserratian
Natural hazards lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions (Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1995)
Natural resources NEGL; white sandy beaches NEGL
Net migration rate 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) 0 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] Montserrat Democratic Party or MDP [Lowell LEWIS]; Movement for Change and Prosperity or MCAP [Roselyn CASSELL-SEALY]; New People's Liberation Movement or NPLM [John A. OSBORNE]
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.)
9,538


note: an estimated 8,000 refugees left the island following the resumption of volcanic activity in July 1995; some have returned (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.522% (2007 est.) 1.048% (2007 est.)
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Religions Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% Anglican, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal, Seventh-Day Adventist, other Christian denominations
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: 1.046 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.911 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.048 male(s)/female


total population: 0.955 male(s)/female (2007 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: modern and fully digitalized


domestic: NA


international: country code - 1-664; landing point for the East Caribbean Fiber System (ECFS) optic submarine cable with links to 13 other islands in the eastern Caribbean extending from the British Virgin Islands to Trinidad
Telephones - main lines in use 38,300 (2005) NA
Telephones - mobile cellular 108,200 (2005) NA
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 1 (1997)
Terrain flat with a few hills; scant vegetation volcanic island, mostly mountainous, with small coastal lowland
Total fertility rate 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) 1.77 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.9% (2005 est.) 6% (1998 est.)
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