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Compare Aruba (2008) - Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

Compare Aruba (2008) z Sao Tome and Principe (2005)

 Aruba (2008)Sao Tome and Principe (2005)
 ArubaSao Tome and Principe
Administrative divisions none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 2 provinces; Principe, Sao Tome


note: Principe has had self-government since 29 April 1995
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: 47.6% (male 45,145/female 44,007)


15-64 years: 48.6% (male 43,996/female 47,011)


65 years and over: 3.9% (male 3,333/female 3,918) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products aloes; livestock; fish cocoa, coconuts, palm kernels, copra, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, bananas, papayas, beans; poultry; fish
Airports 1 (2007) 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 1


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


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area total: 193 sq km


land: 193 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 1,001 sq km


land: 1,001 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Washington, DC more than five 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. Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's economy.
Birth rate 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) 40.8 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget revenues: $507.9 million


expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.)
revenues: $27.94 million


expenditures: $43.91 million, including capital expenditures of $54 million (2004 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)
Sao Tome
Climate tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)
Coastline 68.5 km 209 km
Constitution 1 January 1986 approved March 1990, effective 10 September 1990
Country name conventional long form: none


conventional short form: Aruba
conventional long form: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe


conventional short form: Sao Tome and Principe


local long form: Republica Democratica de Sao Tome e Principe


local short form: Sao Tome e Principe
Death rate 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) 6.68 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external $478.6 million (2005 est.) $318 million (2002)
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 Sao Tome and Principe; the Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands
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 Sao Tome and Principe does not have an embassy in the US, but does have a Permanent Mission to the UN, headed by First Secretary Domingos Augusto FERREIRA, located at 400 Park Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone [1] (212) 317-0580
Disputes - international none none
Economic aid - recipient $11.3 million (2004) $200 million in December 2000 under the HIPC program
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. This small poor island economy has become increasingly dependent on cocoa since independence in 1975. Cocoa production has substantially declined in recent years because of drought and mismanagement, but strengthening prices helped boost export earnings in 2003. Sao Tome has to import all fuels, most manufactured goods, consumer goods, and a substantial amount of food. Over the years, it has had difficulty servicing its external debt and has relied heavily on concessional aid and debt rescheduling. Sao Tome benefited from $200 million in debt relief in December 2000 under the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) program, but lacking a formal poverty reduction program with the IMF, it has not benefited from subsequent HIPC debt reductions. Sao Tome's external debt stands at over $300 million. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also has attempted to reduce price controls and subsidies. Sao Tome is optimistic about the development of petroleum resources in its territorial waters in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea. The first production license was sold to a consortium led by US-based oil firms. Much of the 2005 budget is dependent upon the sale of additional production licenses.
Electricity - consumption 716.1 million kWh (2005) 15.81 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) 0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production 770 million kWh (2005) 17 million kWh (2002)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m


highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m


highest point: Pico de Sao Tome 2,024 m
Environment - current issues NA deforestation; soil erosion and exhaustion
Environment - international agreements - party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% mestico, angolares (descendants of Angolan slaves), forros (descendants of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), Europeans (primarily Portuguese)
Exchange rates Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) dobras per US dollar - 9,900.4 (2004), 9,347.6 (2003), 9,088.3 (2002), 8,842.1 (2001), 7,978.2 (2000)
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: President Fradique DE MENEZES (since 3 September 2001)


head of government: Prime Minister Maria do Carmo SILVEIRA (since 7 June 2005); Damiao Vaz DE ALMEIDA resigned 2 June 2005


cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the proposal of the prime minister


elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 July 2001 (next to be held July 2006); prime minister chosen by the National Assembly and approved by the president


election results: Fradique DE MENEZES elected president in Sao Tome's third multiparty presidential election; percent of vote - NA%
Exports 230,600 bbl/day (2004) NA
Exports - commodities live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment cocoa 80%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Exports - partners Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) Netherlands 35.9%, China 12.3%, Belgium 7.4%, Germany 6.3%, Poland 5.1%, France 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2004)
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 three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 0.4%


industry: 33.3%


services: 66.3% (2002 est.)
agriculture: 16.5%


industry: 15.4%


services: 68.1% (2004 est.)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,200 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.4% (2005 est.) 6% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates 12 30 N, 69 58 W 1 00 N, 7 00 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) the smallest country in Africa; the two main islands form part of a chain of extinct volcanoes and both are fairly mountainous
Highways - total: 320 km


paved: 218 km


unpaved: 102 km (1999 est.)
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) NA
Imports - commodities machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs machinery and electrical equipment, food products, petroleum products
Imports - partners US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) Portugal 52.3%, Germany 9.5%, US 6%, Netherlands 4.8%, South Africa 4.3%, Belgium 4.1% (2004)
Independence none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)
Industrial production growth rate NA% NA
Industries tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining light construction, textiles, soap, beer; fish processing; timber
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: 43.11 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 45.06 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 41.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.4% (2005) 14% (2004 est.)
International organization participation Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer)
Irrigated land 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) 100 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) Supreme Court (judges are appointed by the National Assembly)
Labor force 41,500 (2004 est.) NA
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
population mainly engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing


note: shortages of skilled workers
Land boundaries 0 km 0 km
Land use arable land: 10.53%


permanent crops: 0%


other: 89.47% (2005)
arable land: 6.25%


permanent crops: 48.96%


other: 44.79% (2001)
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) Portuguese (official)
Legal system based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence based on Portuguese legal system and customary 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 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 Assembly or Assembleia Nacional (55 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 3 March 2002 (next to be held March 2006)


election results: percent of vote by party - MLSTP 39.6%, Force for Change Democratic Movement 39.4%, Ue-Kedadji coalition 16.2%; seats by party - MLSTP 24, Force for Change Democratic Movement 23, Ue-Kedadji coalition 8
Life expectancy at birth total population: 74.83 years


male: 71.8 years


female: 77.91 years (2007 est.)
total population: 66.99 years


male: 65.43 years


female: 68.59 years (2005 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: 79.3%


male: 85%


female: 62% (1991 est.)
Location Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Western Africa, islands in the Gulf of Guinea, straddling the Equator, west of Gabon
Map references Central America and the Caribbean Africa
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm measured from claimed archipelagic baselines


territorial sea: 12 nm


exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Merchant marine - total: 15 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 79,490 GRT/97,077 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 2, cargo 11, chemical tanker 2


foreign-owned: 2 (Egypt 1, Greece 1) (2005)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands Sao Tome and Principe's army is a tiny force with almost no resouces at its disposal and would be wholly ineffective operating unilaterally; infantry equipment is considered simple to operate and maintain but may require refurbishment or replacement after 25 years in tropical climates; poor pay and conditions have been a problem in the past, as has alleged nepotism in the promotion of officers, as reflected in the 1995 and 2003 coups; these issues are being addressed with foreign assistance as intial steps towards the improvement of the army and its focus on realistic security concerns; command is excersized from the president, through the Minister of Defense, to the Chief of the Armed Forces staff (2005)
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) Armed Forces of Sao Tome and Principe (FASTP): Army, Coast Guard, Presidential Guard (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $700,000 (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 0.8% (2004)
National holiday Flag Day, 18 March (1976) Independence Day, 12 July (1975)
Nationality noun: Aruban(s)


adjective: Aruban; Dutch
noun: Sao Tomean(s)


adjective: Sao Tomean
Natural hazards lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt NA
Natural resources NEGL; white sandy beaches fish, hydropower
Net migration rate 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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] Democratic Renovation Party [Armindo GRACA]; Force for Change Democratic Movement [leader NA]; Independent Democratic Action or ADI [Carlos NEVES]; Movement for the Liberation of Sao Tome and Principe-Social Democratic Party or MLSTP-PSD [Manuel Pinto Da COSTA]; Party for Democratic Convergence or PCD [Aldo BANDEIRA]; Ue-Kedadji coalition [leader NA]; other small parties
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.)
187,410 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 54% (2004 est.)
Population growth rate 1.522% (2007 est.) 3.16% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors - Sao Tome
Radio broadcast stations AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Religions Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% Catholic 70.3%, Evangelical 3.4%, New Apostolic 2%, Adventist 1.8%, other 3.1%, none 19.4% (2001 census)
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: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female


total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2005 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: adequate facilities


domestic: minimal system


international: country code - 239; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 38,300 (2005) 7,000 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular 108,200 (2005) 4,800 (2003)
Television broadcast stations 1 (1997) 2 (2002)
Terrain flat with a few hills; scant vegetation volcanic, mountainous
Total fertility rate 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) 5.71 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate 6.9% (2005 est.) NA
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