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Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Aruba (2001)
Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) z Aruba (2001)
| British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) | Aruba (2001) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Age structure | - | 0-14 years:
21.29% (male 7,709; female 7,193) 15-64 years: 68.52% (male 23,111; female 24,859) 65 years and over: 10.19% (male 2,954; female 4,181) (2001 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | - | aloes; livestock; fish |
| Airports | 1 (2006) | 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2006) |
total:
1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Area | total: 54,400 sq km
land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands |
total:
193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
| Background | Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia. | 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. |
| Birth rate | - | 12.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Budget | - | revenues:
$NA expenditures: $541 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
| Capital | - | Oranjestad |
| Climate | tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
| Coastline | 698 km | 68.5 km |
| Constitution | - | 1 January 1986 |
| Country name | conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory
conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT |
conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Aruba |
| Currency | - | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
| Death rate | - | 6.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Debt - external | - | $285 million (1996) |
| Dependency status | overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London | part 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 | none (overseas territory of the UK) | chief of mission:
Consul General Barbara J. STEPHENSON embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599] (9) 461-6489 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of the UK) | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Disputes - international | Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain; | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
| Economy - overview | All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps. | Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction has boomed, 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. Aruba's small labor force and less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. |
| Electricity - consumption | NA kWh | 418.5 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production | NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military | 450 million kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m |
lowest point:
Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | NA |
| Ethnic groups | - | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
| Exchange rates | - | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch |
chief of state:
Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ 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 12 July 1997 (next to be held by December 2001) election results: Jan (Henny) H. EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA%; Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ elected deputy prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA% |
| Exports | - | $2.2 billion (including oil reexports) (2000 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | - | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
| Exports - partners | - | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) |
| Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
| Flag description | white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag | 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 |
| GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $2 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | - | agriculture:
NA% industry: NA% services: NA% |
| GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | - | 3.5% (2000 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
| Geography - note | archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility | - |
| Highways | - | total:
800 km paved: 513 km unpaved: 287 km note: most coastal roads are paved, while unpaved roads serve large tracts of the interior (1995) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | - | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | - | drug-money-laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe |
| Imports | - | $2.5 billion (2000 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | - | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | - | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) |
| Independence | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
| Industries | - | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
| Infant mortality rate | - | 6.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 4.2% (2000 est.) |
| International organization participation | - | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
| Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 0.01 sq km |
| Judicial branch | - | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
| Labor force | - | 41,501 (1997 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | - | 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: 0%
permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005) |
arable land:
7% (including aloe 0.01%) permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 93% (1993 est.) |
| Languages | - | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
| Legal system | the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence |
| Legislative branch | - | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held by NA December 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - AVP 43%, MEP 39%, OLA 9% PPA 4%, ADN 2%, PARA 1%, MAS 0.5%; seats by party - AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2 |
| Life expectancy at birth | - | total population:
78.52 years male: 75.16 years female: 82.04 years (2001 est.) |
| Literacy | - | definition:
NA total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
| Map references | Political Map of the World | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea:
12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,120 GRT/3,635 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016 | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
| Military branches | - | Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard |
| National holiday | - | Flag Day, 18 March |
| Nationality | - | noun:
Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
| Natural hazards | NA | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
| Natural resources | coconuts, fish, sugarcane | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
| Net migration rate | - | NEGL |
| Political parties and leaders | - | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Tico CROES]; Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [leader NA]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
| Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.) |
70,007 (July 2001 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | - | NA% |
| Population growth rate | - | 0.64% (2001 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | - | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 50,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | - | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
| Sex ratio | - | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available
domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000) |
general assessment:
NA domestic: more than adequate international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
| Telephones - main lines in use | NA | 33,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 3,402 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 1 (1997) |
| Terrain | flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation) | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
| Total fertility rate | - | 1.8 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | - | 0.6% (1999 est.) |
| Waterways | - | none |
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