Coral Sea Islands (2004) | Aruba (2005) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 19.9% (male 7,308/female 6,960)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,736/female 25,068) 65 years and over: 11.9% (male 3,486/female 5,008) (2005 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | aloes; livestock; fish |
Airports | - | 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Area | total: less than 3 sq km
land: less than 3 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes numerous small islands and reefs scattered over a sea area of about 780,000 sq km, with the Willis Islets the most important |
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | NA | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
Background | Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs. | 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 | - | 11.26 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000) |
Capital | - | Oranjestad |
Climate | tropical | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 3,095 km | 68.5 km |
Constitution | - | 1 January 1986 |
Country name | conventional long form: Coral Sea Islands Territory
conventional short form: Coral Sea Islands |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
Death rate | - | 6.57 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $285 million (1996) |
Dependency status | territory of Australia; administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 (territory of Australia) | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (territory of Australia) | 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 |
Disputes - international | none | none |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
Economy - overview | no economic activity | 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. 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 exceptionally low unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. Tourist arrivals have declined in the aftermath of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks on the US. The government now must deal with a budget deficit and a negative trade balance. |
Electricity - consumption | - | 751.2 million kWh (2002) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2002) |
Electricity - production | - | 807.7 million kWh (2002) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Cato Island 6 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
Environment - current issues | no permanent fresh water resources | NA |
Ethnic groups | - | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
Exchange rates | - | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000) |
Executive branch | administered from Canberra by the Department of the Environment, Sport, and Territories | 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 28 September 2001 (next to be held by December 2005) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA |
Exports | - | NA |
Exports - commodities | - | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
Exports - partners | - | Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.5%, Venezuela 14.7%, Netherlands Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4% (2004) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Australia is used | 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 - composition by sector | - | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | - | -1.5% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 18 00 S, 152 00 E | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
Geography - note | important nesting area for birds and turtles | 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) |
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 | - | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity |
Imports | - | NA |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004) |
Independence | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA% |
Industries | - | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 5.89 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.71 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.03 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | - | 3.2% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | - | ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WToO (associate) |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km (1998 est.) | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
Labor force | - | 41,500 (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% (mostly grass or scrub cover) (2001) |
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2001) |
Languages | - | Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
Legal system | the laws of Australia, 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 23 September 2005 (next to be held by NA 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 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 79.14 years
male: 75.8 years female: 82.65 years (2005 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Oceania, islands in the Coral Sea, northeast of Australia | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
Map references | Oceania | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm |
territorial sea: 12 nm |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Australia; visited regularly by the Royal Australian Navy; Australia has control over the activities of visitors | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands |
Military branches | - | no regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and Marines, Coast Guard |
National holiday | - | Flag Day, 18 March |
Nationality | - | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
Natural hazards | occasional tropical cyclones | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
Natural resources | NEGL | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
Net migration rate | - | 0 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] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: there is a staff of three to four at the meteorological station (2004 est.) |
71,566 (July 2005 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 0.47% (2005 est.) |
Ports and harbors | none; offshore anchorage only | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
Radio broadcast stations | - | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) |
Religions | - | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
Sex ratio | - | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 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; 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten (Netherlands Antilles); extensive interisland microwave radio relay links |
Telephones - main lines in use | - | 37,100 (2002) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | - | 53,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | - | 1 (1997) |
Terrain | sand and coral reefs and islands (or cays) | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.6% (2003 est.) |