Jan Mayen (2006) | Aruba (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Age structure | - | 0-14 years: 20.3% (male 7,429; female 7,051)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 23,587; female 25,007) 65 years and over: 11.4% (male 3,347; female 4,797) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | - | aloes; livestock; fish |
Airports | 1 (2006) | 1 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | - | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2006) |
- |
Area | total: 377 sq km
land: 377 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
Background | This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the northernmost active volcano on earth. | 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 | - | 11.53 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | - | revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of NA (2000) |
Capital | - | Oranjestad |
Climate | arctic maritime with frequent storms and persistent fog | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
Coastline | 124.1 km | 68.5 km |
Constitution | - | 1 January 1986 |
Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Jan Mayen |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
Currency | - | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
Death rate | - | 6.47 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | - | $285 million (1996) |
Dependency status | territory of Norway; since August 1994, administered from Oslo through the county governor (fylkesmann) of Nordland; however, authority has been delegated to a station commander of the Norwegian Defense Communication Service | 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 | - | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles, Robert E. SORENSON, is accredited to Aruba |
Diplomatic representation in the US | - | none (represented by 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 | Jan Mayen is a volcanic island with no exploitable natural resources. Economic activity is limited to providing services for employees of Norway's radio and meteorological stations on the island. | 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 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 | - | 494.7 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | - | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | - | 531.9 million kWh (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m
highest point: Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg 2,277 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 - 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.79 (2000), 1.79 (1999) |
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 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 (2001) |
Exports - commodities | - | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
Exports - partners | - | Netherlands 33.7%, Colombia 12%, Netherlands Antilles 12%, Panama 12%, Venezuela 10.8%, US 9.6% (2003) |
Fiscal year | - | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of Norway 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 | - | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2002 est.) |
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 | 71 00 N, 8 00 W | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
Geography - note | barren volcanic island with some moss and grass | 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 (2001) |
Imports - commodities | - | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | - | US 55.3%, Netherlands 13%, Netherlands Antilles 3.1% (2003) |
Independence | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
Industrial production growth rate | - | NA (2002 est.) |
Industries | - | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
Infant mortality rate | - | total: 6.02 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 6.85 deaths/1,000 live births female: 5.14 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 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 | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | - | Joint High Court of Justice (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% (2005) |
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 Norway, 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 28 September 2001 (next to be held by NA 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 52.4%, AVP 26.7%, PPA 9.6%, OLA 5.7%, Aliansa 3.5%, other 2.1%; seats by party - MEP 12, AVP 6, PPA 2, OLA 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | - | total population: 78.98 years
male: 75.64 years female: 82.49 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | - | definition:
total population: 97% male: NA female: NA |
Location | Northern Europe, island between the Greenland Sea and the Norwegian Sea, northeast of Iceland | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
Map references | Arctic Region | Central America and the Caribbean |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 4 nm
contiguous zone: 10 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
territorial sea: 12 nm |
Merchant marine | - | total: 3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 5,772 GRT/7,068 DWT
by type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 2 foreign-owned: Germany 1, Russia 1 registered in other countries: 1 (2003 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Norway | 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 | dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg; volcanic activity resumed in 1970 | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
Natural resources | none | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
Net migration rate | - | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Political parties and leaders | - | Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS [leader NA]; Aruban Democratic Alliance or Aliansa [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 [Jan (Henny) H. EMAN]; Concentration for the Liberation of Aruba or CLA [leader NA]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA [Urbana LOPEZ]; National Democratic Action or ADN [Pedro Charro KELLY] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | - | NA |
Population | no indigenous inhabitants
note: personnel operate the Long Range Navigation (Loran-C) base and the weather and coastal services radio station (July 2006 est.) |
71,218 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | - | NA |
Population growth rate | - | 0.51% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
Radio broadcast stations | AM NA, FM NA, shortwave NA
note: there is one radio and meteorological station (1998) |
AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
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: 0.94 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | - | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | - | general assessment: NA
domestic: more than adequate 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 | volcanic island, partly covered by glaciers | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
Total fertility rate | - | 1.79 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | - | 0.6% (2003 est.) |