Compare Pacific Ocean (2008) - Aruba (2005)

Compare Pacific Ocean (2008) z Aruba (2005)

	Pacific Ocean (2008)	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: 155.557 million sq km note: includes Bali Sea, Bering Sea, Bering Strait, Coral Sea, East China Sea, Gulf of Alaska, Gulf of Tonkin, Philippine Sea, Sea of Japan, Sea of Okhotsk, South China Sea, Tasman Sea, and other tributary water bodies	total: 193 sq km land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world	slightly larger than Washington, DC
Background	The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60 degrees south.	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	planetary air pressure systems and resultant wind patterns exhibit remarkable uniformity in the south and east; trade winds and westerly winds are well-developed patterns, modified by seasonal fluctuations; tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico from June to October and affect Mexico and Central America; continental influences cause climatic uniformity to be much less pronounced in the eastern and western regions at the same latitude in the North Pacific Ocean; the western Pacific is monsoonal - a rainy season occurs during the summer months, when moisture-laden winds blow from the ocean over the land, and a dry season during the winter months, when dry winds blow from the Asian landmass back to the ocean; tropical cyclones (typhoons) may strike southeast and east Asia from May to December	tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Coastline	135,663 km	68.5 km
Constitution	-	1 January 1986
Country name	-	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	-	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 is accredited to Aruba
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
Disputes - international	some maritime disputes (see littoral states)	none
Economic aid - recipient	-	$26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996
Economy - overview	The Pacific Ocean is a major contributor to the world economy and particularly to those nations its waters directly touch. It provides low-cost sea transportation between East and West, extensive fishing grounds, offshore oil and gas fields, minerals, and sand and gravel for the construction industry. In 1996, over 60% of the world's fish catch came from the Pacific Ocean. Exploitation of offshore oil and gas reserves is playing an ever-increasing role in the energy supplies of the US, Australia, NZ, China, and Peru. The high cost of recovering offshore oil and gas, combined with the wide swings in world prices for oil since 1985, has led to fluctuations in new drillings.	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: Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench -10,924 m highest point: sea level 0 m	lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m
Environment - current issues	endangered marine species include the dugong, sea lion, sea otter, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in Philippine Sea and South China Sea	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	-	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	-	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	0 00 N, 160 00 W	12 30 N, 69 58 W
Geography - note	the major chokepoints are the Bering Strait, Panama Canal, Luzon Strait, and the Singapore Strait; the Equator divides the Pacific Ocean into the North Pacific Ocean and the South Pacific Ocean; dotted with low coral islands and rugged volcanic islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean	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	-	0.01 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
Land use	-	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	-	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	body of water between the Southern Ocean, Asia, Australia, and the Western Hemisphere	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: 12 nm
Military - note	-	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	surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October); tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December	lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Natural resources	oil and gas fields, polymetallic nodules, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, fish	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	-	71,566 (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA
Population growth rate	-	0.47% (2005 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	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	surface currents in the northern Pacific are dominated by a clockwise, warm-water gyre (broad circular system of currents) and in the southern Pacific by a counterclockwise, cool-water gyre; in the northern Pacific, sea ice forms in the Bering Sea and Sea of Okhotsk in winter; in the southern Pacific, sea ice from Antarctica reaches its northernmost extent in October; the ocean floor in the eastern Pacific is dominated by the East Pacific Rise, while the western Pacific is dissected by deep trenches, including the Mariana Trench, which is the world's deepest	flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
Total fertility rate	-	1.79 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Transportation - note	Inside Passage offers protected waters from southeast Alaska to Puget Sound (Washington state)	-
Unemployment rate	-	0.6% (2003 est.)

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