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Compare Western Sahara (2004) - Aruba (2002)
Compare Western Sahara (2004) z Aruba (2002)
| Western Sahara (2004) | Aruba (2002) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (under de facto control of Morocco) | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: NA
15-64 years: NA 65 years and over: NA |
0-14 years: 21% (male 7,635; female 7,169)
15-64 years: 68.4% (male 23,270; female 24,906) 65 years and over: 10.6% (male 3,081; female 4,380) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | fruits and vegetables (grown in the few oases); camels, sheep, goats (kept by nomads) | aloes; livestock; fish |
| Airports | 11 (2003 est.) | 1 (2001) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2004 est.) |
- |
| Area | total: 266,000 sq km
land: 266,000 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Colorado | slightly larger than Washington, DC |
| Background | Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed. | 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 | NA births/1,000 population | 12.22 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: NA
expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA |
revenues: $135.81 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000) |
| Capital | none | Oranjestad |
| Climate | hot, dry desert; rain is rare; cold offshore air currents produce fog and heavy dew | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
| Coastline | 1,110 km | 68.5 km |
| Constitution | - | 1 January 1986 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Western Sahara former: Spanish Sahara |
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
| Currency | Moroccan dirham (MAD) | Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
| Death rate | NA deaths/1,000 population | 6.29 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | NA | $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 | none | chief of mission: Consul General Deborah A. BOLTON
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 | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Disputes - international | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, whose sovereignty remains unresolved - UN-administered cease-fire has remained in effect since September 1991 but attempts to hold a referendum have failed and parties thus far have rejected all brokered proposals | none |
| Economic aid - recipient | NA | $26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a $127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996 |
| Economy - overview | Western Sahara depends on pastoral nomadism, fishing, and phosphate mining as the principal sources of income for the population. The territory lacks sufficient rainfall for sustainable agricultural production, and most of the food for the urban population must be imported. All trade and other economic activities are controlled by the Moroccan Government. Moroccan energy interests in 2001 signed contracts to explore for oil off the coast of Western Sahara, which has angered the Polisario. Incomes and standards of living in Western Sahara are substantially below the Moroccan level. | 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. The government's goal of balancing the budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks. |
| Electricity - consumption | 83.7 million kWh (2001) | 418.5 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2001) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 90 million kWh (2001) | 450 million kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m |
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
| Environment - current issues | sparse water and lack of arable land | NA |
| Environment - international agreements | party to: none of the selected agreements
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
- |
| Ethnic groups | Arab, Berber | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
| Exchange rates | Moroccan dirhams per US dollar - 9.574 (2003), 11.584 (2002), 11.303 (2001), 10.626 (2000), 9.804 (1999) | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) |
| Executive branch | none | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001); deputy prime minister NA 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) | $2.58 billion f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2000) |
| Exports - commodities | phosphates 62% | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment |
| Exports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts | US 42%, Colombia 20%, Netherlands 12% (1999) |
| 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 |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (1999 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: NA
industry: NA services: 40% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - NA | purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | NA | 2.5% (2000) |
| Geographic coordinates | 24 30 N, 13 00 W | 12 30 N, 69 58 W |
| Geography - note | the waters off the coast are particularly rich fishing areas | 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: 6,200 km
paved: 1,350 km unpaved: 4,850 km (1991 est) |
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 |
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) | $2.61 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
| Imports - commodities | fuel for fishing fleet, foodstuffs | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs |
| Imports - partners | Morocco claims and administers Western Sahara, so trade partners are included in overall Moroccan accounts (2000) | US 63%, Netherlands 11%, Netherlands Antilles 3%, Japan (1999) |
| Independence | - | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA | NA% |
| Industries | phosphate mining, handicrafts | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
| Infant mortality rate | total: NA
male: NA female: NA |
6.26 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | NA | 4% (2000) |
| International organization participation | none | Caricom (observer), ECLAC (associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | NA |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | - | Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by the monarch) |
| Labor force | 12,000 | 41,501 |
| Labor force - by occupation | animal husbandry and subsistence farming 50% | most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
| Land boundaries | total: 2,046 km
border countries: Algeria 42 km, Mauritania 1,561 km, Morocco 443 km |
0 km |
| Land use | arable land: 0.02%
permanent crops: 0% other: 99.98% (2001) |
arable land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic | 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 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: NA years
male: NA years female: NA years |
total population: 78.67 years
male: 75.32 years female: 82.19 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: NA male: NA female: NA |
definition: NA
total population: 97% male: NA% female: NA% |
| Location | Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Mauritania and Morocco | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela |
| Map references | Africa | Central America and the Caribbean |
| Maritime claims | contingent upon resolution of sovereignty issue | territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | - | note: there is one foreign-owned ship registered here as a flag of convenience: Monaco 1 (2002 est.) |
| 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 |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | NA | - |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA | - |
| National holiday | - | Flag Day, 18 March |
| Nationality | noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi,Sahrawian, Sahraouian |
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
| Natural hazards | hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of time, often severely restricting visibility | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
| Natural resources | phosphates, iron ore | NEGL; white sandy beaches |
| Net migration rate | - | NEGL migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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 | none | NA |
| Population | 267,405 (July 2004 est.) | 70,441 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
| Population growth rate | NA | 0.59% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Ad Dakhla, Cabo Bojador, Laayoune (El Aaiun) | Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 0, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 4, FM 6, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios | - | 50,000 (1997) |
| Railways | - | 0 km |
| Religions | Muslim | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish |
| Sex ratio | NA | 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: 0.7 male(s)/female total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Suffrage | none; a UN-sponsored voter identification campaign not yet completed | 18 years of age; universal |
| Telephone system | general assessment: sparse and limited system
domestic: NA international: country code - 212; tied into Morocco's system by microwave radio relay, tropospheric scatter, and satellite; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) linked to Rabat, Morocco |
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 | about 2,000 (1999 est.) | 33,000 (1997) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 0 (1999) | 3,402 (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations | NA | 1 (1997) |
| Terrain | mostly low, flat desert with large areas of rocky or sandy surfaces rising to small mountains in south and northeast | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation |
| Total fertility rate | NA children born/woman | 1.8 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | NA | 0.6% |
| Waterways | - | none |
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