Encyclopedia > Aruba
Aruba
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| Official language | Dutch | |||
| Capital | Oranjestad[?] | |||
| Queen | Beatrix | |||
| Governor | Olindo Koolman[?] | |||
| Prime minister | Nelson Oduber[?] | |||
| Area - Total - % water | (Not ranked) 193 km² Negligible | |||
| Population
- Total (2002) - Density | (Not ranked)
70,441 363/km² | |||
| Dependent area of | Netherlands | |||
| Currency | Aruban Guilder | |||
| Time zone | UTC -4 | |||
| National anthem | Aruba Dushi Tera | |||
| Internet TLD | .AW | |||
| Calling Code | 297 | |||
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History Main article: History of Aruba
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 on January 1, 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.
Politics Main article: Politics of Aruba
Head of state is the ruling monarch of the Netherlands, who is represented in Aruba by a governor, appointed for a six-year term. The head of government is the prime minister who forms, together with the Council of Ministers, the executive branch of the government.
They are elected by the parliament, the unicameral Legislature or Staten, which holds 21 seats. Members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms.
Geography Main article: Geography of Aruba
Aruba is a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches. Its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean. Temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius. The highest point in Aruba is Mount Jamanota[?], at 188 m above sea level.
As a separate part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the island has no administrative subdivisions.
The local climate is a pleasant tropical marine clime. Little seasonal temperature variation exists, which helps Aruba to be able to attract tourists all year round.
Economy Main article: Economy of Aruba
About half of the Aruban Gross National Product is earned with tourism or related activities. Most of the tourists are from the Americas, notably the United States which is the country's largest trading partner.
Aruba receives large amounts of development aid from the Dutch government each year.
The Aruban guilder has a fixed exchange rate with the United States dollar of 1.79:1.
Demographics Main article: Demographics of Aruba
A large part of the Arubans descends from the African slaves that were brought and traded here from the 17th to 19th century, although they have mixed with the native Indian population.
Although the official language is Dutch, Papiamento[?] is predominant. This creole language is formed from elements of Dutch, English, Spanish and Portuguese. Spanish and English are also spoken.
The majority of the population are followers of the Christian belief, mostly Roman Catholic.
Culture Main article: Culture of Aruba[?]
The origins of the population and location of the island give Aruba a mixed culture. Dutch influence is can still be seen, even though not much of the population is of Dutch origin. Tourism from the United States has recently also increased the importance of American culture.
The holiday of Carnival is, like in many Caribbean and Latin American countries, an important one.
- Aruba.com (http://www.aruba.com/) - Official governmental portal
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License
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