CapitalOranjestad
Population125,063
Area180 km²
GDP per capita$40,500
LanguagesPapiamento, Spanish, English, Dutch, Chinese, other, unspecified
CurrencyAruban guilders/florins
Life Expectancy78.5 yr
Governmentthe government operates as a parliamentary democracy; Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Introduction
Background
Aruba was discovered and claimed for Spain in the year 1499, and was subsequently taken over by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has since been primarily driven by three key sectors: gold mining, oil refining, and tourism. Following a gold rush in the 19th century, the establishment of an oil refinery in 1924 brought about significant economic growth. The latter part of the 20th century experienced a surge in the tourism sector. In 1986, Aruba separated from the Netherlands Antilles, becoming a distinct, semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The pursuit of full independence was paused at Aruba's request in 1990.
Geography
Area
land
180 sq km
water
0 sq km
total
180 sq km
Climate
tropical marine climate with minimal seasonal temperature fluctuations
Terrain
predominantly flat terrain with a few elevated areas; limited vegetation
Land use
other
86.2% (2023 est.)
forest
2.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Location
Caribbean region, located in the Caribbean Sea, to the north of Venezuela
Coastline
68.5 km
Elevation
lowest point
Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point
Ceru Jamanota 188 m
Irrigated land
NA
Map references
Central America and the Caribbean
Land boundaries
total
0 km
Maritime claims
territorial sea
12 nm
exclusive economic zone
200 nm
Natural hazards
experiences hurricanes; situated outside the typical Caribbean hurricane zone, thus infrequently endangered
Geography - note
a predominantly flat island without rivers, celebrated for its pristine white sandy beaches; its tropical climate benefits from steady trade winds originating from the Atlantic Ocean, maintaining a nearly consistent temperature of approximately 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
Natural resources
NEGL; white sandy beaches promote tourism
Area - comparative
marginally larger than Washington, D.C.
Geographic coordinates
12 30 N, 69 58 W
Population distribution
the majority of the population resides in or near Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most communities are primarily found on the less hilly western portion of the island
People & Society
Languages
Papiamento (official) (a creole language that mixes Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, French, African languages, and Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (comprising Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, and other Protestant groups 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 estimate)
Sex ratio
at birth
1.02 male(s)/female
0-14 years
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years
0.93 male(s)/female
total population
0.9 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
65 years and over
0.68 male(s)/female
Birth rate
11.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
8.85 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median age
male
39.3 years
total
41.2 years (2025 est.)
female
42.4 years
Population
male
59,101
total
125,063 (2024 est.)
female
65,962
Nationality
noun
Aruban(s)
adjective
Aruban; Dutch
Urbanization
urban population
44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
17.2% (male 10,815/female 10,747)
15-64 years
65.7% (male 39,621/female 42,487)
65 years and over
17.1% (2024 est.) (male 8,665/female 12,728)
Ethnic groups
Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 estimate)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio
52.3 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio
26.3 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio
3.8 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio
26.1 (2024 est.)
Net migration rate
7.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Total fertility rate
1.82 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% GDP)
3.6% of GDP (2021 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget)
11% national budget (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male
15.6 deaths/1,000 live births
total
11.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
female
7.3 deaths/1,000 live births
Population growth rate
1.05% (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
Population distribution
the majority of inhabitants reside in or near Oranjestad and San Nicolaas; most communities are generally situated on the less hilly western portion of the island
Life expectancy at birth
male
75.4 years
female
81.6 years
total population
78.5 years (2024 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total
total: 98.8% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total
total: 1.2% of population (2022 est.)
Major urban areas - population
30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
46.8% (2020 est.)
Environment
Climate
tropical marine environment; minimal seasonal temperature fluctuations
Land use
other
86.2% (2023 est.)
forest
2.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 11.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 0% (2022 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
0.77% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
88,100 tons (2024 est.)
Environmental issues
challenges in effectively managing waste generated by tourists; air contamination due to waste incineration; water contamination from plastic debris
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
1.163 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Government
Flag
description: the flag is blue, featuring two slender horizontal yellow stripes at the bottom and a red four-pointed star outlined in white positioned in the upper-left corner
meaning: the star symbolizes Aruba's red soil and white beaches, with its four points representing the principal languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the cardinal directions, signifying the diverse origins of its residents; blue represents the waters and skies of the Caribbean; the stripes denote the island's primary industries, which are tourism and mining.
Capital
name
Oranjestad
etymology
translates to "orange city" in Dutch; the city was named in 1824 in honor of the royal family of the Netherlands, the House of Orange-Nassau.
time difference
UTC-4 (one hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
12 31 N, 70 02 W
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
see the Netherlands
Constitution
history
previously drafted in 1947 and 1955; the most recent version was drafted and approved in August 1985, taking effect on 1 January 1986 (this document governs Aruba's administration but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands); in 1986, Aruba attained semi-autonomous status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Country name
etymology
the etymology of the island's name is uncertain; tradition suggests it derives from the Spanish expression oro hubo ("there was gold"), despite no gold being found on the island; other potential origins include the local term oruba ("well-situated") or a combination of two Carib Indian words, ora and oubao ("shell" and "island," respectively).
local long form
Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento)
local short form
Aruba
conventional long form
Country of Aruba
conventional short form
Aruba
Independence
none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Legal system
the legal system is based on civil law originating from the Dutch civil code.
Government type
the government operates as a parliamentary democracy; Aruba is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
the Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curacao, Sint Maarten, and Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, commonly referred to as the "Joint Court of Justice," operates with a panel of three judges; final appeals are addressed by the Supreme Court located in The Hague, Netherlands.
subordinate courts
Court in First Instance
judge selection and term of office
Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch
Executive branch
cabinet
Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten)
chief of state
King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands has been in reign since 30 April 2013; he is represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT, who has held the position since 1 January 2017.
election results
Mike EMAN (AVP) was elected as prime minister; the percentage of the Staten vote is not applicable.
head of government
Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025)
most recent election date
6 December 2024
election/appointment process
the monarchy follows a hereditary system; the governor general is appointed by the monarch for a term of six years, while the prime minister and deputy prime minister are indirectly elected by the Staten for a four-year term.
expected date of next election
by December 2028
National holiday
National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
Dependency status
Aruba is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; it gained full autonomy in internal matters in 1986 after separating from the Netherlands Antilles, although the Dutch government remains responsible for defense and foreign relations.
National color(s)
blue, yellow, red, white
Political parties
Accion21
Aruban People's Party or AVP
Democratic Network or RED
FUTURO
Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS
Partido Patriotico di Aruba (Aruban Patriotic Party) or APP
People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP
Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR
RAIZ (ROOTS)
Legislative branch
term in office
4 years
number of seats
21
electoral system
proportional representation
legislature name
Legislature (Staten)
scope of elections
full renewal
legislative structure
unicameral
most recent election date
6 December 2024
expected date of next election
by December 2028
percentage of women in chamber
38.1%
parties elected and seats per party
AVP (9); MEP (8); FUTURO (3); PPA (1)
National anthem(s)
title
“Het Wilhelmus”
history
the national anthem is official and is recognized as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
lyrics/music
Philips VAN MARNIX van Sint Aldegonde (presumed)/unknown
National symbol(s)
Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill
Diplomatic representation in the US
none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
Diplomatic representation from the US
embassy
the United States does not maintain an embassy in Aruba; instead, the Consul General in Curacao is assigned to represent Aruba.
International organization participation
ACS (associate), Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU
Economy
Budget
revenues
$793 million (2019 est.)
expenditures
$782 million (2019 est.)
Exports
Exports 2021
$2.201 billion (2021 est.)
Exports 2022
$2.853 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2023
$3.153 billion (2023 est.)
Imports
Imports 2021
$1.947 billion (2021 est.)
Imports 2022
$2.429 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2023
$2.565 billion (2023 est.)
Industries
tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
Public debt
Public debt 2016
84.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2021
1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Remittances 2022
1.2% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2023
1.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2020
1.79 (2020 est.)
Exchange rates 2021
1.79 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2022
1.79 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2023
1.79 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2024
1.79 (2024 est.)
Economic overview
small, tourism-reliant, territorial-island economy; extremely high public debt; economic activities severely hindered by COVID-19; a partial recovery is occurring through tourism, aided by a significant number of timeshare residences; contemplating the reopening of an oil refinery
Exports - partners
Jordan 34%, Colombia 31%, USA 7%, Guyana 5%, Slovakia 5% (2023)
Imports - partners
USA 53%, Netherlands 15%, China 6%, Colombia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2021
$35,700 (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022
$38,900 (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023
$40,500 (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2021
24.1% (2021 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022
8.5% (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023
4.3% (2023 est.)
Agricultural products
aloes; livestock; fish
Exports - commodities
tobacco, gas turbines, refined petroleum, steam turbines, heating machinery (2023)
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, tobacco, cars, garments, jewelry (2023)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2021
$79.257 million (2021 est.)
Current account balance 2022
$230.556 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2023
$194.498 million (2023 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$3.649 billion (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
52.1% (2023 est.)
government consumption
19.6% (2023 est.)
investment in inventories
0% (2023 est.)
investment in fixed capital
21.5% (2023 est.)
exports of goods and services
88.3% (2023 est.)
imports of goods and services
-81.5% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
-1% (2017 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
3.6% (2018 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
4.3% (2019 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021
$3.844 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
$4.172 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
$4.35 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
$1.513 billion (2021 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
$1.544 billion (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
$1.468 billion (2023 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry
11.4% (2019 est.)
services
78.3% (2019 est.)
agriculture
0% (2019 est.)
Energy
Coal
imports
1 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption
8,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
consumption
824.036 million kWh (2023 est.)
installed generating capacity
305,000 kW (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses
166.766 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity access
electrification - rural areas
100%
electrification - urban areas
100%
electrification - total population
99.9% (2022 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Total energy consumption per capita 2023
153.952 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
wind
13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar
2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
fossil fuels
83.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet users
percent of population
97% (2017 est.)
Broadcast media
The press enjoys freedom, as protected by Dutch legislation; publications are primarily in the Papiamento language; there are 2 commercial television channels, alongside a cable television subscription service that offers foreign channel access; a diverse selection of commercial radio stations is available (2023)
Internet country code
.aw
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions
35,000 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
32 (2022 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions
140,815 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
131 (2022 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total
19,000 (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
17 (2022 est.)
Transportation
Ports
large
0
small
1
medium
0
key ports
Paardenbaai (Oranjestad), Sint Nicolaas Baai
very small
1
total ports
2 (2024)
ports with oil terminals
1
Airports
1 (2025)
Merchant marine
total
1 (2023)
by type
other 1
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
P4
Military & Security
Military - note
The defense responsibilities lie with the Kingdom of the Netherlands; security services in Aruba concentrate on combating organized crime and terrorism; the foreign and defense policy is under the control of the Dutch Government; maritime security is provided by the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG); the presence of the Dutch military is maintained on Aruba, which includes a marine company and a naval base (2024)
Military and security forces
There are no permanent military forces; the Aruban Militia (ARUMIL) is present; local law enforcement is carried out by the Police Department, with support from the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2025)
