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Home ----
Caribbean
( A
) ----
Aruba (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands) |
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National Map
Of |
Aruba |
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National Flag
Of |
Aruba |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
Of |
Aruba |
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National Anthem
Of |
Aruba |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Aruba |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of
Venezuela |
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Geographic coordinates:
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12 30 N,
69 58 W |
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Map references:
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Central
America and the Caribbean |
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Area:
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total:
193 sq km
land: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
larger than Washington, DC |
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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68.5 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm |
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Climate:
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tropical
marine; little seasonal temperature variation |
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Terrain:
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flat with
a few hills; scant vegetation |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
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Natural resources:
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NEGL;
white sandy beaches |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 10.53% (including aloe 0.01%)
permanent crops: 0%
other: 89.47% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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0.01 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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lies
outside the Caribbean hurricane belt |
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Environment - current issues:
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NA |
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Geography - note:
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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) |
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Population:
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71,566
(July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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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.) |
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Median age:
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total:
38 years
male: 36.07 years
female: 39.7 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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0.47%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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11.26
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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6.57
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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0
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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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.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 79.14 years
male: 75.8 years
female: 82.65 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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1.79
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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NA |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
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Ethnic groups:
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mixed
white/Caribbean Amerindian 80% |
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Religions:
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Roman
Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
Jewish |
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Languages:
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Dutch
(official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish |
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Literacy:
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definition:
total population: 97%
male: NA%
female: NA% |
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Country name:
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
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Dependency status:
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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 |
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Government type:
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parliamentary democracy |
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Capital:
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Oranjestad |
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Administrative divisions:
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none
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
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Independence:
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none
(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) |
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National holiday:
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Flag Day,
18 March |
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Constitution:
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1 January
1986 |
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Legal system:
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based on
Dutch civil law system, with some English common law
influence |
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Suffrage:
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18 years
of age; universal |
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Executive branch:
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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 |
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Legislative branch:
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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 |
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Judicial branch:
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Common
Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the
monarch) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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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] |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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ILO, IMF,
Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO, WToO
(associate) |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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the US
does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to
Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba |
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Flag description:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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 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. |
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$1.94 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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NA |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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-1.5% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA% |
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Labor force:
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41,500 (1997 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and
repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining
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Unemployment rate:
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0.6% (2003 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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3.2% (2002 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $135.8 million
expenditures: $147 million, including capital
expenditures of NA (2000) |
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Agriculture - products:
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aloes; livestock; fish |
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Industries:
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tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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NA% |
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Electricity - production:
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770 million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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716.1 million kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2003) |
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Oil - production:
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2,363 bbl/day (2003) |
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Oil - consumption:
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6,500 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Exports:
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$80 million f.o.b. (including oil reexports) (2004 est.)
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Exports - partners:
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Netherlands 28.5%, Panama 17.4%, Venezuela 14.7%,
Netherlands Antilles 11.2%, Colombia 10.7%, US 10.4%
(2004) |
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Imports:
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$875 million f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - partners:
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US 55.5%, Netherlands 14.1%, Venezuela 3.3% (2004) |
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Debt - external:
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$285 million (1996) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$26 million (1995); note - the Netherlands provided a
$127 million aid package to Aruba and Suriname in 1996
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Currency (code):
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Aruban guilder/florin (AWG) |
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Exchange rates:
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Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2005), 1.79
(2004), 1.79 (2003), 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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37,100
(2002) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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53,000
(2001) |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 2, FM
16, shortwave 0 (2004) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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1 (1997)
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Internet country code:
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.aw |
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Internet hosts:
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923
(2001) |
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Internet users:
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24,000
(2002) |
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Airports:
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1 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total:
1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2005 est.) |
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Ports and terminals:
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Barcadera,
Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas |
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Military branches:
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no
regular indigenous military forces; Royal Dutch Navy and
Marines, Coast Guard |
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Military - note:
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defense
is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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Disputes - international:
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none |
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Illicit drugs:
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transit
point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some
accompanying money-laundering activity |
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