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more about aruba
aruba |
2 definitions found From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: Aruba n : a popular island resort in the Netherlands Antilles [syn: {Aruba}] From The CIA World Factbook (1995) [world95]: Aruba (part of the Dutch realm) Aruba:Geography Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela Map references: Central America and the Caribbean Area: total area: 193 sq km land area: 193 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Washington, DC Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 68.5 km Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm International disputes: none Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation Terrain: flat with a few hills; scant vegetation Natural resources: negligible; white sandy beaches Land use: arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 100% Irrigated land: NA sq km Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt international agreements: NA Aruba:People Population: 65,974 (July 1995 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 23% (female 7,377; male 7,726) 15-64 years: 69% (female 24,269; male 21,141) 65 years and over: 8% (female 3,223; male 2,238) (July 1995 est.) Population growth rate: 0.65% (1995 est.) Birth rate: 14.6 births/1,000 population (1995 est.) Death rate: 6.17 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.) Net migration rate: -1.91 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.) Infant mortality rate: 8.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 76.56 years male: 72.89 years female: 80.42 years (1995 est.) Total fertility rate: 1.82 children born/woman (1995 est.) Nationality: noun: Aruban(s) adjective: Aruban Ethnic divisions: mixed European/Caribbean Indian 80% Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish Literacy: NA% Labor force: NA by occupation: most employment is in the tourist industry (1995) Aruba:Government Names: conventional long form: none conventional short form: Aruba Digraph: AA Type: part of the Dutch realm; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles Capital: Oranjestad Administrative divisions: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Independence: none (part of the Dutch realm; in 1990, Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996) National holiday: Flag Day 18 March Constitution: 1 January 1986 Legal system: based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard (since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN (since 1 January 1992) head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July 1994) cabinet: Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the legislature Legislative branch: unicameral Legislature (Staten): elections last held 29 July 1994 (next to be held by NA July 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA seats - (21 total) AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA 2 Judicial branch: Joint High Court of Justice Political parties and leaders: Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER Aruban People's Party (AVP), Jan (Henny) H. EMAN; National Democratic Action (ADN), Pedro Charro KELLY; New Patriotic Party (PPN), Eddy WERLEMEN Aruban Patriotic Party (PPA), Benny NISBET Aruban Democratic Party (PDA), Leo BERLINSKI Democratic Action '86 (AD '86), Arturo ODUBER Organization for Aruban Liberty (OLA), Glenbert CROES note: governing coalition includes the MEP, PPA, and ADN Member of: ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate) Diplomatic representation in US: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) US diplomatic representation: none (self-governing part of the Netherlands) Flag: 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 Economy Overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy, although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are 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. Additionally, 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 less than 1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job vacancies despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years. National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $1.1 billion (1993 est.) National product real growth rate: 5% (1993 est.) National product per capita: $17,000 (1993 est.) Inflation rate (consumer prices): 7% (1994 est.) Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1992) Budget: revenues: $145 million expenditures: $185 million, including capital expenditures of $42 million (1988) Exports: $1.3 billion (including oil re-exports) (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: mostly refined petroleum products partners: US 64%, EC Imports: $1.6 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.) commodities: food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products, crude oil for refining and re-export partners: US 8%, EC External debt: $81 million (1987) Industrial production: growth rate NA% Electricity: capacity: 90,000 kW production: 330 million kWh consumption per capita: 4,761 kWh (1993) Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining Agriculture: poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing Illicit drugs: drug money laundering center and transit point for narcotics bound for the US and Europe Economic aid: recipient: Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220 million Currency: 1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents Exchange rates: Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986) Fiscal year: calendar year Aruba:Transportation Railroads: 0 km Highways: total: NA paved: NA unpaved: NA Ports: Barcadera Oranjestad Sint Nicolaas Merchant marine: none Airports: total: 2 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1 note: government-owned airport east of Oranjestad accepts transatlantic flights Aruba:Communications Telephone system: 72,168 telephones; 1,100 telephones/1,000 persons; more than adequate local: NA intercity: extensive interisland microwave radio relay links international: 1 submarine cable to Sint Maarten Radio: broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA Television: broadcast stations: 1 televisions: NA Aruba:Defense Forces Note: defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands
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