Aruba
Aruba (/əˈruːbə/ ə-ROO-bə, Dutch: [aːˈrubaː] or [aːˈrybaː] ⓘ, Papiamento: [aˈruba]), officially the Country of Aruba (Dutch: Land Aruba; Papiamento: Pais Aruba), is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, situated in the south of the Caribbean Sea. Aruba is located approximately 29 kilometres (18 mi) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná and 80 kilometres (50 mi) northwest of Curaçao.[7]
This article is about the island country. For other uses, see Aruba (disambiguation).
Aruba
1 January 1986
- note: population by nationality
- Dutch 78.7%
- Colombian 6.6%
- Venezuelan 5.5%
- Dominican 2.8%
- Haitian 1.3%
- other 5.1%[2]
Devolved parliamentary representative democracy within a constitutional monarchy
negligible
188 m (617 ft)
108,166[5]
560.4/km2 (1,451.4/sq mi)
2023 estimate
$5.502 billion[6]
$51,352[6]
2023 estimate
$3.827 billion[6]
$35,717[6]
Aruban florin (ƒ) (AWG)
127 V/60 Hz
right
overheid
Aruba measures 32 kilometres (20 mi) in length from its northwestern to its southeastern end and is 10 kilometres (6 mi) across at its widest point.[7] Alongside Bonaire and Curaçao, Aruba forms a group referred to as the ABC islands. The Dutch Caribbean encompasses the ABC islands, along with the other three Dutch substantial islands in the Caribbean, the SSS islands. Aruba contributes to about one-third of the population of the Dutch Caribbean.
In 1986, it became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and acquired the formal name the Country of Aruba.
As one of the four countries in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, alongside the Netherlands, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten, Aruba shares Dutch nationality with its citizens.[8] Aruba lacks administrative subdivisions but is divided into eight regions for census purposes with Oranjestad as its capital.[8][7]
In contrast to much of the Caribbean, which experiences humid tropical climates, Aruba has a dry climate with an arid xeric landscape.[7][8] The relatively warm and sunny weather persists throughout the year. Aruba has an area of 179 km2 (69.1 sq mi) and a dense population of 108,166 as per the 2020 census.[9]
History[edit]
Pre-ceramic age[edit]
In Aruba's prehistoric era, there were distinct periods: the Archaic or Pre-Ceramic and the Neo-Indian or Ceramic (Dabajuroïd) period.[14] The Archaic occupation of Aruba continued well into the first millennium AD, which is relatively late in compared to other parts of the insular Caribbean. The archaic lifestyle revolved around a food economy based on fishing, hunting, and gathering, with a strong emphasis on marine resources. Ceramics were absent, as was horticulture and agriculture.[15] These people not only chipped stones but also polished and sharpened them.[16] Weapons and tools were predominantly crafted from stone. Sharp-edged ax blades, chisels, and knives were commonly used, with the knives distinguishable by their elongated shape and flat blades.[17] One notable site, Sero Muskita, yielded a tool that is older than other archaic age sites on the island. The finishing techniques and shape of this tool resembles one found at Arikok, suggesting a date before approximately 2000 BC. The presence of these tools on the island may be due to occasional visits from the mainland. In total, 33 archaic age sites have been identified on Aruba.[16]