ARUBA |
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Aruba is an island in the Caribbean Sea, just a
short distance north of the Venezuelan Paraguaná Peninsula, and it forms a
part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It is very dry, with little of the
tropical vegetation that many expect in the Caribbean.
Politics
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.
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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.
Demographics
A large percentage of Arubans are descendants of the African slaves that
were brought and traded here from the 17th to the 19th century, although
this group often 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 Christianity, and are mostly
Roman Catholic.
Population: 103,000(April 2004 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121)
15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955)
65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.)
Median age:
total: 37.1 years
male: 35.3 years
female: 38.5 years (2002)
Population growth rate: 0.55% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: 11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.83 years
male: 75.48 years
female: 82.34 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian,
Jewish
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch,
English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Culture
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 visibility of American culture on the island. Queen
Beatrix International Airport, located near Oranjestad, Aruba, currently
serves the whole island of Aruba. This airport has access to various cities
across the eastern U.S., from Miami, Orlando, Houston, Atlanta to New York.
It also connects Aruba with Europe through the Schiphol Airport in the
Netherlands.
The holiday of Carnival is an important one in Aruba, as it is in many
Caribbean and Latin American countries. Carnival is usually held from the
beginning of January until the end of February, with a large parade on the
final Sunday of the festivities. |
