@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 Nelson ODUBER (since 6 February 1989)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; appointed with the advice and approval of the
legislature
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Legislature (Staten):
elections last held 8 January 1993 (next to be held by NA January
1997); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (21 total) MEP
9, AVP 8, ADN 1, PPA 1, OLA 1, other 1
Judicial branch:
Joint High Court of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
Electoral Movement Party (MEP), Nelson ODUBER; Aruban People's Party
(AVP), Henny 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
@Aruba, Economy
Overview:
Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and
oil refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded
rapidly between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone.
Unemployment has steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3%
in 1991 and to less than 1% in 1992. The reopening of the local oil
refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign exchange
earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $1.2 billion (1993 est.)
National product real growth rate:
5% (1993)
National product per capita:
$17,400 (1993 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (1993)
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 petroleum products
partners:
US 64%, EC
Imports:
$1.6 billion including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1993
est.)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products
partners:
US 8%, EC
External debt:
$81 million (1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
capacity:
90,000 kW
production:
375 million kWh
consumption per capita:
6,000 kWh (1990 est.)
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