'Aruba' is a 32 kilometre-long island of the
Lesser Antilles in the
Caribbean Sea, 27 km north of the
Paraguaná Peninsula,
Falcón State,
Venezuela. It is in the Realm of
Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of a European part (The Netherlands) and a Caribbean-American part (Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles). Unlike much of the Caribbean-American region, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid, cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm sunny weather. It has a land area of
193 km² and lies outside of the
hurricane belt.
History
Main articles: History of Aruba
Aruba's first inhabitants were the
Caquetios Indians from the
Arawak tribe, who migrated there from
Venezuela to escape attacks by the
Caribs. Fragments of the earliest known Indian settlements date back to about 1,000 A.D. Due to Aruba's mostly distant location from other
Caribbean islands and strong currents in the sea which made canoe travel to the other islands difficult, the
Caquetios remained more tied to
South America than the Caribbean.
Europeans first learned of Aruba when
Amerigo Vespucci and
Alonso de Ojeda came across it in August 1499.
Vespucci in one of his four letters to Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de' Medici describes his voyage to the islands along the coast of Venezuela and describes an island where most trees are of brazilwood, and that from this island he went to one ten leagues of where they had houses built as in Venice. In another letter he describes an island inhabited by very large people, that as small as it was, first they thought was not inhabited.
In 1508 Alonso de Ojeda was appointed as Spain's first Governor of Aruba, as part of "Nueva Andalucia".
It remained a
Spanish colony for over a century.
The Cacique or Indian Chief in Aruba Simas welcomed the first priests in Aruba and received from them a wooden Cross as a gift .
Another governor appointed by Spain was Juan Martinez de Ampues.
A "cédula real" decreed in November 1525, gave Juan Martinez de Ampués, factor of Española, the right to repopulate the depopulated islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The natives under Spanish rule enjoyed a certain measure of liberty, with their liberties being actually greater than that of the average northern European farmer of the period.
Ampues was later replaced in 1528 by a representative of the "House of Welser"
Aruba has been under Dutch administration since 1647, initially under
Peter Stuyvesant. Under the Dutch W.I.C. administration, as "New Netherlands and Curacao" from 1648-1664 and the Dutch government regulations of 1629, also applied in Aruba. The Dutch administration appointed an Irishman as "Commandeur" in Aruba in 1667.
Aruba was under British occupation from 1799-1802, and again from 1805-1816.
General
Francisco de Miranda and a group of 200 freedom fighters on their voyage to liberate Venezuela from Spain stayed for several weeks in Aruba in August 1806.
The island's economy has been dominated by four main industries:
gold mining,
aloe export,
petroleum, and
tourism.
During World War II Aruba became a British protectorate from 1940-1942 and a U.S. protectorate from 1942-1945.
On
February 16,
1942, its oil processing refinery, which was at the time one of the largest in the region, was attacked by a German submarine (
U-156) under the command of
Werner Hartenstein. Miraculously, the mission failed. Aruba's Refinery was the main supplier of oil to the Allies at the time. The U-156 was later destroyed by a US plane as the crew was sunbathing, only one survived.
In March 1944:
Eleanor Roosevelt paid a brief visit to the American troops stationed in Aruba during
World War II. In attendance during Mrs. Roosevelt's visit were: His Excellency, Dr. P. Kasteel, the Governor of Curaçao, and his aide, Lieutenant Ivan Lansberg; Rear Admiral T. E. Chandler and his Aide, Lieutenant W. L. Edgington; Captain Jhr. W. Boreel and his Aide, Lieutenant E. O. Holmberg; and the Netherlands Aide to Mrs. Roosevelt, Lieutenant Commander v.d. Schatte Olivier.
In August 1947, Aruba presented its first "Staatsreglement", for the status of a completely autonomous State within the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, under the authority of the crown, which is defined the same as in Britain's Statute of Westminster, an equal status of the Dominion Parliaments with the British Parliament, establishing that the Dominions were under the authority of the Crown, and not the government of Britain.
In 1972, at a conference in Surinam,
Betico Croes (MEP) proposed a "sui-generis" Dutch Commonwealth of four states: Aruba, the Netherlands, Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles. Mr. C. Yarzagaray, a parliamentary member representing the AVP political party proposed a referendum to be held in Aruba for the people of Aruba to determine Aruba's separate status or "Status Aparte" as a completely autonomous state under the authority of the crown.
In 1976, preparing the people of Aruba to exercise Aruba's self-determination Right and Independence, the National Flag and National Anthem were introduced by a special committee appointed by Betico Croes. The National Flag symbolized Aruba's "Status Aparte", obtaining hereby for Aruba the status of an autonomous state, with special ties with a Commonwealth of Nations.
In 1977, the first Referendum for Self Determination was held with the support of the
United Nations.
In 1983, Aruba reached a final official agreement with the State of the Netherlands, the State of the Netherlands Antilles and the Island Governments, to become a Member State within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, with its own Constitution/Grondwet. Aruba's constitution and autonomy were unanimously approved and proclaimed in August 1985, and an election was held for the people to elect the State of Aruba's first national parliament and institute its first national government.
Aruba's gained independence from the
Netherlands Antilles on
January 1,
1986, as an autonomous, self-governing member state of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in preparation for its full independence in 1996. This last achievement is largely due to the diplomatic prowess of the late
Betico Croes and his political support of other nations like the USA, Panama, Venezuela and various European Countries. Movement toward full independence by 1996 was postponed upon the request of Aruba's prime minister,
Nelson O. Oduber, in 1990. It was decided to postpone Aruba's independence date until the people decide otherwise through a referendum.
Betico Croes, after his death in 1986, was proclaimed as the Libertador di Aruba.
Politics
Main articles: Politics of Aruba
As a
Constituent Country of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba's politics take place within a framework of a 21-member
Parliament and an eight-member Cabinet. The
governor of Aruba is appointed for a six-year term by the monarch, and the prime minister and deputy prime minister are elected by the Staten (or "Parlamento") for four-year terms. The Staten is made up of 21 members elected by direct, popular vote to serve a four-year term.
Together, the State of the
Netherlands, the State of the
Netherlands Antilles, and the State of Aruba form a
Commonwealth.
As they share the same Dutch citizenship, these three countries still also share the Dutch passport as the Kingdom of the Netherlands passport. Aruba does still recognize a local citizenship for Aruba, and does reserve some privileges and rights for Arubans.
Law
Legal jurisdiction lies with a ''Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg'' (
Court of First Instance) on Aruba, a ''Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie voor de Nederlandse Antillen en Aruba'' (
Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba) and the ''
Hoge Raad der Nederlanden'' (Supreme Court of Justice of the Netherlands).
Education
Aruba’s educational system, patterned after the
Dutch system, provides for education at all levels. The Government finances the national education system, except for private schools, such as the International School of Aruba (ISA), which finance their own activities. The percentage of money earmarked for education is higher than the average for the Caribbean/Latin American region.
Arubans benefit from a strong primary school education. A segmented secondary school program includes vocational training (VMBO), basic education (MAVO), college prep (HAVO) and advanced placement (VWO).
Higher education goals can be pursued through the Professional Education program (EPI), the teachers college (IPA) as well as through the University of Aruba (UA) which offers bachelors and masters programs in law, finance and economics and hospitality and tourism management. Since the choice for higher education on the island itself is limited, many students choose to study abroad in countries in North America, South America as well as Europe.
Geography
Map of Aruba
One of the
Lesser Antilles, specifically in the
Leeward Antilles island arc, Aruba is a generally flat, riverless island renowned for its white, sandy beaches. Most of these are located on the western and southern coasts of the island, which are relatively sheltered from fierce ocean currents. The northern and eastern coasts, lacking this protection, are considerably more battered by the sea and have been left largely untouched by humans. The interior of the island features some rolling hills, the better two of which are called
Hooiberg at 165
metres (541
ft) and
Mount Jamanota, which is the highest on the island, at 188 metres (617 ft) above
sea level. Oranjestad, the capital, is located at .
As a separate member state of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, the island has no administrative subdivisions. To the east are
Curaçao and
Bonaire, two island territories which form the southwest part of the
Netherlands Antilles; Aruba and these two Netherlands Antilles islands are also known as the
ABC islands.
The local
climate is a pleasant tropical marine climate. Little seasonal temperature variation exists, which helps Aruba to attract tourists all year round. Temperatures are almost constant at about 28
°C (82
°F), moderated by constant
trade winds from the
Atlantic Ocean. Yearly precipitation barely reaches 500
mm (20
in), most of it falling in late autumn.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Aruba
Aruba enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean region and the lowest crime rate; low poverty and unemployment rates are also positives for Aruba. About half of the Aruban
gross national product is earned through
tourism or related activities. Most of the tourists are from Venezuela, the
European Union (Holland, Spain, England) and the
United States ( East/ south), which is Aruba's largest trading partner. Before the Status Aparte (secession from the Netherlands Antilles), oil processing was the dominant industry in Aruba despite expansion of the tourism sector. Today, the influence of the oil processing business is minimal. The size of the agriculture and manufacturing sectors also remains minimal.
The G.D.P. per capita for Aruba is calculated to be around $23,600, one of the highest in the Americas.
Deficit spending has been a staple in Aruba's history, and modestly high inflation has been present as well. Recent efforts at tightening monetary policy may correct this. Aruba receives some
development aid from the Dutch government each year, which will cease in 2009 as part of a deal in which the Netherlands will lower its financial help to the island each successive year. The Aruban florin is pegged to the
United States dollar, with a fixed exchange rate where 1.79 florin equals 1 U.S. dollar.
In
2006 the Aruban government has also changed several tax laws in order to further reduce the deficit.
Direct taxes have been converted to indirect taxes as proposed by the IMF. The inflation for 2006 has been calculated at 2.5%.
Aruba has possibly the second largest seawater
desalinization plant in the world (
Saudi Arabia has the largest.)
Demographics
Population of Aruba according to the
FAO in 2005; number of inhabitants given in thousands.
Aruba is situated in the deep southern part of the Caribbean.
Because of almost no rainfall, Aruba was saved from plantation and the economics of the
slave trade.
Aruba's population is estimated to be about 80 %
Arawak Amerindian and 20% white and other. The Dutch, who took control almost two centuries later, left the
Arawaks, who spoke the "broken Spanish" their ancestors had learned in Hispaniola, to farm and graze livestock, using the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands. No full-blooded
Aboriginals remain, but the features of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic
Arawak heritage . The majority of the population is descended mostly from Arawak. And to a lesser extent Spanish, Italian and Dutch and a few French, British and African ancestors.
Recently there has been another substantial immigration to the island from neighboring American and Caribbean nations, attracted by the lure of well-paying jobs.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba
On March 18 Aruba celebrates its National Day. In 1976, Aruba presented its National Anthem (Aruba Dushi Tera) and Flag.
The origins of the population and location of the island give Aruba a mixed culture. Dutch influence can still be seen, as in the celebration of the "
Sinterklaas" Day on December 5 and 6 and other national Holidays like April 30, when in Aruba and the Dutch Kingdom celebrates the Queen's birthday or "Dia di Reina" (
Koninginnedag).
Christmas and New Year are celebrated with the typical music and songs of gaitas for Christmas and the dande for New Year, and the "ayaca", the "ponchi crema" and "ham", and other typical foods and drinks. Millions of dollars worth of fireworks are burnt at midnight on New Year's.
In June there is the celebration of the "Dia di San Juan", with the song of "Dera Gay".
Tourism from the United States has recently also increased the visibility of American culture on the island, with such celebrations as Halloween and Thanksgiving Day in November.
The holiday of
Carnival is also an important one in Aruba, as it is in many Caribbean and Latin American countries, and is related to
Mardi Gras, celebrated in New Orleans. Its celebration in Aruba started during World War II, around the 1940s, either influenced by the American Troops from New Orleans stationed in Aruba, or/and the Refinery workers brought to Aruba from Trinidad. Over the years the Carnival Celebration has changed and now starts from the beginning of January till the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday with a large parade on the last Sunday of the festivities (Sunday before Ash Wednesday).
According to the ''Bureau Burgelijke Stand en Bevolkingsregister'' (BBSB), as of 2005 there are ninety-two different nationalities living on the island.
Aruba's
Queen Beatrix International Airport is located near Oranjestad. This airport has daily flights to various cities across the United States, to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Miami, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Houston, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina; New York, and Boston, Massachusetts. It also connects Aruba with Canada and South America, with daily flights to the international airports of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Spain, England and most of Europe through the
Schiphol Airport in the
Netherlands.
According to the Aruba Airport Authority, in 2005 almost 1.7 millions travelers used the airport, of which 61% were Americans.
Language
Main articles: Language in Aruba
Language can be seen as an important part of island culture in Aruba. The cultural mixture has given rise to a linguistic mixture known as
Papiamento, the predominant language on Aruba. The two official languages are the
Dutch language and Papiamento. Papiamento is a language that has been evolving through the centuries and absorbed many words from other languages like Spanish, Dutch, English, African dialects, and Portuguese. However, like many islands in the region, Spanish is also often spoken. English has historical connections (with the
British Empire) and is known by many, English usage has also grown due to tourism. Other common languages spoken based on the size of their community are Portuguese, Chinese, German and French. The latter is offered in high school and college, since a high percentage of Aruban students continue their studies in Europe.
In recent years, the government of Aruba has shown an increased interest in acknowledging the cultural and historical importance of its native language. Although spoken Papiamento is fairly similar among the several Papiamento-speaking islands, there is a big difference in written Papiamento. The orthography differs per island and even per group of people. Some are more oriented towards the Portuguese roots and use the equivalent spelling (e.g. "y" instead of "j"), where others are more oriented towards the Dutch roots.
In a book ''The Buccaneers of America'' first published in 1678, is stated by eyewitness account that the Indians on Aruba spoke "Spanish". The oldest government official statement written in Papiamento dates from 1803.
Aruba has four newspapers published in Papiamento: ''Diario'', ''Bon Dia'', ''Solo di Pueblo'' and ''Awe Mainta'' and two in English : ''Aruba Today'' and ''The News''.
Aruba also has 18 Radio Stations (2 AM and 16 FM) and three TV stations.
Places of interest
★ Collapsed September 2, 2005 [1]
See also
★
Communications in Aruba
★
Divi-divi
★
Foreign relations of Aruba
★
Military of Aruba
★
Scouting Aruba
★
Transportation in Aruba
References
1. Coral bridge, natural Aruba tourist spot, collapses
External links
★
Central Bank of Aruba
★
Aruba Ports Authority
★
Aruba Airport Authority
★
Aruba Health Insurance (AZV)
★
Aruba.com - Governmental Tourism Portal
★
University of Aruba
★
★
Aruba Paper Money
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