ARUBA (netherlands)

Brief overview of Aruba

This tiny island gem is nestled in the warm southern Caribbean with nearly 100 different nationalities happily living together. Aruba’s rich, multicultural past is reflected in our cuisine, architecture, artwork, traditions, and warm, friendly people. What began as a fishing outpost for Amerindians has changed hands between the Spanish and Dutch throughout the centuries and is now a diverse constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Today, Aruba is still officially a member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and has two official languages: Dutch and the native language of Papiamento. It has a greatly diversified culture, with over 90 nationalities represented in a densely populated island that is a permanent home to over 100,000 people. Some of the diversity in Aruban culture can be seen in the number of languages that the average Aruban can speak. Beyond the two official languages of Aruba, most of the islanders speak at least two other languages, including English and Spanish. The Aruban people enjoy a healthy economy. This is partly due to the tourism industry and partly to an excellent education system. Aruba has a very low unemployment rate.

Did you know?

Did you know that Aruba is the most ethnically diverse country in the world? It is the home of 90 nationalities and ethnic groups. There are over 300 prehistoric pictographs around the island and on a clear day you can see Venezuela from there. Being a desert island for 80 years Aruba has been the pioneer of purified water technology. The best female freestyle surfer is Aruban.

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CULTURE/RELIGION/TRADITIONS

Aruba's national flag

The national flag of Anguilla has a blue background and a British flag in the canton. It also features Anguilla’s coat of arms in the fly, which contains three playful orange (or golden) dolphins leaping in a circle. They represent endurance, unity, and strength. Below them, the turquoise-blue base represents the Caribbean Sea.

CULTURE

Anguilla’s original Taino population has long disappeared, but the descendants of the West African slaves and their masters from Great Britain and Ireland now live peacefully together. Today, Anguilla’s culture is a unique mix of stately British traditions and a lively Caribbean spirit. The poor soil preventing Anguilla from developing a strong plantation system during colonial times also spared Anguilla many of the racial tensions plaguing other Caribbean islands.

Aruba boasts a diverse culture. According to the Bureau Burgelijke Stand en Bevolkingsregister (BBSB, Civil Registry and Population Register), in 2005, the island was home to people from ninety-two different nationalities. Dutch influence is still evident in traditions like the celebration of Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) on December 5 and 6, as well as national holidays like April 27 when Aruba, along with the rest of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, celebrates Koningsdag (King's day) or Dia di Rey (in Papiamento) is celebrated.

On 18 March, Aruba celebrates its National Anthem and Flag Day. Christmas and New Year's Eve are celebrated with the typical music and songs of gaitas for Christmas and the dande for New Year. Traditional food and drinks like ayaca, ponche crema, ham, and more are also parts of the festive season. January 25 is dedicated to celebrating Betico Croes day, while June 24 is the day for Dia di San Juan. In addition to Christmas, religious holidays such as the Feast of the Ascension and Good Friday are also observed on the island.

Aruba's Carnaval is a significant cultural event, akin to celebrations in other Caribbean and Latin American countries. It began in the 1950's, influenced by residents from Venezuela and nearby islands (Curaçao, St. Vincent, Trinidad, Barbados, St. Maarten, and Anguilla) who worked at the oil refinery. The Carnaval Celebrations now spans from early January until the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, featuring a grand parade on the final Sunday of the festivities.

RELIGION & TRADITIONS

The United States dollar may be Anguilla’s most commonly accepted currency other than its official East Caribbean dollar, but Anguilla is otherwise dominated by British influences, from driving on the left side of the street to celebrating traditional holidays like Whit Monday. However, Anguillans are also deservedly proud of their own peaceful and unique culture, which places a strong emphasis on faith, family, and friendliness.

The more colorful side of Anguilla’s culture comes out in its 15 art galleries, its thrilling boat regattas, especially the three-day Anguilla Regatta held each May (Road Bay), and the bright jewelry, caftans, and kurtas made and sold in many boutiques. Live music and barefoot dancing are staples at most beach bars, but no celebration on the island is louder or livelier than the annual Anguilla Summer Festival.

FACTS ABOUT Aruba

Aruba at a glance

POPULATION SIZE & PEOPLE

There are about 108,066 people living in Aruba and it measures 32 kilometers (20 mi) in length from its northwestern to its southeastern end and is 10 kilometers (6 mi) across at its widest point. 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.

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. Aruba lacks administrative subdivisions but is divided into eight regions for census purposes with Oranjestad as its capital. In contrast to much of the Caribbean, which experiences humid tropical climates, Aruba has a dry climate with an arid xeric landscape. Featuring various cacti, thorny shrubs, and evergreen plants. Notably, Aloe vera is also found on the island, and its economic significance has led to its inclusion on the coat of arms of Aruba. 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.

In 1986, it became a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and acquired the formal name the Country of Aruba.

LANGUAGE

While Dutch and Papiamento are our official languages, most Arubans also speak English and Spanish. `

ECONOMY

The currency on the island is the Aruba Florin. You can exchange U.S. dollars, but it isn’t necessary. Using American money in Aruba is common and widely accepted. You may receive Aruba currency as change.

Aruba is a prosperous country. Unemployment is low (although the government has not published statistics since 2013) and per capita income is one of the highest in the Caribbean (approximately $24,087). At the end of 2018, the labor force participation rate was 56.6% for women. About 3⁄4 of the Aruban gross national product is earned through tourism and related activities. Until the mid-1980s, Aruba's main industry was oil refining. Then the refinery was shut down and the island's economy shifted towards tourism. Currently, Aruba receives about 1,235,673 (2007) guests per year, of which three-quarters are Americans. Tourism is mainly focused on the beaches and the sea. The refinery has been closed and restarted repeatedly during the last decades. In recent years a letter of intent was signed with CITGO (the US subsidiary of the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA) to explore the possibility of reopening the refinery again.

The island's economy is dominated by four main industries: tourism, aloe export, petroleum refining, and offshore banking. Aruba has one of the highest standards of living in the Caribbean region. The GDP per capita (PPP) for Aruba was estimated to be $37,500 in 2017. Its main trading partners are Colombia, the United States, Venezuela, and the Netherlands.

The agriculture and manufacturing sectors are fairly minimal. Gold mining was important in the 19th century. Aloe was introduced to Aruba in 1840 but did not become a big export until 1890. Cornelius Eman founded Aruba Aloe Balm, and over time the industry became very important to the economy. At one point, two-thirds of the island was covered in aloe vera fields, and Aruba became the largest exporter of aloe in the world. The industry continues today, though on a smaller scale.

history

Aruba throughout the history

The first known inhabitants of the island of Aruba were the Caquetio Indians of the Arawak tribe from Venezuela. During the Pre-ceramic period, 2500 BC – 1000 AD, this seminomadic tribe fished, hunted and gathered alimentation whilst being the most dependent on the sea for survival. They created tool out of roughly flaked stones and shells and were living in small family groups along the coast of villages now named Malmok and Palm Beach.

At the beginning of the Ceramic period, 1000-1515 AD, these Indians founded five large villages and started producing corn and yucca. Two of those Amerindian villages can be seen in scaled-down versions (Ayo) and an Amerindian dwelling (Tanki Flip) at the Archeological Museum of Aruba. The Caiquetios buried their dead ceremoniously in ceramic urns, which remains can still be seen at the museum as well along with coarse pottery, jewelry, as well as finer well-crafted pieces they made. Some of the artifacts fragments date back to 1000 A.D

In the Fontein cave situated in the Arikok National Park and at the Ayo Rock Formation you can also see their Arawak drawings and carvings. These paintings suggest that the Caquetios Indians may have come to the island after fleeing attacks from the Caribs, also known as the Kalian people, who are indigenous to the northern part of South America. The Caquetios Indians were still on the island when it was discovered by Spanish explorers.

The Spanish

In 1499 Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda discovered Aruba upon which following Aruba was colonized by the Spanish. Due to the relatively low rainfall on the island, the colonizers did not believe that Aruba was a good place for plantations or crop growing. In 1513, many of the Caquetio Indians were enslaved and sent to Hispaniola to work on plantations and in the mines. Some Indians returned in 1515 and were recruited as laborers for cattle and horse breeding. Approximately nine years after Alonso de Ojeda landed on Aruba, the Spanish crown appointed him as the first governor of the island. Aruba stayed under Spanish control for 137 years.

The Dutch

Because of Aruba’s strategic location, the Dutch occupied Aruba in 1636 in order to protect their salt supply from the mainland whilst also ensuring a naval base in the Caribbean during their 80-year war with Spain. The Dutch used the Caquetio people to build farms and raise cattle for meat that would be sold and shipped to the other islands. During the Napoleonic wars, Aruba was invaded and put in control of the British but was given back to the Netherlands in 1816. Aruba officially became part of the Netherlands Antilles in 1845 and is still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands today.

Independence

Aruba seceded from the federation of the Antilles in 1986, a victory much fought for by political activist and local hero Betico Croes. Initially, the plan for Aruba was to become its own independent member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. However, in 1990 Aruba decided to postpone indefinitely becoming a fully independent state. Then, in 1995 the petition for independence was completely repealed. Foreign affairs, as well as national defense, for Aruba, are still controlled by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, but all internal affairs – including laws, policies, and currency – are controlled by the Aruban government.