Simple directory > Regional > Aruba

Country : Aruba Official name: Aruba Head of State: Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands; Governor Fredis Refunjol (from 7 May 2004) Head of government: Prime Minister Nelson Oduber (MEP) (since 2001, re-elected Sept 2005) Ruling party: Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo (MEP) (People's Electoral Movement)(since 2001; re-elected Sept 2005) Area: 193 square km Population: 91,506 (2004) Capital: Oranjestad Official language: Dutch Currency: Aruban guilder (Af) = 100 cents Exchange rate: Af1.79 per US$ (Nov 2004) GDP per capita: US$22,000 (2003) GDP real growth: 1.40% (2003) Labour force: 41,501 (2003) Unemployment: 0.60% (2003) Inflation: 3.20% (2003) Balance of trade: -US$330.00 million (2003) Foreign debt: US$285.00 million (2003) Visitor numbers: 1.23 million (2003)

Historical profile

1499 First European sighting of the islands of the Netherlands Antilles by Spanish mariners.

1636 Dutch took over; Spanish and Portuguese Jews escaping from persecution in Europe settled in the islands.

1642–46 Peter Stuyvesant was governor (he later became governor of New Amsterdam, which became New York).

1800–02 British Protectorate.

1825 Gold discovered and mined until 1916.

1863 Slavery completely abolished.

1954 Internal autonomy for Netherlands Antilles.

1986 Aruba seceded from Netherlands Antilles; both entities remain part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba has complete autonomy over its internal affairs, while the Netherlands is constitutionally responsible for defence and external affairs.

2001 Movimiento Electoral di Pueblo (MEP) (People's Electoral Movement) won the parliamentary elections and Nelson Oduber (MEP) became prime minister.

2003 From 1 April, passengers with cash exceeding Af20,000 (US$11,173) must declare that amount at the Aruban Customs counter upon arrival. The law was introduced in order to help fight money laundering more efficiently.

2004 On 7 May, Fredis Refunjol was sworn in as governor.

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