Aruba is located in the Westernmost Dutch Overseas Territory of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea. It covers an area of ​​193 square kilometers. The official language is Dutch, Papimandu is commonly used, and Spanish and English are also spoken. The capital is Ora Nestad. It is 25 kilometers south of the Venezuelan coast. It is collectively called the ABC Islands with Bonaire and Curaçao to the east. The island is low and flat, without rivers, and has a tropical climate with small temperature differences. Most of the island needs drinking water Provided by desalination. The two pillars of Aruba's economy are oil smelting and tourism.

Overview

Aruba is a Dutch overseas territory located at the westernmost tip of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea. The area is 193 square kilometers. It is 25 kilometers from the coast of Venezuela to the south, and Bonaire and Curaçao to the east are collectively called the ABC Islands. The island is 31.5 kilometers long and 9.6 kilometers wide. The terrain is low and flat, only the Heiberg Mountain is 165 meters above sea level. No rivers. It has a tropical climate with small temperature differences. The average temperature is 28.8℃ in the hottest month (August to September) and 26.1℃ in the coolest month (January to February). The climate is extremely dry and precipitation is scarce. Generally, the annual precipitation does not exceed 508 mm.

The earliest inhabitants of the island were the Arawak Indians. After the Spanish occupied the island in 1499, it became a center of maritime looting and smuggling. Legend has it that the Spaniards panned for gold here, and the word "Aruba" was transformed from the Spanish "gold" (also said to mean "shell" in the Indian Caribbean dialect). The Dutch captured the island in 1643. It was looted by the British in 1807. In 1814 it returned to Dutch jurisdiction and became part of the Netherlands Antilles. At the end of 1954, the Netherlands legally recognized that the Netherlands Antilles enjoyed "autonomy" in internal affairs. In a referendum held in 1977, an overwhelming majority voted for Aruba’s independence. On January 1, 1986, Aruba officially announced its separation from the Netherlands Antilles as a separate political entity, and plans to achieve complete independence in 1996. After the 1989 general election, the Aruba People’s Election Movement formed a coalition government with the Aruba Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Movement. In June 1990, Aruba renegotiated with the Dutch government and reached a new agreement that cancelled the 1996 clause on the island’s complete independence.

The population of Aruba is 72,000 (1993). 80% are descendants of Caribbean Indians and European whites. The official language is Dutch, and Papimandu (a Creole based on Spanish, mixed with Portuguese, Dutch, and English vocabulary) is commonly used, and Spanish and English are also spoken. 80% of residents believe in Catholicism and 3% believe in Protestantism.

The two pillars of Aruba's economy are petroleum smelting (including petroleum transportation and petroleum product processing) and tourism. In addition to the petroleum industry, there are also light industrial enterprises such as tobacco products and beverages. The desalination plant built in 1960 is one of the largest desalination plants in the world, capable of desalinating 20.8 million liters of seawater per day. Except for a small amount of limestone and phosphate mines, there are no important mineral deposits on the island. The land is barren and only a small amount of aloe is grown. Due to the sunshine all year round and the pleasant climate, it is not disturbed by hurricanes, but the northeast sea breeze is constant all the year round, and it is difficult for mosquitoes, flies and insects to survive. It is known as the "sanitary island". The proportion of Aruba's tourism in the national economy continues to increase. The main tourist attractions include Palm Beach and Early Indian Caves.

Palm Beach on the west coast of Aruba is the main tourist concentration on the island, with 10 kilometers of continuous white sand beaches and the sea The holiday homes are famous and have the reputation of Turquoise Coast.

Main cities

Aruba’s complex ethnic mix means that it is also culturally diverse. In addition to the influence of its home country, the Netherlands, many The culture of other European countries and even Africa can also be seen here. In recent years, a large number of American tourists (accounting for about six of the 700,000 tourists each year) have brought the influence of American culture. But there are also concerns that the excessive expansion of the number of tourists will cause an impact on the island, so measures to limit the number of tourists have been discussed.

Palm Beach on the west coast of Aruba is the main tourist concentration on the island, with 10 kilometers of continuous white sand beaches and the sea The holiday homes are famous and have the reputation of Turquoise Coast.

Queen Beatrix International Airport, located on the outskirts of the capital, Oranjestad, has multiple flights to major cities on the east coast of the United States International routes are the most convenient way to travel to Aruba.