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Papiamento and the national flag, anthem, and coat of arms are the most important national symbols. They stress the inhabitants love for the island, the close connection to the Caribbean Sea, and the multi-cultural composition of the population. The national anthem is played and sung on many occasions. The Dutch flag functions as a symbol of the unity of Aruba, the Netherlands, and the Netherlands Antilles.

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The capital of Aruba is Oranjestad, which also is the main port.

Aruba is an island lying in the southwestern area of the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea, which is located about 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Curacao and 18 miles (29 km) north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguana Aruba

It covers an area of approximately 180 square kilometers (69 square miles).

Coordinates: 12.5211° N latitude, 69.9683° W longitude.

Aruba is situated outside the hurricane belt, making it a favorable location for tourism.

Tourists also flock to Aruba because of its white-sand beaches in the south and west, rugged coastline in the northeast, and desert environment in the interior.

Aruba was formerly a part of the Netherlands Antilles before it became a self-governing state in 1986.

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Geology / Physical Environment: Aruba's landscape features low-lying hills with no significant mountains. The island is part of the Lesser Antilles volcanic chain, but it itself is not volcanic.

Climate: Aruba has a tropical climate with consistently warm temperatures throughout the year. It experiences a dry climate, with little rainfall, contributing to its arid environment.

Ecosystems: The island has diverse marine life, and its arid conditions support unique flora and fauna adapted to the desert-like environment.

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Graphical representation of Aruba's climate with monthly rainfall shown in green bar chart and the line graphs show monthly temperatures "red for high and blue for low temperatures

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In Aruba, the climate is tropical semi-arid, hot all year round: daytime temperatures are around 30/33 degrees Celsius (86/91 °F) throughout the year; the air is warm and damp, but the wind tempers the heat.

Precipitation is scarce, which is around 450 millimeters (18 inches) per year. The only fairly rainy period is from October to December, with about 75/85 mm (2.9/3.3 in) of rainfall per month.

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Image Showing Aruba's national Animal the "Burrowing Owl"

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Aruba has a few of national symbols; the national Animal is the Burrowing Owl, national bird of Aruba is Prikichi and Wanglo is the national flower

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Map of Aruba, showing notable landmarks and highways

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Fofoti trees grow on the beach located just across from Amsterdam Manor) while the Divi Divi (Watapana) tree grows across the island, sprucing straight from the dirt. Both point in the same direction (Southwest) however, they grow at different angles, making it easy to mix them up!

Regardless of the arid climate, Aruba has a large array of horticulture, an example is the Magdalena, similar in foliage and flower to the Impatiens found in the Eastern US, but which survive with very little water. Their purple and white flowers blossom all year round, providing natural decoration both along sidewalks and roadsides and also in the most looked-after gardens.

Caribbean Pines is a large variety of Hibiscus as well as Bougainvilleas, Wild Orchids and many other cacti, vines, shrubs and trees that are found in Aruba.

The Cottontail rabbit is also found in Aruba, and was probably brought over here originally by Indians prior to Columbus' time. Also, half of the species of lizard (Papiamento - lagadishi) known to man reside exclusively on the island.

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Aruba has a diverse population with influences from various cultural backgrounds the population is around 116,000 people. The majority of the population is of mixed ethnicity, with significant contributions from Dutch, African, and Indigenous Amerindian heritage. Papiamento, Dutch, and English are the official languages, reflecting the historical and cultural ties to the Netherlands.

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A graph showing the population growth of Aruba between 1972 to 2022

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Most of Aruba’s population is ethnically mixed, including many people of American Indian ancestry, often in combination with Dutch, Spanish, and African heritage. There are few people of predominantly African descent, however, because unlike most other Caribbean islands Aruba had few slave-based plantations during colonial times.

The official languages are Dutch and Papiamentu (also spoken in Curaçao and Bonaire), a creole that evolved mainly from Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. English and Spanish are also widely used. About three-fourths of the people are Roman Catholic; there are small minorities of Protestants and Jehovah’s Witnesses. The birth and death rates are both relatively low, and the rate of natural increase is less than average for the West Indies. Life expectancy for both men and women is among the highest in the region and is comparable to that in developed countries.

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A graph showing the population growth of Aruba between 1973 and 2022

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Aruba's population was 93,424 in 1998, as compared to 59,995 in 1987. That growth is attributed mostly to immigration. There were about 5,000 illegal aliens that were not included. The proportion of foreign-born inhabitants has risen from 18.5 percent in 1981 to 28 percent in 1994. Life expectancy is 71.1 years for men and 77.1 years for women. The population density is 200 legal inhabitants per square mile.

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A pie-chart showing the relationship between rural and urban migration in 2014.

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A pie-chart showing the relationship between rural and urban migration in 2024.

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Graphical Representation of Aruba's Migration between 2017 and 2019

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A graph showing Aruba's natural growth and migration between 1972 and 2022

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Aruba's Natural growth of the population and migration, 1972-2022

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Aruba's Natural growth of the population and migration, 1972-2022

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In Aruba, given relatively low number of births and deaths, the growth of the population is primarily determined by net migration.

Aruba has known periods of population decline, especially when the economic situation was less favorable, followed by periods of sustained population growth. Between 1988 and 2016, the population nearly doubled in size.

However, in 2017, the population declined for the first time in nearly 30 years of constant growth. During the years of the pandemic (between 2020 and 2022), the population declined again, which was primarily related to a decline in the number of births and in the number of persons migrating to Aruba.

By the end of the 3rd quarter of 2023, the population of Aruba totaled 107,152 persons, a 0% growth relative to the 2022 end of year population.

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The island’s earliest inhabitants were Arawak Indians, who left behind red cave drawings and clay pottery and stone tools. After Aruba was claimed by Spain in 1499, it became a center of piracy and smuggling. In 1636 it was taken by the Dutch and occupied by the Dutch West India Company. As part of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba came briefly under British rule during the Napoleonic Wars but was returned to the Netherlands in 1816.

The economy remained weak until an oil refinery was constructed at San Nicolas (Sint Nicolaas) in the 1920s, which raised the standard of living dramatically. Immigration from the rest of the Caribbean, the United States, Venezuela, and Europe contributed to a substantial increase in population. Despite its new economic strength, Aruba remained politically subordinated to the Antilles’ main island of Curaçao.

In 1986 Aruba obtained autonomous status, the result of a popular movement led by the People’s Electoral Movement (Movimento Electoral di Pueblo) to break away from Curaçaoan rather than from Dutch domination. In 1994 the Aruban government, in conjunction with the governments of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles, decided to postpone indefinitely the transition to full independence.

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Image showing Stobas (stews), a common hot comfort food in Aruba.  It’s typically made with beef or goat as its base.

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Aruban cuisine is influenced by various cultures. Local dishes often include seafood, tropical fruits, and a variety of spices. Popular dishes include "keshi yena" (stuffed cheese) and "carni stoba" (beef stew).

Pastechis are deep-fried pastry pockets stuffed with myriad. Often times you’ll find cheese, ham, beef, chicken or tuna inside a pastechi but you can sometimes find chop suey filling, which is inspired by Asian influence on the island.

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A pie-chart showing the percentage of Aruba's population and their religious beliefs..

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Catholicism is the prevalent religion on Aruba. In 1991, 85 percent of the population claimed to be Catholic. Church attendance is much lower. The first chapel on Aruba was built in 1750. Protestantism, the religion of the traditional elite, is embraced by less than 3 percent of the population. The Protestant Church of Aruba was founded by Lutherans and Reformed in 1822, who both had been without ministers or churches until then; Lutheran and Reformed communities ceased to exist as separate entities. Although, officially, it has no specific denomination, its present identity can be described as "Calvinistic."

Twentieth-century migration led to the appearance of other groups such as Jehovah's Witnesses, Methodists, and evangelical sects (one having emigrated from Suriname during the oil-boom years, another originating in the United States), each comprising 2 percent or less of the population; as well as small communities of Anglicans, Adventists, Jews, Muslims, and Confucianists.

Nearly 3 percent of the population claims to have no religion. The number of and participation in new religious sects and movements is increasing.

Traditional popular assumptions about the supernatural are called brua. Although the term probably originates from the Spanish word bruja (witch), brua is not to be equated with witchcraft. It includes magic, fortune-telling, healing, and assumptions about both good and evil. Magic is conducted by a hacido di brua (practitioner of brua) and can be applied for both beneficently and maliciously. As a counterpoint to Christian belief, the evil spirit is called spirito malu. Belief in brua is often not confirmed because of the low social esteem attached to it.

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Aruba has a well-developed tourism industry, contributing significantly to its economy. The island has experienced economic diversification, with a focus on sustainable development and renewable energy initiatives. High living standards and a relatively low unemployment rate contribute to the social well-being of the population.

Social development programs emphasize education and healthcare, contributing to the overall quality of life.

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Traditional Aruban music includes genres like "tambú" and "mazurka." However, due to cultural influences, contemporary music styles are also popular. Festivals and events often showcase a mix of traditional and modern music.

Aruban artistic production can be divided into two spheres, one noncommercial and the other directed towards tourism and local recreation. Numerous artists are active in both spheres. Many noncommercial artists are inspired by Aruba's history, tradition, and natural landscape, reworking these in a modern form.

The lack of funds and government policies results in tension between the commercialization of art for the benefit of tourism and the professionalization of local talent for noncommercial purposes. Aruba hosts an annual jazz and Latin music festival and biennial dance and theater festivals.

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A pie-chat showing percentage population of linguistic composition in Aruba.

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The traditional language is Papiamento (Talk), a Creole language that is also spoken on Curaçao and Bonaire. The origins of Papiamento are much debated.

According to the more popular monogenistic theory Papiamento, like other Creole languages from the Caribbean, originates from one single Afro-Portuguese proto-Creole, which developed as a lingua franca in Western Africa in the days of the slave trade.

The polygenetic theory maintains that Papiamento developed on Curaçao with a Spanish base. Aruban Papiamento has a stronger Spanish influence compared to that spoken on Curaçao and Bonaire.

Owing to 360 years of colonial domination, Dutch is the official language in education and public affairs. The oil industry, tourism, and subsequent migration brought English and Spanish to the island and those are the second and third most spoken languages. Most residents are multilingual.

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Orange Smile.”Maps of Aruba.”https://www.orangesmile.com/common/img_country_maps/aruba-map-0.jpg.

Climatastotravel.com.”Climate-Aruba.”Aruba climate: average weather, temperature, rain - Climates to Travel.

2024 Harmannus Hoetink.”Aruba island,Caribbean Sea.”Aruba | History, Map, Flag, Population, Climate, & Facts | Britannica.

2024 Visit Aruba / CaribMedia.”Aruba Flora and Fauna”Aruba Flora and Fauna - wildlife, trees and nature - VisitAruba.com.

A Taste for Travel: "Where to Find the Best Local Food in Aruba: 12+ Restaurants to Try" https://www.atastefortravel.ca/12459-local-food-in-aruba-restaurants/ Accessed: [2/22/2024]

EveryCulture: "Arubans - Religion and Expressive Culture" https://www.everyculture.com/Middle-America-Caribbean/Arubans-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html Accessed: [2/22/2024]

EveryCulture: "Aruba" https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Aruba.html Accessed: [2/21/2024]

The World Bank: "Aruba - World Bank Data" https://data.worldbank.org/country/AW Accessed: [2/23/2024]

Encyclopaedia Britannica: "Aruba - History" https://www.britannica.com/place/Aruba/History Accessed: [2/23/2024]

Central Bureau of Statistics Aruba: "Immigration to Aruba in the Last 50 Years" https://cbs.aw/wp/index.php/2023/03/27/immigration-to-aruba-in-the-last-50-years/ Accessed: [2/22/2024]

Encyclopaedia Britannica: "Papiamentu" https://www.britannica.com/topic/Papiamentu Accessed: [2/23/2024]

Central Bureau of Statistics Aruba: "Statistical Overview of Aruba" https://cbs.aw/wp/index.php/category/statistical-overview-of-aruba/ Accessed: [2/23/2024]

Encyclopaedia Britannica: "Aruba" https://www.britannica.com/place/Aruba Accessed: [2/23/2024]

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Image showing consumer price index and graphs