Country name:

Aruba

Capital:

Oranjestad

Location:

Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Area:

total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km
water: 0 sq km

Population:

71,218 (July 2004 est.)

Languages:

Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish

Economy- Overview:

Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.

Industries:

tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Exports - commodities:

live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment

Imports - commodities:

machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Exchange rates: