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Central Intelligence Agency
The Work of a Nation. The Center of Intelligence
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(part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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| page last updated on January 29, 2013 |
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(CONTAINS DESCRIPTION)
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Click flag or map to enlarge 
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Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
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Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
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12 30 N, 69 58 W
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total: 180 sq km
country comparison to the world: 218
land:
180 sq km
water:
0 sq km
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slightly larger than Washington, DC
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0 km
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68.5 km
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territorial sea: 12 nm
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tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
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flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
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lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point:
Ceru Jamanota 188 m
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NEGL; white sandy beaches
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arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops:
0%
other:
89.47% (2005)
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NA (1998 est.)
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hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
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NA
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a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit)
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| People and Society ::Aruba |
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noun: Aruban(s)
adjective:
Aruban; Dutch
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mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20%
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Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census)
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Roman Catholic 80.8%, Protestant 7.8% (Evangelist 4.1%, Methodist 1.2%, other Protestant 2.5%), Jehovah's Witnesses 1.5%, Jewish 0.2%, other 5.1%, none or unspecified 4.6%
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107,635 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 190
note:
estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-99 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census
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0-14 years: 18.1% (male 9,793/ female 9,713)
15-64 years:
70.3% (male 36,364/ female 39,318)
65 years and over:
11.6% (male 4,899/ female 7,548) (2012 est.)
population pyramid: 
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total: 38.4 years
male:
36.6 years
female:
40.2 years (2012 est.)
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1.413% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
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12.76 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 155
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7.92 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
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9.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
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urban population: 47% of total population (2010)
rate of urbanization:
0.6% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
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ORANJESTAD (capital) 33,000 (2009)
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at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.65 male(s)/female
total population:
0.9 male(s)/female (2011 est.)
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total: 12.51 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 129
male:
16.51 deaths/1,000 live births
female:
8.44 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
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total population: 75.93 years
country comparison to the world: 85
male:
72.89 years
female:
79.04 years (2012 est.)
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1.84 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
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NA
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NA
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NA
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5% of GDP (2008)
country comparison to the world: 57
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population:
97.3%
male:
97.5%
female:
97.1% (2000 census)
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total: 13 years
male:
13 years
female:
13 years (2009)
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total: 23.2%
country comparison to the world: 36
male:
24.1%
female:
22.9% (2007)
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conventional long form: none
conventional short form:
Aruba
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constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs
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parliamentary democracy
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name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates:
12 31 N, 70 02 W
time difference:
UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
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Flag Day, 18 March (1976)
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1 January 1986
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civil law system based on the Dutch civil code
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18 years of age; universal
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chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
head of government:
Prime Minister Michiel "Mike" Godfried EMAN (since 30 October 2009)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers elected by the Staten
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections:
the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2009 (next to be held by 2013)
election results:
Mike EMAN elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA
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unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections:
last held on 25 September 2009 (next to be held in 2013)
election results:
percent of vote by party - AVP 48%, MEP 35.9%, PDR 5.7%, other 10.4%; seats by party - AVP 12, MEP 8, PDR 1
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Common Court of Justice, Joint High Court of Justice (judges appointed by the monarch)
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Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF]
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other: environmental groups
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Caricom (observer), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC (NGOs), UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU
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none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba
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blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner; the star represents Aruba and its red soil and white beaches, its four points the four major languages (Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English) as well as the four points of a compass, to indicate that its inhabitants come from all over the world; the blue symbolizes Caribbean waters and skies; the stripes represent the island's two main "industries": the flow of tourists to the sun-drenched beaches and the flow of minerals from the earth
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name: "Aruba Deshi Tera" (Aruba Precious Country)
lyrics/music:
Juan Chabaya 'Padu' LAMPE/Rufo Inocencio WEVER
note:
local anthem adopted 1986; as part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, "Het Wilhelmus" is official (see Netherlands)
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Tourism and offshore banking are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy. Oil refining and storage ended in 2009. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. Tourist arrivals rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority.
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$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 188
$2.205 billion (2004 est.)
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$2.258 billion (2005 est.)
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2.4% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 135
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$21,800 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59
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agriculture: 0.4%
industry:
33.3%
services:
66.3% (2002 est.)
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41,500 (2004 est.)
country comparison to the world: 195
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agriculture: NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%
note:
most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants
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6.9% (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
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NA%
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%:
NA%
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revenues: $568.4 million
expenditures:
$735 million (2012 est.)
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25.2% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 125
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-7.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 186
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46.3% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 73
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2.3% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
4.4% (2011 est.)
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1% (31 December 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 103
3% (31 December 2009 est.)
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10.4% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
9% (31 December 2011 est.)
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$868.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
$868.5 million (31 December 2011 est.)
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$1.765 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 153
$1.762 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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$1.448 billion (31 December 2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 147
$1.42 billion (31 December 2010 est.)
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aloes; livestock; fish
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NA%
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$2.758 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 132
$5.179 billion (2011 est.)
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live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment
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Colombia 40.8%, Venezuela 20.5%, Netherlands Antilles 15.6%, US 8.9%, Netherlands 4.5% (2011)
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$3.476 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 142
$5.892 billion (2011 est.)
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machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs
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US 50.6%, Netherlands 11.6%, UK 4.7% (2011)
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$478.6 million (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 170
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Aruban guilders/florins (AWG) per US dollar -
1.79 (2012 est.)
1.79 (2011 est.)
1.79 (2010 est.)
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calendar year
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880 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151
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818.4 million kWh (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 154
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
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0 kWh (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
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266,000 kW (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150
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88.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 78
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
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0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 152
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11.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
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0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
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0 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71
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227,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29
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0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
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205,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
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5,661 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 164
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205,400 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
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6,646 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145
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1 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 95
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1 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
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1 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50
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1 cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
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0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
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1.241 million Mt (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162
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35,000 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 174
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131,800 (2010)
country comparison to the world: 186
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general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
domestic:
increased competition through privatization; 3 mobile-cellular service providers are now licensed
international:
country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007)
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2 commercial TV stations; cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels; about 20 commercial radio stations broadcast (2007)
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.aw
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40,560 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 101
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24,000 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 188
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1 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 217
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total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m:
1 (2012)
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Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
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no regular military forces (2011)
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males age 16-49: 24,891
females age 16-49:
26,202 (2010 est.)
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males age 16-49: 20,527
females age 16-49:
21,493 (2010 est.)
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male: 767
female:
743 (2010 est.)
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Defense is the responsibility of the Netherlands. The Aruba security services focus on organized crime and terrorism (2011)
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| Transnational Issues ::Aruba |
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none
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transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine
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