Aruba is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, off Venezuela’s coast. Its capital is Oranjestad.
North America and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Oranjestad; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapAruba is a relatively dry island near the northern coast of South America. Its interior has low hills and rocky ground rather than a high volcanic mountain chain. Vegetation is often adapted to dry, windy conditions.
The protected landscape around Arikok includes rugged terrain and exposed coastal features. Other shores have sandy beaches and more sheltered water. These differences in exposure create contrasting coastlines within a small island.
Aruba is warm throughout the year and relatively dry for the Caribbean. Trade winds moderate the heat, and rainfall is limited.
Cacti, shrubs and other drought-tolerant plants are characteristic of many inland areas. Marine habitats provide a separate environment around the island. Limited rainfall and thin soils make fresh water and erosion important considerations.
Blue, with two narrow, horizontal yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper-left corner
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure
Low hills and exposed rock form part of Aruba’s dry landscape.
Photo: EgorovaSvetlana · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wind-shaped sand accumulates near the island’s exposed coast.
Papiamento and Dutch are official languages. Papiamento is the principal language of everyday communication for many Arubans.
Spanish and English are also widely spoken. Papiamento is a Creole language with Iberian roots and several historical influences.
Aruba was inhabited by Indigenous communities before Spanish colonization. The Dutch took control in 1636. In 1986 Aruba left the Netherlands Antilles and obtained separate country status within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. This was internal autonomy, not full independence.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure
Tourism dominates a service-based economy, supporting hotels, restaurants, transport and construction. Oil refining was historically important, but should not be confused with the island’s current main source of activity. Many consumer goods and food products are imported.
Accommodation, restaurants, retail and transport are closely tied to tourism.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 58,950 | 58.950 |
| 1980 | 59,909 | 59.909 |
| 1990 | 62,753 | 62.753 |
| 2000 | 90,588 | 90.588 |
| 2010 | 101,838 | 101.838 |
| 2020 | 108,587 | 108.587 |
| 2025 | 108,785 | 108.785 |
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1,553,993,568 | 1.554 |
| 1991 | 1,677,736,082 | 1.678 |
| 1992 | 1,776,426,457 | 1.776 |
| 1993 | 1,906,242,253 | 1.906 |
| 1994 | 2,062,628,486 | 2.063 |
| 1995 | 2,115,166,597 | 2.115 |
| 1996 | 2,140,248,000 | 2.140 |
| 1997 | 2,291,068,601 | 2.291 |
| 1998 | 2,336,706,331 | 2.337 |
| 1999 | 2,365,635,733 | 2.366 |
| 2000 | 2,545,966,268 | 2.546 |
| 2001 | 2,652,438,619 | 2.652 |
| 2002 | 2,627,374,308 | 2.627 |
| 2003 | 2,656,551,420 | 2.657 |
| 2004 | 2,850,313,057 | 2.850 |
| 2005 | 2,839,392,434 | 2.839 |
| 2006 | 2,871,404,069 | 2.871 |
| 2007 | 2,960,117,373 | 2.960 |
| 2008 | 3,014,457,880 | 3.014 |
| 2009 | 2,662,437,285 | 2.662 |
| 2010 | 2,589,660,713 | 2.590 |
| 2011 | 2,676,912,524 | 2.677 |
| 2012 | 2,649,051,222 | 2.649 |
| 2013 | 2,819,423,913 | 2.819 |
| 2014 | 2,859,631,704 | 2.860 |
| 2015 | 2,962,906,704 | 2.963 |
| 2016 | 2,999,478,909 | 2.999 |
| 2017 | 3,104,263,601 | 3.104 |
| 2018 | 3,203,987,173 | 3.204 |
| 2019 | 3,243,368,792 | 3.243 |
| 2020 | 2,466,904,381 | 2.467 |
| 2021 | 2,832,837,378 | 2.833 |
| 2022 | 3,133,343,655 | 3.133 |
| 2023 | 3,431,523,925 | 3.432 |
| 2024 | 3,665,237,356 | 3.665 |
An autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. An elected Parliament legislates on domestic matters, a Prime Minister leads the government, and a Governor represents the monarch. Defence and some external affairs are Kingdom responsibilities.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure
Three questions about Aruba.
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile · Government of the Netherlands · Kingdom structure
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.
