Moving to Aruba: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

125,063

Population Growth Rate

1.08%

Population Distribution

most residents live in or around Oranjestad and San Nicolaas

most settlments tend to be located on the less mountainous western side of the island

Urban Population

• population: 44.3% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 0.77% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital)

Population: Male/Female

• male: 59,101
• female: 65,962

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Age Structure

• years: 17.2% (male 10,815/female 10,747) 15-64
• years: 65.7% (male 39,621/female 42,487) 65 years and
• over: 17.1% (2024 est.) (male 8,665/female 12,728)

Median Age

• total: 40.9 years
• male: 39.3 years
• female: 42.4 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

12

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

8.8

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

1.82

Gross reproduction rate

1

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

42.1%

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.02 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 0.93 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 0.68 male(s)/female total
• population: 0.9 male(s)/female

Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

8

Ethnic Groups

Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1%

Language Note

Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4%

Nationality Noun

• noun: Aruban(s)
• adjective: Aruban; Dutch

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Literacy - total population

97.8%

Literacy - male

97.8%

Literacy - female

97.8%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

5.5%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 14 years
• male: 13 years
• female: 14 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 78.5 years
• male: 75.4 years
• female: 81.6 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 7.3 deaths/1,000 live births

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 98.1% of population
• rural: 98.1% of population
• total: 98.1% of population
• unimproved: urban: 1.9% of population
• rural: 1.9% of population
• total: 1.9% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 97.7% of population
• rural: 97.7% of population
• total: 97.7% of population
• unimproved: urban: 2.3% of population
• rural: 2.3% of population
• total: 2.3% of population

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Economic Overview

Tourism, petroleum bunkering, hospitality, and financial and business services are the mainstays of the small open Aruban economy.

Tourism accounts for a majority of economic activity; as of 2017, over 2 million tourists visited Aruba annually, with the large majority (80-85%) of those from the US.

The rapid growth of the tourism sector has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities.

Construction continues to boom, especially in the hospitality sector.

Aruba is heavily dependent on imports and is making efforts to expand exports to improve its trade balance.

Almost all consumer and capital goods are imported, with the US, the Netherlands, and Panama being the major suppliers.

In 2016, Citgo Petroleum Corporation, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Petroleos de Venezuela SA, and the Government of Aruba signed an agreement to restart Valero Energy Corp.'s former 235,000-b/d refinery.

Tourism and related industries have continued to grow, and the Aruban Government is working to attract more diverse industries.

Aruba's banking sector continues to be a strong sector; unemployment has significantly decreased.

Industries

Tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$25,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.4%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$4,158,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$25,300.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

2.4%

GDP - official exchange rate

$2,516,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• Consumption: 60.3% Government
• Consumption: 26.2% Investment in Fixed
• Capital: 22.3% Investment in
• Inventories: 0% Exports of Goods and
• Services: 70.2% Imports of Goods and
• Services: -79%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

0.4%

GDP by Sector- Industry

33.3%

GDP by Sector- services

66.3%

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Inflation Rate

-0.8%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

1.79

Currency Name and Code

Aruban guilders/florins

Fiscal Year

Calendar Year

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

9%

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Labor Force

51,610

Unemployment Rate

6.9%

Major Industries

Tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking

Agriculture Products

• Aloes
• livestock
• fish

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Labor Force by Occupation - note

Most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants

Labor Force by Occupation - note

Most employment is in wholesale and retail trade, followed by hotels and restaurants

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Annual Budget

$696,500,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

67%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-2.2%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

27.7%

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Full Country Name

Country of Aruba

Country Name

Aruba

Local - Long

Land Aruba (Dutch); Pais Aruba (Papiamento)

Local - Short

Aruba

Etymology- history of name

• the origin of the island's name is unclear
• according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase "oro huba" (there was gold), but in fact no gold was ever found on the island
• another possibility is the native word "oruba," which means "well-situated"

Independence

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

National Holiday

National Anthem and Flag Day, 18 March (1976)

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Government Type

parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Constitution

• history: previous 1947, 1955
• latest drafted and approved August 1985, enacted 1 January 1986 (regulates governance of Aruba but is subordinate to the Charter for the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
• in 1986, Aruba became a semi-autonomous entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands

Legal System:

civil law system based on the Dutch civil code

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: King WILLEM-ALEXANDER of the Netherlands (since 30 April 2013); represented by Governor General Alfonso BOEKHOUDT (since 1 January 2017)
• head of government: Prime Minister Mike EMAN (since 28 March 2025)
• cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Legislature (Staten) election/appointment
• process: the monarchy is hereditary; governor general appointed by the monarch for a 6-year term; prime minister and deputy prime minister indirectly elected by the Staten for 4-year term most recent election
• date: 6 December 2024
• election results: Mike EMAN (AVP) elected prime minister; percent of Staten vote - NA expected date of next
• election: by December 2028

Legislative Branch:

• Description: unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members directly elected in a single nationwide constituency by proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms)
• Elections: last held on 25 June 2021 (next to be held in June 2025)
• Election Results: percent of vote by party MEP 35.3%, AVP 31.3%, ROOTS 9.4%, MAS 8%, Accion21 5.8%; seats by party - MEP 9, AVP 7, ROOTS 2, MAS 2, Accion21 1;
• Composition: men 13, women 8, percent of women as of September 2023 - 38.1%

Judicial Branch:

• office: Joint Court judges appointed for life by the monarch
• subordinate courts: Court in First Instance

Regions or States:

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) note: Aruba is one of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; the other three are the Netherlands, Curacao, and Sint Maarten

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Accion21 [Miguel MANSUR]
• Aruban People's Party or AVP [Michiel "Mike" EMAN]
• Democratic Network or RED [Ricardo CROES]
• Movimiento Aruba Soberano (Aruban Sovereignty Movement) or MAS [Marisol LOPEZ-TROMP]
• People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Evelyn WEVER-CROES]
• Pueblo Orguyoso y Respeta or POR [Alan Howell]
• RAIZ (ROOTS) [Ursell ARENDS]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Citizenship Criteria:

see the Netherlands

Capital Name

Oranjestad

Capital - geographic coordinate

12 31 N, 70 02 W

Capital Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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International Organization Participation:

• Caricom (observer)
• FATF
• ILO
• IMF
• Interpol
• IOC
• ITUC (NGOs)
• UNESCO (associate)
• UNWTO (associate)
• UPU

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Embassy: the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Curacao is accredited to Aruba

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Dependency Status

• 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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Geographic Location

The Caribbean

Geographic Coordinates

12 30 N, 69 58 W

Total Area

69 Square Miles 180 Square Kilometers

Land Area

69 Square Miles 180 Square Kilometers

Coastline

42 Miles 68 Kilometers

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Terrain

Flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Highest Point

188 Meters

Highest Point Location

Mount Jamanota 188 m

Lowest Point Location

Caribbean Sea 0 m

Natural Resources

NEGL; white sandy beaches

Time Zone

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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Climate

Tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation

Terrain

Flat with a few hills; scant vegetation

Location

The Caribbean, an island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela

Total Area

69 Square Miles 180 Square Kilometers

Environment - Current Issues

NA

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Exports

$299,900,000 (USD)

Imports

$1,294,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

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

Major Imports

Machinery and electrical equipment, refined oil for bunkering and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs

Top Export Partners

Colombia 28.2%, Netherlands Antilles 18.1%, United States 14.3%, Netherlands 10.1%, Mexico 6.5%, Venezuela 6.3%, Panama 4.1%

Top Import Partners

United States, 55.4%, Netherlands 11.2%

Export Partners

Colombia 28.2%, Netherlands Antilles 18.1%, United States 14.3%, Netherlands 10.1%, Mexico 6.5%, Venezuela 6.3%, Panama 4.1%

Import Partners

United States, 55.4%, Netherlands 11.2%

Airports - total

1

Airports with Paved Runways

1

Ports and Terminals

Barcadera, Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas

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Telephones

38,300

Cell Phones

105,700

Internet Users

24,000

Internet Country Code

.aw

Internet Hosts

25,080

Broadcast Media

• 2 commercial TV stations
• cable TV subscription service provides access to foreign channels
• about 20 commercial radio stations broadcast

Telephone System

• 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

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

790,500,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

850,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

1

Natural Gas Exports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

1

Natural Gas Imports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

1

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

1

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

5,661

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

228,800

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

2,363

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Anthem History

The Dutch anthem "Wilhelmous van Nassowe" is the official anthem of this Dutch colony, however, a local anthem, a waltz, has been unofficially adopted as well, and is in use on the island.

Anthem Lyrics

ARUBA DUSHI TERA Padu Lampe Rufo Wever Aruba, patria aprecia nos cuna venera.

Chikito y simpel bo por ta, pero si respeta!

Chorus Oh!

Aruba, dushi tera, nos baranca tan stima!

Nos amor pa bo t'asina grandi, c'un tin nada pa kibr'e.

Bo playanan tan admira cu palma tur dorna.

Bo escudo y bandera ta, orgullo di nos tur.

Chorus Grandeza di bo pueblo ta su gran cordialidad.

Cu Dios por guia y conserva su amor pa libertad.

Anthem Lyrics English

Aruba beloved home our venerated cradle though small and simple you may be you are indeed esteemed.

Refrain: Aruba our dear country our rock so well beloved our love for you is so strong that nothing can destroy it.

(repeat) Your beaches so much admired with palm trees all adorned your coat of arms and flag the symbols of our pride.

Refrain The greatness of our people is their great cordiality and may God guide and preserve its love for freedom.

Refrain