Aruba
Aruba tops North America for internet access. Neighbors look to it as a regional benchmark. How does it compare to its neighbors?
Aruba is a country in North America with a population of 125.1K and an area of 180 km². Life expectancy is 76.4 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Population Density
596.439How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
CO2 Per Capita
8.52How many tonnes of CO2 the average person produces per year.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
50.6KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
GDP Per Capita
$40.5KGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Life Expectancy
76.4 yearsHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🌱Electricity Access (%)
100.0%The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
👥Population Density
596.439How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
💰GDP Growth Rate
6.8%The annual percentage change in the country's GDP.
📡Internet Users (%)
97.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
🌍Lowest Elevation
0Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Only ranks #182 in merchant ships
Merchant Ships: 1.00
Merchant marine fleet size from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #205 in forest area
Forest Area: 4.20
Total forest area in square kilometers, including natural and planted trees at least 5 meters tall.
World Bank 2023Only ranks #203 in land area
Land Area: 180
Total land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
World Bank 2023Ranks #15 globally in population density
Population Density: 596.439
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
World Bank 2023Ranks #15 globally in gdp growth rate
GDP Growth Rate: 6.8%
The annual percentage change in the country's GDP.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Aruba Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
Above avgGDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
Above avgHow many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. Three main industries have since dominated the island's economy: gold mining, oil refining, and tourism. A 19th-century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening of an oil refinery in 1924. 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, semi-autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990.
- Location
- Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
- Climate
- tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
- Terrain
- flat with a few hills; scant vegetation
- Natural Resources
- NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
- Natural Hazards
- hurricanes; lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt and is rarely threatened
- Size Comparison
- slightly larger than Washington, D.C.
- Languages
- Papiamento (official) (a creole language that mixes Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, French, African languages, and Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 75.3%, Protestant 4.9% (includes Methodist 0.9%, Adventist 0.9%, Anglican 0.4%, other Protestant 2.7%), Jehovah's Witness 1.7%, other 12%, none 5.5%, unspecified 0.5% (2010 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)
- Major Cities
- 30,000 ORANJESTAD (capital) (2018)
- Government Type
- parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Capital
- Oranjestad
- Capital Coordinates
- 12 31 N, 70 02 W
- Capital Timezone
- UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Country of Aruba
- Name Origin
- the origin of the island's name is unclear; according to tradition, the name comes from the Spanish phrase oro hubo ("there was gold"), but no gold was ever found on the island; other possible sources are either the local word oruba ("well-situated") or a combination of two Carib Indian words, ora and oubao ("shell" and "island," respectively)
- Independence
- none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands)
- National Symbols
- Hooiberg (Haystack) Hill
- National Anthem
- "Het Wilhelmus"
- Overview
- small, tourism-dependent, territorial-island economy; very high public debt; COVID-19 crippled economic activity; partial recovery underway via tourism, benefitting from its high amount of timeshare residences; considering reopening oil refinery
- Industries
- tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
- Agricultural Products
- aloes; livestock; fish
- Export Partners
- Jordan 34%, Colombia 31%, USA 7%, Guyana 5%, Slovakia 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- tobacco, gas turbines, refined petroleum, steam turbines, heating machinery (2023)
- Import Partners
- USA 53%, Netherlands 15%, China 6%, Colombia 3%, Brazil 3% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- refined petroleum, tobacco, cars, garments, jewelry (2023)
- Military Forces
- no regular military forces; Aruban Militia (ARUMIL); Police Department for local law enforcement, supported by the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Gendarmerie), the Dutch Caribbean Police Force (Korps Politie Caribisch Nederland, KPCN), and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (DCCG or Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied (KWCARIB)) (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 83.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 2.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 13.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- freedom of the press respected, as guaranteed under Dutch law; newspapers are in the Papiamento language; 2 commercial TV stations, with a cable TV subscription service providing access to foreign channels; wide range of commercial radio stations available (2023)
Deep Dive
41 of 49 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
Related Countries
Neighboring Countries
Curaçao
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Venezuela
Dominican RepublicCountries with Similar GDP
Portugal
Poland
Puerto Rico
U.S. Virgin Islands
JapanCompare Aruba with...
Anguilla
Antigua and Barbuda
Bahamas
Barbados
Belize
BermudaShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Aruba!
How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Frequently Asked Questions about Aruba
Aruba has a population of 125.1K, ranking #186 globally by population.
Aruba is located in North America. It has an area of 180 km².
Life expectancy in Aruba is 76.4 years, ranking #90 globally.
Aruba's GDP per capita (PPP) is 50.6K, ranking #47 globally.
Aruba ranks particularly high in Population Density (#15), Internet Users (%) (#19), CO2 Per Capita (#32).
Aruba has a population density of 596.4 people per km², ranking #15 globally.
Think you know Aruba?
Compare countries, guess statistics, and prove you know your stuff.