| variable | 1980-1989 | 1990-1999 | 2000-2007 | 2008-2009 | 2010-2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| real gdp growth | 12.7 | 5.86 | 1.25 | -7.45 | -0.03 | 8.9 | 7.6 | 5.6 | 2.3 | 2.0 |
| CPI % | 4.12 | 3.89 | 4.22 | 0.0 | 0.78 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.1 | 1.2 | 2.0 |
| Unemployment rate | 8.38 | 6.05 | 8.28 | 10.45 | 7.86 | 4.0 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Debt/GDP % | - | 46.65 | 43.77 | 51.75 | 75.96 | 80.3 | 68.6 | 63.6 | 60.3 | 57.5 |
| Current account balance/GDP % | - | -7.0 | 3.84 | -5.9 | -3.12 | 5.4 | 9.6 | 7.7 | 6.5 | 5.8 |
Data derived from World Economic Outlook Database. To see main macroeconomic indicator in graphs click here
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.
Area: 180 sq km km2
Climate: tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation
Natural resources: NEGL; white sandy beaches foster tourism
Groups: Dutch 78.7%, Colombian 6.6%, Venezuelan 5.5%, Dominican 2.8%, Haitian 1.3%, other 5.1% (2020 est.)
Languages:
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.)
Capital: Oranjestad
Government type: parliamentary democracy; part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
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)
Description: Legislature (Staten) - unicameral
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
tourism, petroleum transshipment facilities, banking
GDP by sector: Agriculture: 0% (2019 est.), Industry: 11.4% (2019 est.), Services: 78.3% (2019 est.)
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)
Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Information derived from worldfactbook.io (Lupon Media), open successor to the CIA World Factbook. Data sourced from World Bank, IMF, UN and other international organizations.