d of Government:
Prime Minister Nelson ODUBER (since NA February 1989)
Member of:
ECLAC (associate), INTERPOL, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WTO (associate)
Diplomatic representation in US:
none (self-governing part of the Netherlands)
Flag:
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

*Aruba, Economy

Overview:
Tourism is the mainstay of the economy, although offshore banking and oil
refining and storage are also important. Hotel capacity expanded rapidly
between 1985 and 1989 and nearly doubled in 1990 alone. Unemployment has
steadily declined from about 20% in 1986 to about 3% in 1991. The reopening
of the local oil refinery, once a major source of employment and foreign
exchange earnings, promises to give the economy an additional boost.
National product:
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $900 million (1991 est.)
National product real growth rate:
6% (1991 est.)
National product per capita:
$14,000 (1991 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
5.6% (1991)
Unemployment rate:
3% (1991 est.)
Budget:
revenues $145 million; expenditures $185 million, including capital
expenditures of $42 million (1988)
Exports:
$902.4 million, including oil re-exports (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
mostly petroleum products
partners:
US 64%, EC
Imports:
$1,311.3 million, including oil for processing and re-export (f.o.b., 1991)
commodities:
food, consumer goods, manufactures, petroleum products
partners:
US 8%, EC
External debt:
$81 million (1987)
Industrial production:
growth rate NA%
Electricity:
310,000 kW capacity; 945 million kWh produced, 14,610 kWh per capita (1992)
Industries:
tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining
Agriculture:
poor quality soils and low rainfall limit agricultural activity to the
cultivation of aloes, some livestock, and fishing
Illicit drugs:
drug money laundering center
Economic aid:
Western (non-US) countries ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1980-89), $220
million
Currency:
1 Aruban florin (Af.) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Aruban florins (Af.) per US$1 - 1.7900 (fixed rate since 1986)
Fiscal year:
calendar year

*Aruba, Communications

Highways:
NA km all-weather highways
Ports:
Oranjestad, Sint Nicolaas
Airports:
total:
2
usable:
2
with permanent-surface runways:
2
w