SCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (represented by the Kingdom
of the Netherlands)

Diplomatic representation from the US: Consul General Barbara
J. STEPHENSON embassy: Curacao telephone: [599] (9) 461-3066 FAX: [599]
(9) 461-6489

Flag description: 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

Economy Aruba

Economy - overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban
economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also
important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade
has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Construction
has boomed, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition,
the reopening of the country's oil refinery in 1993, a major source
of employment and foreign exchange earnings, has further spurred
growth. Aruba's small labor force and low unemployment rate have led
to a large number of unfilled job vacancies, despite sharp rises in
wage rates in recent years. The government's goal of balancing the
budget within two years will hamper expenditures, as will the decline
in stopover tourist arrivals following the 11 September terrorist attacks.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.94 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.5% (2000)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 4% (2000)

Labor force: 41,501 (1997 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: most employment is in wholesale and retail
trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining

Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1999 est.)

Budget: revenues: $135.81 million expenditures: $147 million, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2000)

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity - production: 450 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0%
(2000) nuclear: 0%

Electricity - consumption: 418.5 million kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)

Agriculture -