IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO
(associate)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao

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

Economy--overview: Tourism is the mainstay of the Aruban economy,
although offshore banking and oil refining and storage are 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 less than
1% unemployment rate have led to a large number of unfilled job
vacancies, despite sharp rises in wage rates in recent years.

GDP: purchasing power parity--$1.5 billion (1997 est.)

GDP--real growth rate: 6% (1997)

GDP--per capita: purchasing power parity?$22,000 (1997 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): 3% (1997)

Labor force: NA

Labor force--by occupation: most employment is in the tourist
industry (1996)

Unemployment rate: 0.6% (1996 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $345.3 million
expenditures: $378.5 million, including capital expenditures of $107
million (1997 est.)

Industries: tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Electricity--production: 470 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--production by source:
fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1996)

Electricity--consumption: 470 million kWh (1996)

Electricity--exports: 0 kWh (1996)

Electricity--imports: 0 kWh (1996)

Agriculture--products: aloes; livestock; fish

Exports: $1.73 billion (including oil reexports)(1997)

Exports--commodities: mostly refined petroleum products

Exports--partners: U