Info about Aruba
Aruba – number one island in the Caribbean
Aruba is a small Caribbean island with the capital city of Oranjestad (GPS location: 12°31′N 70°1′W). It is 21 miles long (33 km) with the overall surface of 75 sq mi (193km²). The so-called Leeward Antilles ABC group of islands is constituted by Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. The island is a part of the Kingdom of Netherlands.
The signs of early Indian population on the island dates back to thousand years A.D. Aruba was introduced to Europeans after Merigo Vespucci discovered it in the end of 15th century. Hence it was Spain’s colony for about hundred years. The first independent state constitution was introduced in 1947 and passed in 1986. Under the support of the United Nations, in 1977 the island won the Independence. Now the island is under the reign of Queen Beatrix. The parliament there has 21 MPs and the Cabinet is made up of eight Ministers. Every six years the Monarch of Aruba appoints the governor, and every four years – the prime minister. The state legal system is based on the Dutch model. The island’s small population has Dutch citizenship and immigration of new people to Aruba is under strict control and even restriction. The island is not a member of the European Union.
The living standard and the employment rates are the highest in the Caribbean. The main financial inflow to the country brings the tourism sector. Although, Dutch is the official language, the islanders mostly speak Papiamento – a kind of mixture of several languages that dates back to 1803. Surely Spanish is also widely spoken.
In the educational sphere fundamentals also rest on Dutch model. The state owned schools are financed by the government. Education is offered at “all levels”. Private establishments are financially independent. Educational establishments include: the University of Aruba (UA), the Teachers’ College (IPA), the International School of Aruba (ISA), and various vocational programs (VMBO, MAVO, HAVO, and VWO). Overall there are five universities, over sixty primary and twelve secondary schools.
The infrastructure is perfectly developed on the island. There is the Queen Beatrix International Airport in the capital city. The place is very popular among Americans.
Flora and landscapes of Aruba differ from that of other islands in the region. It has cactuses as the climate is dry and the soil is arid, still here you will find a modest tropical weather in the non-hurricane area. Aruba has white sandy coastline (partially protected from strong currents of the North Atlantic Ocean), here are no rives, a few hills and Mount Jamanota. There are two ports that serve international cruise ferries. The annual tourist flow only through ports makes more than a million passengers. Public transport operated from 3:30 in the morning till after midnight all year around. The telecommunication sector includes the state owned company “Setar” and an Irish company “Digicel” with the headquarters in Jamaica. There are splendid hotels from economy up to the luxurious level all over the island. Compliance with high international standards and natural factors make Aruba the much favored tourist destination.