History
Aruba’s first inhabitants were the Caquetios indigenous from the Arawak tribe. They are thought to have come to Aruba from mainland South America about 4,000 years ago.
Oranjestad is the historical Dutch city capital. In 1636, near the end of the Eighty Years’ War between Spain in Holland, the Dutch took possession of Aruba and remained in control for roughly two centuries. The English briefly took control of Aruba in 1805, but returned it to the Dutch in 1816. On January 1, 1986 Aruba became a separate entity from the Kingdom of Netherlands. This “Status Aparte” means Aruba is not fully independent, but rather a form of “Commonwealth” with Holland and its sister islands: Bonaire, Curacao, Sint Maarten, St. Eustatius, and Saba.
Topography
Along the south and west coasts are miles of pristine white beaches that rank among the most beautiful in the world. The northeast coast, along the windward shore, is rugged and wild. The interior is desert-like with a variety of cacti and dramatic rock formations.
Today
Aruba’s population is about 100,000 inhabitants.
Dutch and Papiamento are the official languages of Aruba. Most Arubans are also fluent in English and Spanish. Papiamento is only spoken on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao).
Tourism is Aruba’s primary industry. 70% of its workforce is employed in the tourism industry. Aruba’s largest tourism market is the US 75% market share), followed by Venezuela, Columbia and Holland.