Aruba

Aruba is an island nation in the [Caribbean Sea]?, just a few miles north of the Venezuela's Paraguaná Peninsula. Aruba has a population of 69,000 who live on its 190 sq km. It is very dry, with little of the tropical vegetation that is expected in the Caribbean.

Until the mid 1980's, Aruba's primary industry was oil refineries. In the mid 80's the refineries were closed, and the island's economy shifted to one based on tourism. Aruba is now host to over 600,000 tourists a year.

In 1986 Aruba seperated from the rest of the Netherlands Antilles and became an autonomous part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The head of State is the [Dutch monarch]?, who appoints a governor to represent her. Internal affairs are the responsibilty of the elected prime minister and his council of ministers.

Country code: AW

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