Aruba Information, General Aruba Information, Aruba

Aruba Geographic information
Aruba is located in the southern Caribbean, 15 miles (20 kilometers) North of Venezuela. It is 19.6 miles (30 kilometers) long and 6 miles (9 kilometers) wide, at its widest point. Thus, Aruba has a total area of about 70 square miles (184 square kilometers).

Aruba Population and Census Numbers
Aruba's population is about 100,000 people. The Aruba peoples are an international mixture of educated people with a generally pleasant nature. The typical Aruban is of mixed ancestry, claiming Caquetio Indian, African and European roots. Aruba, being the paradise that it is, draws people from all over the world on an ongoing basis, so the face of the "Aruban Citizen" is constantly changing. Today, Aruba claims over 40 different nationalities, all working together with very little if any friction.

Aruba's Economy and Industry
The economy of the island once based on gold in the early 18th century, later, became the #1 producer of aloe in the world.

In the early 1900's Aruba was prosporous, with the establishment of the oil refinery of LAGO, a subsidiary of Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (later EXXON). Exxon decided to close it's Aruba facility on March 31, 1985. The oil refinery re-opened in 1991 and was sold in March of 2004 to Valero Oil Corporation.

The closing of the Oil refinery was a huge economic blow to the island of Aruba stretching across all communities. Realizing that Aruba needed to diversify, a strong push for started for the tourism industry.

Today, tourism is by far and away the main source of money for the Aruban people.

Aruba Time Zone
Aruba is on Atlantic Standard Time, which is one hour ahead of New York. During Daylight Savings time, Aruba goes to Eastern Standard time, which is the same as the East Cost of the United States.

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