Climate

It's always warm in Aruba with an average daily temperature of 82° F. The temperature varies from day to night, and from summer to winter, by only about 3-6° F. Average rainfall in Aruba is less than 20 inches per year, with the majority of showers occurring during November and December. And unlike Florida, the Bahamas and many other islands in the Caribbean, Aruba is completely out of the hurricane belt.

A word of caution, though, the sun is strongest between 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Using a protective sunscreen is highly recommended.

Language

The official language of Aruba is Dutch, but most Arubans are fluent in several different languages, including English and Spanish. You'll also hear the local Papiamento language which has evolved over the centuries. It is a mixture of Spanish, Dutch and Portugese, with a bit of Indian, English and French thrown in for good measure.

Geography & Location

Aruba is 6 miles across and 19.6 miles long - 77 square miles,  and is located 19 miles north of the Venezuelan coast, 990 nautical miles from Miami and 890 nautical miles from the equator.

Government

Aruba became a separate entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands on January 1, 1986. Aruba has now becomes one separate component of the three components of the Kingdom, which are the Netherlands, the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is responsible for defense and foreign affairs of the entire kingdom, with many of the other governmental responsibilities being taken by the individual countries.

The Aruban government is based on western democratic principles. The Governor is appointed by the Queen of the Kingdom for a six year term, and acts as the Queen's representative on the island. The legislature consists of a 21-member Parliament elected by popular vote. The Council of Ministers is presided over by the Prime Minister, and forms the executive power. Legal jurisdiction is the responsibility of the Common Court of Justice of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles, and a Supreme Court of Justice in the Netherlands.

Education

Aruban schools are held to the same high standards applied to educational institutions in the Netherlands. All instruction is in Dutch, but English and Spanish are taught in the lower grades. In the upper grades, French or German as added as a supplementary language. Education is an important part of the Aruban culture, as nearly 15 percent of the island's budget is devoted to education.

Aruba has secondary educational institutions, including a teacher's college, a law school, several training and technical organizations and special-purpose schools, such as the Aruba Hotel School. Scholarships are available for further specialized study in Europe and the United States.

Other Facts

• Time Zone - Atlantic standard time year round (the same as Eastern Daylight Savings Time)
• Population - 93,424 (1998)