Aruba Vacations, Aruba Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Welcome to the tourism and vacations guide for Aruba. Browse Aruba travel photos, Aruba travel partners, Aruba travel blogs, and Aruba hotel reviews to plan your next trip. TravBuddy vacation reviews and tourism information are contributed by millions of fellow travelers, providing you with an unbiased perspective of Aruba.

LOCATION: 19 miles/31 km. north of Venezuela in the Caribbean.
GEOGRAPHY: 20 miles long, 6 miles across, totaling 80 sq. miles/195 sq.km.
CLIMATE: Yearly average of 81 F/27 C. Out of the hurricane belt. Arid landscape (like Arizona).
POPULATION: 96.104 (2003)
LANGUAGE: official language: Dutch. Native language: Papiamento (mix of Spanish, Portuguese, some Dutch, English & Taino Indian). English & Spanish are widely spoken.
POLITICAL STRUCTURE: Since 1986, Aruba is an autonomous, self governing member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, next to the Netherlands & the Netherlands Antilles (Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, St. Eustatius & Saba). The Kingdom is a Constitutional Monarchy. Chief of State is the Governor, appointed by the Queen to represent her for 6 years. Head of Government is the Prime Minister, head of the Council of Ministers. Executive power is held by the Council of Ministers,sustained by a 21-member parliament. Elections are held every 4 years.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM: the proper administration of the law falls under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Judges of the Court of First Instance (on Aruba) & the Common Court of Aruba & the Neth. Antilles (the appeals court) are appointed by the Queen. Further appeals may be made to the Supreme Court in the Netherlands. The Kingdom of the Netherlands does not have a jury-based judicial system.
The Kingdom is also responsible for DEFENSE and EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (political and diplomatic relations).

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