I've Never Been There
A weekly look at countries they didn't bother teaching you about in school.
3. Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986. More recently the islands have achieved notoriety for being mentioned in the Beach Boys song "Kokomo"
Location: Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela
Population: 70,007
Ethnic groups: Mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%
Religions: Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish
Languages: Dutch (official), Papiamento (a Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, English dialect), English (widely spoken), Spanish
Capital: Oranjestad
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 6
Television broadcast stations: 1
Internet Country Code: .AW
Railways: None
Highways: 800km
International Disputes - None
1634 - Dutch colony
1805 - 1816 British domination
1828 - Part of Dutch West Indies
1848 - Part of Netherlands Antilles
1 Jan 1986 - Separation from Netherlands Antilles
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