Page 360 - The Dutch Caribbean Isles

Aruba: History and Interesting Facts

O f the total population today including overall average shows that visitors from 25ºC. Being near the Equator also means
some 40 different nationalities, only the United States make up 75 per cent of that all days throughout the year roughly
about two-thirds were actually born on the country’s visitors. Aruba is a grand have the same amount of light in Aruba.
While rainfall varies from seven to 18 wet
the island. The official language is Dutch, oasis of fine beaches, greenery and gentle days a month, there are no distinct dry or
rainy seasons. A welcomed cooling trade
but Papiamento is the colloquial tongue. rolling hills reaching their highest point wind blows in from the East. Sunshine is
strongest between 11am and 3pm. Due to
English and Spanish are widely spoken and at 188 meters on top of Mount Jamanota. its unique southern position near South
America, Aruba is safer than most other
the people are extremely welcoming. The Urban charms mixed with Dutch colonial Caribbean isles when it comes time for
hurricane season, which lasts from June
crime rate is low and there are very few architecture make the seaside capital to November. It is generally outside the
zone of major winds whipping westward.
attacks on tourists. This is one friendly na- Oranjestad a pleasant city to explore. During the first three months of the year,
prevailing trade winds present ideal
tion, where locals are welcoming, and with The capital was named after William of windsurfing conditions off the western
coast. Unlike much of the Caribbean re-
good reason, giving the importance of the Orange-Nassau, the first heir to the Dutch gion, Aruba has a dry climate and an arid,
cactus-strewn landscape. This climate has
tourism-related services that earns 75 per House of Orange. Oranjestad has numer- helped tourism as visitors to the island can
reliably expect warm, sunny weather.
cent of the Aruban economy. Seventy per ous homes from the 1920s and 1930s.

cent of jobs are in the tourism industry. Many of them these have been restored

A rubans speak a unique, little-known and renovated thanks to public and pri-
language called Papiamento, which is vate initiatives that have the island’s best
interests at heart. World class hotels and

categorized as a variation of Portuguese beachfront resorts are found throughout

Creole, and has influences from Spanish, this island country.

Dutch and English. The official language is B eing near the Equator, the island has
Dutch. Almost 100,000 inhabitants make a largely consistent climate through-
Aruba their home. Compare this to the 1.3

million tourists that visited this increas- out the year, with average highs hover-

ingly popular island getaway in 2006. An ing around 30ºC and lows being around