Population of Aruba in thousands, 1961-2003

Having poor soil and aridity, Aruba was saved from plantation economics and the slave trade. In 1515, the Spanish transported the entire population to Hispaniola to work in the copper mines; most were allowed to return when the mines were tapped out. The Dutch, who took control a century later, left the Arawaks to graze livestock, using the island as a source of meat for other Dutch possessions in the Caribbean. The Arawak heritage is stronger on Aruba than on most Caribbean islands. No full-blooded aboriginals remain, but the features of the islanders clearly indicate their genetic heritage. The majority of the population is descended mostly from Arawak, and to a lesser extent Dutch, Spanish, and African ancestors. Recently there has been substantial immigration to the island from neighboring Latin American and Caribbean nations, attracted by the lure of well-paying jobs.

The two official languages are the Dutch language and the predominant, national language Papiamento, which is classified as a creole language. This creole language is formed primarily from 16th century Portuguese, and several other languages. Spanish and English are also spoken. Islanders can often speak four or more languages and are mostly Roman Catholic.

Demographic statistics from the CIA World Factbook

Population pyramid of Aruba

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook.

Population: 102,695 (March 2006 est.) Age structure:

• 0-14 years: 20.7% (male 7,540; female 7,121)
• 15-64 years: 68.3% (male 23,427; female 24,955)
• 65 years and over: 11% (male 3,215; female 4,586) (2003 est.)

Median age:

• total: 37.1 years
• male: 35.3 years
• female: 38.5 years (2002)

Population growth rate:

• 0.55% (2003 est.)

Birth rate:

• 11.86 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate:

• 6.38 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Net migration rate:

• 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Sex ratio:

• at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
• under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
• 15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
• 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female
• total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

• total: 6.14 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 5.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
• male: 6.99 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth:

• total population: 78.83 years
• male: 75.48 years
• female: 82.34 years (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate:

• 1.79 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Nationality:

• noun: Aruban(s)
• adjective: Aruban; Dutch

Religions:

• Roman Catholic - 82%
• Protestant - 8%
• Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist - 1.2% combined
• Jewish

Languages:

• Dutch (official)
• Papiamento (national language)
• Spanish
• English

Ethnic Groups

• Mixed Caribbean Amerindian and white - 80%
• Other - 20%

References

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008)

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v • d • e Demographics of South America Sovereign states Argentina · Bolivia · Brazil · Chile · Colombia · Ecuador · Guyana · Panama1 · Paraguay · Peru · Suriname · Trinidad and Tobago1 · Uruguay · Venezuela Dependencies Aruba1 / Netherlands Antilles1 (Netherlands) · Falkland Islands / South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (UK) 2 / French Guiana (France) 1 Territories also in or commonly reckoned elsewhere in the Americas (North America and/or Central America).  2 Territories also in or commonly reckoned to be in Antarctica.

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