Aruba
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- 1636 - 1807, 1815 - 15 Dec
1959
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- 15 Dec 1959 - 18 Mar 1976
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Adopted 18 Mar 1976
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Map
of Aruba
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Hear
National Anthem
"Wilhelmous van
Nassouwe"
(William of Nassau)
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Hear
Local Anthem
"Aruba Dushi Tera"
(Aruba Sweet Land)
Adopted 18 Mar 1976
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Constitution
(1 Jan 1986; in Dutch)
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Capital:
Oranjestad
(1780-1824 Paardenbaai;
1636-1780
Commandeursbaai) |
Currency:
Aruban Guilder/Florin
(AWG)
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National
Holiday: 18 Mar (1976)
Dag van het Volkslied en
de Vlag
(Anthem and Flag Day)
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Population:
116,576
(2018) |
GDP: $4.15
billion (2017)
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Exports:
$137.1 million (2017)
Imports: $1.12
billion (2017)
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Ethnic Groups:
Dutch 82.1%, Colombian 6.6%,
Venezuelan
2.2%, Dominican 2.2%, Haitian 1.2%,
other 5.5%,
unspecified 0.1% (2010)
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Total Police
Force: 250 (2006)
Defense is the
Responsibility of The Netherlands
Merchant marine:
None (2017)
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Religions:
Roman Catholic 57.8%, Protestant
12.3%,
Pentecostal 6.5%, Anglican 0.4%, other
Protestant 2.5%,
Christian Syncretic 6.4%, Jewish 0.4%,
Muslim 0.2%,
Buddhist 0.1%, other 0.2%, not
religious and atheist 5.6%,
unknown 7.5% (2015)
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International
Organizations/Treaties: ACS
(associate), Caricom (observer), DLU
(cooperation), FATF, ILO, IMF, Interpol,
IOC, LAP, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO
(associate), UPU, WMO
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Aruba
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Chronology
c.1502
Discovered and claimed for Spain by
Alonso de Ojeda
and named Oro Hubo.
1526
First
recorded mention as Aruba.
10 May
1636
Aruba a Dutch colony (subordinate to Curaçao).
1636 -
1792
Under Dutch West India Company
administration.
1647 -
1664
Part of New Netherland colony (see New York).
30 Jan 1648
Spain recognizes Dutch
possession of Aruba.
Oct 1804 (1
week)
British occupation.
12 Feb 1805 - 20 Nov
1805 British occupation.
10 Apr 1806 - 15 Apr
1806 Occupied by Venezuelan
revolutionary Francisco
de Miranda.
19 Aug 1806 - 25 Sep
1806 Re-occupied by Francisco de
Miranda.
Jan 1807 - 11 Mar
1816 British
occupation.
1828
Bonaire, Aruba, Curaçao, Saba, Sint
Eustatius,
Sint Maarten and Dutch Guiana united
as
the Dutch West Indies; with the
governor
of Dutch Guiana as the
governor-general
(see Suriname).
27 Jan
1848
Islands united under the name of
Curaçao and
Dependencies (from 20 Sep 1948,
renamed
Netherlands
Antilles).
29 Dec 1954
Netherlands Antilles an
autonomous part of
the Netherlands.
11 May 1940 - 11 Feb
1942 Allied occupation (French
to 6 Jul 1940, then
British), Dutch
administration continues.
11 Feb 1942 -
1945
U.S. occupation, Dutch
administration continues.
25 Mar 1977
Referendum Aruba 82% of
voters support independence
and withdrawal from the
Netherlands Antilles.
12 Mar
1983
Autonomy granted; to be followed by
independence
within ten years.
1 Jan
1986
Separation from Netherlands Antilles,
Aruba an
autonomous country of
The Netherlands.
Jun
1990
Movement toward full independence
(that was to
occur on 1 Jan 1996) halted at Aruba's
request.
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Commanders
1636
Johannes van
Walbeeck
(b 1602 – af.1649)
1660?
Hendrik Martens
1667?
N. Williams
1676? - 21 Dec
1680 Josephus
Flaccius (1st time)
(b. 16.. - d. 1715)
1680
Willem Kien (acting)
1680? -
1681
Johannes "Hans" Bontemantel
(b. 1613 - d. 1688)
1681 - Oct
1715
Josephus Flaccius (2nd
time) (s.a.)
1717? -
1719
Hermanus Koolman
1719 -
1721
Willem Palmers
1721 -
1722
Pieter Pietersz. van Kempen
1722 -
1726
Willem Jansz. (1st time)
1726 -
1730
Isaäc Obbens
1730 - 1739
Willem Jansz. (2nd time)
1739 -
1754
Daniël
Nieuwkerk
(d. 1754)
1754 -
1756
Lourens (Laurens) Croes (acting) (b. 1707 - d.
1758)
20 Aug 1756 - 10 Oct 1768 Jan van der Biest
I
(b. c.1700 - d. 1768)
1768 -
1780
Gilles Poppe (acting to 1772)
1780 - 1791
Harmen
van der Biest
(b. 1725 - d. ....)
1791 - 24 Sep
1792 Jacobus
Pellicorde Porrier
24 Sep 1792 -
1803
Borchard Specht
(b. c.1740 - d.
18..)
Sep 1799 - Oct 1799
Edward Hamilton
(b. 1772 - d.
1851)
(British commander)
May
1800
Henry Anderson (British commander)
Sep
1800
Frederick
Watkins
(b. 1770 - d. 1856)
(British commander)
1803 -
1804
Pieter Specht
Oct 1804 (1
week)
Mahling (Maling)(British commander)
(1st time)
1804 -
1805
Johan Craneveldt
1805 - 8 Oct
1805
Bruin Govertsz Quant (1st time) (b. c.1760
- d. 18..)
8 Oct 1805 - 20 Nov 1805 William
Doran (British Lt. governor)
20 Nov
1805
Patrick Balfour
(b. 1784 - d. 1848)
Nov
1805
Pedro Luis Brión (acting)
(b. 1782 - d. 1821)
Nov 1805 - 15 Jan 1806
Bruin Govertsz Quant (2nd time) (s.a.)
12 Feb 1805 - 20 Nov 1805 Mahling
(Maling)(British commander)
(2nd time)
15 Jan 1806 -
1806
Joseph Franke (acting)
1806
Samuel Bartholomeus
van
(b. 17.. - d. 1817)
den Broek (commissioner)
(1st time)(acting)
1806
Jan van der Biest III (1st time)
1806 -
18..
Samuel Bartholomeus
van
(s.a.)
den Broek (commissioner)
(2nd time)(acting)
10 Apr 1806 - 15 Apr 1806 Francisco de
Miranda (1st time) (b. 1750 - d. 1816)
(military commander)
19 Aug 1806 - 25 Sep 1806 Francisco de
Miranda (2nd time) (s.a.)
(military commander)
10 Nov 1810 -
181.
John Harrison Church
(British commander)
181.
Hartmann?
(British commander)
181. - 11 Mar
1816 Jan
van der Biest II
(civil commander)
11 Mar 1816 - 1 Jul 1819 Lodewijk
Christoph Boyé
(b. 1773 - d. 1841)
1819 - 1 Jan
1822 Jan
van der Biest III (2nd time)
(acting)
1 Jan 1822 -
1826
Jacob Thielen I
(b. 1766 - d. 1843)
1826 - 14 Aug
1827
Simon Plats
(b. 1773 - d.
1827)
1827 -
1833
Johan Frederik Waters Gravenhorst (b. 1801 - d.
1837)
(acting
to 1829)
Directors (gezashebber)
1833 -
1837
Johan Frederik Waters Gravenhorst (s.a.)
1837
Gerard Jan van
Spall
(b. 1795 - d. 1853)
18 Feb 1839 -
1848
Jacobus Jarman, Jr.
(b. 1792 - d. 1859)
Lieutenant governors (gezaghebber)
1848 -
1859
Jacobus Jarman, Jr.
(s.a.)
1859
Borchard Specht II (acting)
1859
Michaël de Veer (1st time)(acting) (b. 1823 -
d. 1859)
1859 - 1860
Herman François Gerardus Wagner
(b. 1822 - d. 1904)
1860 -
1863
Michaël de Veer (2nd time)
(s.a.)
1863 -
1866
Edouard Denis Ernest van
den (b. 1831 - d.
1908)
Bossche
1866 -
1871
Jan Helenus
Ferguson
(b. 1826 - d. 1908)
1871 -
1876
Willem Melanchton Bennebroek
(b. 1836 - d. ....)
Gravenhorst
1876 -
1883
Jan Hendrik Rudeloff
Beaujon (b. 1838 -
d. 1930)
15 May 1883 - 29 Mar 1888 David Gäerste
Willemszoon
(b. 1841 - d. 1898)
1885
E.L. Zeppenfeldt
(acting for Willemszoon)
1 Nov 1885 - 1 Jun 1886 Pieter Johan
Casper
Lampe
(b. 1832 - d. 1918)
(acting for Willemszoon)
29 Mar 1888 - Jul 1897 Jacob
Thielen II (1st
time) (b. 1834
- d. 1915)
Jul 1897 - 1 Sep
1897 J.G. Lampe (acting)
1 Sep 1897 - 31 Aug 1899 Johannes
Adriaan de
Veer
(b. 1853 - d. 1899)
1899 -
1901
Jacob Thielen II (2nd time)(acting)(s.a.)
24 Dec 1901 - 1909
Gerard Raven
Zeppenfeldt
(b. 1863 - d. 19..)
1911 -
1920
Hendrik Johannes
Beaujon
(b. 1870 - d. 1956)
23 Nov 1920 - 15 Dec 1928 Jan Frederik
"Frits"
Quast
(b. 1875 - d. 1953)
15 Dec 1928 - 1 Jun 1945 Isaac
Wagemaker
(b. 1884 - d. 19..)
24 Jun 1931 - 4 Sep 1931 J.N. van der
Veen Zeppenfeldt
(acting for Wagemaker)
3 Nov 1934 - 4 May 1945 Johan Hendrik
Perret Gentil (b. 1889 - d.
1950)
(acting
for Wagemaker)
9 Jun 1938 - 14 Oct 1938 Matthias
Bartels Bartels
Daal (b. 1893 - d. 19..)
(acting
for Wagemaker)
1 Jun 1945 - 30 Nov 1957 Lindoro Cristoffel
Kwartsz
(b. 1873 - d. 1959)
10 Aug 1946 - 23 Sep 1946 Arnoldus Marinus
Schütte
(b. 1897 - d. 1960)
(acting for Kwartsz)
8 Jan 1947 - 29 Apr 1947 Arnoldus
Marinus Schütte
(s.a.)
(acting for Kwartsz)
1948
Herman Bernard
Cornelis Schotborgh (b. 1883 - d. 1950)
(acting
for Kwartsz)
1949 - 1950
Hendrikus "Henk" Anthonius
Hessling(b. 1901 - d. 1966)
(acting
for Kwartsz)
1951
Frans Adrianus Jas, Jr.
(acting for Kwartsz)
1952
P.G. Hooghoudt
(acting for Kwartsz)
1957
P. Croes (acting)
30 Nov 1957 - 31 Oct 1959 K.H. de Boer
(acting)
1958 -
1959
E. Arends (acting)
1959
Oscar Siegfried Henriquez (acting) (b. 1926 - d. 2018)
(1st time)
1959
Otto R.A. Beaujon
(acting)
(b. 1915 - d. 1984)
31 Oct 1959 - 23 Apr 1963 Frederik J.C.
Beaujon
(b. 1906 - d. 1964)
23 Apr 1963 - 1 Jan 1973 Oscar
Siegfried
Henriquez
(s.a.)
(2nd time)
15 May 1973 - 23 May 1979 Francisco Jose
"Jossy" Tromp (b.
1925 - d. 2014)
28 Nov 1979 - 3 Sep 1982 Francisco D.
Figaroa
(b. 1927 - d. 1993)
1982
Remy R. Zaandam
(acting)
(b. 1936)
1982 -
1983
Euladio D. Nicolaas
(acting) (b. 1941)
1 Feb 1983 - 3 Oct 1985 Pedro
Bislip
(b. 1937 - d. 2007)
1985 - 31 Dec
1985
Frans Wernet
(acting)
(b. 1929 - d. 1995)
Governors
1 Jan 1986 - 12 Mar 1992 Felipe
Tromp
(b. 1917 - d. 1995)
12 Mar 1992 - 11 May 2004 Olindo
Koolman
(b. 1942)
11 May 2004 - 31 Dec 2016 Fredis
Refunjol
(b. 1950)
1 Jan 2017
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Juan Alfonso
Boekhoudt
(b. 1965)
Leaders of the government (unofficial post)
1954 - 1956?
Juan Enrique Irausquin
(b. 1904 - d. 1962)
PPA
1956? - 1973?
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1973? - 1977?
Gilberto "Betico" F. Croes
(b. 1938 - d. 1986)
MEP
(1st
time)
1977? - 1979?
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PPA
1979? - 31 Dec 1985
Gilberto "Betico" F. Croes
(s.a.)
MEP
(2nd time)
Prime ministers
1 Jan 1986 - 9 Feb 1989 Jan
Hendrik "Henny" Albert Eman (b.
1948)
AVP
(1st time)
9 Feb 1989 - 29 Jul 1994 Nelson
Orlando Oduber (1st time) (b.
1947)
MEP
29 Jul 1994 - 30 Oct 2001 Jan Hendrik
"Henny" Albert Eman
(s.a.)
AVP
(2nd time)
30 Oct 2001 - 30 Oct 2009
Nelson Orlando Oduber (2nd time)
(s.a.)
MEP
30 Oct 2009 - 17 Nov 2017 Michiel "Mike" Godfried
Eman (b.
1961)
AVP
17 Nov 2017
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Evelyna "Evelyn" Wever-Croes (f) (b. 1966)
MEP
Allied Military Commanders, Aruba
(from Jan 1942, subordinated to the commanders
of All Forces in Aruba-Curaçao)
12 May 1940 - 18 May 1940
Pierre Frédéric Henri Goybet
(b. 1887 - d. 1963)
(France)
18 May 1940 - 6 Jul 1940 ....
(France)
Sep 1940 - Feb 1941 Colin
Muir Barber
(U.K.)
(b. 1897 - d. 1964)
11 Feb 1942 - Sep? 1942 Charles
Rouse Jones
(U.S.)
(b. 1890 - d. 1970)
1942 - 1945
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(U.S.)
Party abbreviations: AVP = Arubaanse
Volkspartij/Partido di Pueblo Arubano (Aruba People's
Party, christian-democratic, center-right, est.3 Dec
1942); MEP = Movimiento Electoral di
Pueblo/Electorale Volksbeweging (People's Electoral
Movement, socialist, supports full
independence, est.9 Feb 1971); PPA =
Partido Patriótico Arubano/Arubaanse
Patriottische Partij (Patriotic Party of Aruba, social
democratic, opposes full independence, est.23
Oct 1949)
© Ben Cahoon
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