conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba

AA

part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full
autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the
Netherlands Antilles

parliamentary democracy

Oranjestad

none (part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands)

none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; in 1990,
Aruba requested and received from the Netherlands cancellation of the
agreement to automatically give independence to the island in 1996)

Flag Day, 18 March

1 January 1986

based on Dutch civil law system, with some English
common law influence

18 years of age; universal

chief of state: Queen BEATRIX Wilhelmina Armgard of the Netherlands
(since 30 April 1980), represented by Governor General Olindo KOOLMAN
(since 1 January 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Jan (Henny) H. EMAN (since 29 July
1994) and Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ (since NA)
cabinet: Council of Ministers (elected by the Staten)
elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a
six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister
elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held 12 July
1997 (next to be held by December 2001)
election results: Jan (Henny) H. EMAN elected prime minister; percent
of legislative vote - NA; Dr. Lili BEKE-MARTINEZ elected deputy prime
minister; percent of legislative vote - NA

unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats;
members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 12 December 1997 (next to be held by NA December
2001)
election results: percent of vote by party - AVP 43%, MEP 39%, OLA 9%
PPA 4%, ADN 2%, PARA 1%, MAS 0.5%; seats by party - AVP 10, MEP 9, OLA
2

Joint High Court of Justice (judges are appointed by
the monarch)

Aruban Democratic Party or PDA [Leo
BERLINSKI]; Aruban Liberal Party or OLA ; Aruban
Patriotic Party or PPA ; Aruban People's Party or AVP
; Aruba Solidarity Movement or MAS ;
Democratic Action '86 or AD '86 ; Electoral Movement
Party or MEP ; Electoral People's Movement or MEP
; For a Restructured Aruba Now or PARA ;
National Democratic Action or ADN ; New Patriotic
Party or PPN

Caricom (observer), ECLAC
(associate), Interpol, IOC, UNESCO (associate), WCL, WToO (associate)

none (represented by the Kingdom
of the Netherlands)

chief of mission: Consul General James L. WILLIAMS
embassy: J. B. Gorsiraweg #1, Curacao
mailing address: P. O. Box 158, Willemstad, Curacao
telephone:  (9) 461-3066
FAX:  (9) 461-6489

blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes
across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in
white in the upper hoist-side corner