The Island of Aruba

Aruba Candace Star Anderson Capitol Technology University Abstract Aruba is an island found with a history dating back to at least 1499 when Spanish explorers discovered this island.

Since 1636, the island has been a Dutch territory. Arubans are considered dutch citizens if they were born on the island and learn dutch as one of the two official languages of the island.

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Aruba has a population of 105,264 which has a rich culture found in all of its celebrations and parades. These beautiful celebrations are also accompanied by the breathtaking views of Aruba including rock formations, crystal clear beaches, and coastal towns.

This culturally enriched land is also the home of over 300 prehistoric pictographs to be discovered on the island so far.

Another fun fact about Aruba is Aruba’s the wreck diving capital of the Caribbean. Keywords: Aruba, Carnival, Island, The History and Culture of Aruba Aruba is an island found in the Caribbean sea, with a history dating back to at least 1499 when Spanish explorers discovered this island. These natives migrated from Venezuela to the islands with tribes living in both Aruba and Venezuela. The island was claimed by the Spanish in fourteen ninety-nine and was not part of the plantation system because of the low rainfall that the island received. The Spanish inhabited the island for a century, in which the latter half while fighting the dutch was seized by the dutch. Since 1636, the island of Aruba has been a Dutch territory. Arubans are also dutch citizens if they were born on the island and dutch is one of two official languages of the island. The geography of Aruba is arid and allows for comfortable tourism in the lower half of the island. The island has calmer beaches in the southern areas of the island as the northern beaches have rougher ocean currents. The island is on average eighty to eighty-four degrees Fahrenheit with little rainfall yearly. The island is located outside of hurricane alleys and does not have a high risk of hurricanes. Because of the calm waters in the south, lower risk of hurricanes, and comfortable temperatures make this island perfect for tropical vacations. The island is almost desert-like, with cacti and aloe vera plants being common. Aruba used to have a naturally formed land bridge, but it, unfortunately, collapsed in two thousand and five. The island only has a population of around one hundred thousand people, but because of the size of the island, it is considered densely populated. Because of its population, the island has a large control of immigration and can allow more or fewer immigrants depending on the population.

The most common immigrant is Venezuelan citizens. Because of the size of the island, it has six cities which are referred to as districts. The cities are Noord, Oranjestad, Paradera, San Nicolaas, Santa Cruz, and Savaneta. The two largest cities are Oranjestad and San Nicolaas, Oranjestad being the capital of the island. These cities have small portions of the city that are formed from a series of man-made continuations of land into the sea. Present-day Renaissance Marketplace, as well as the adjacent Queen Wilhelmina Park, lies within this land reclamation. In this city, there is some Dutch Colonial architecture due to the culture of Aruba. Due to increased government interest in maintaining the island’s cultural heritage, several old buildings and houses in the center of town have been transformed into colorfully restored landmarks, such as the lime-colored Civil Registry on Wilhelminastraat. In this city, several antique building recreations have been recreated, including a shopping mall at Royal Plaza, and a few scattered buildings along Main Street and on the Main Square. Fort Zoutman is one of the town’s attractions, others include the harbor and the Willem III Tower. There are eight museums in total on the island. Aruba is a country part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and has a governor that is appointed by the monarch of the Netherlands every six years. The prime minister is elected every four years and the island has a parliament consisting of twenty-one members.

The island is not part of the European but is still considered part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba’s politics are shaped by Dutch politics in which a monarch and a parliament create the basic structure of the politics. While Aruba is not technically part of the European Union, it does receive assistance and money from the Union. Education systems are also based on the Dutch standards of learning. Most of the government and educational systems are based on the Dutch, but funded by Aruba, leading to debt as its main industry is tourism. The island of Aruba does celebrate all catholic holidays along with one typically celebrated in South America. The festival of Carnival was introduced to the island in the nineteen fifties by Venezuelan immigrants. Carnival is a catholic holiday that is celebrated before Lent. Carnival typically lasts a month. Events during Carnival include music competitions, pageants, parades, and ample street parties. The festival is looked forward to year-round, especially towards the ending event which is the Grande Parade. Aruba also has a rock formation that consists of clusters of tonalite rocks that sit together in an area just north of Hooiberg.

This rock formation, unique to the more typical features of the area, inexplicably rises from the desert soil to create an unusual setting. Some of the rocks weigh several tons and feature peculiar forms. The Government of Aruba has created walking trails for tourists and natives to step through the rocks and experience this work of art firsthand, this also allows hikers to reach the top to obtain the most beautiful views of the island. Conclusion: In conclusion, Aruba is a very nice island, that has many interesting vacation spots and many places to learn and experience Aruban culture. Aruba has a long-time tradition called Carnival, in this tradition the Arubans and other tourists partake in a parade and celebration very similar to what we call Mardi – Gras, in this vibrant celebration there is theme inspired colors throughout the parade and the day-long celebration. Aruba has beautiful beaches with white sand and crystal clear beach water. Overall this is a place that is very interesting and is a tourist attraction for all the right reasons.

References

1. Aruba: Best Island Vacation and Getaway Destination. (2019).
2. Retrieved from https://www.aruba.com/ Super-duper Aruba! 365-days of the sun on One Happy Island. (2019).
3. Retrieved from https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/super-duper-aruba-365-days-of-sun-on-one-happy-island/ Planet, L. (2019).
4. Aruba travel – Lonely Planet. Retrieved from https://www.lonelyplanet.com/aruba-bonaire-and-curacao/aruba B.V., W. (2019).
5. Aruba Casibari Rock Formation. Retrieved from http://www.aruba-travelguide.com/discover/attractions-and-sights/Casibari-Rock-Formation.html